Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1900-02-14

anxiety for the Republics safety
synchronized with his attempt to con
federate South Africa"
"Th- real mistake of the British
Government" in Mr.. Fitzpatrick's
opinion, "began after the annexation.
The failure TO fulfill promises, the
deviation from old ways of govern.
ment, the appointment of unsuitable
officials who did not understand the
people or their language, the neglect
TO convene the NOlksrasd or TO hold
fresh elections, as definitely promised;
the establishment of personal rule by
military men, who treated the Beers
with harshness and contempt and
would make no allowance for their
simple, old fashioned ways, their
deep-seated prejudices, and, if YOU
like. their stupid opposition to mod
ern Ideas--these things and others
caused great dissatisfaction"
a large majority of the citizens of
the TraDsvaal signed memorial to
the British Government praying that
the annexation be reversed, while the
authorities of the Republic entered
solemn protests. Their protests and
memorial were ignored by the British
Government. The discomfort of the
Beers eliminated in revolution, and
in 1881 they recOyered their indie
pendence after resort to arms. The
British troops were defeated in sever
al engagements, and, although rein
forcements were sent to South Africa
in sufficient numbers to crush the
Beers, the British Cabinet, at the
head of which was Mr.. Gladstone, de
cIded not to continue the war, but to
undo the annexation of 1877.
in August, 1881, convention was
concluded by Great Britain with the
provisional government which the
Traansvaal people had established.
BY this instrument Great Britain rec
Ognized the Transvaal State as an
tonomous, reserving, however, the
control of all the foreign relations
and declaring the suzerainty of the
Queen.
1.-The war;" says Mr.. Fitzpatrick.
left the country, as wars will, di-
vided into two parties, with feelin IS
toward each other that are deplora-
ble enough in themselves and not
easily allayed. The curtain was
rung down and the scene was lost to
the view of the world. but the play
went on all the same behind the cur
tain. And this is what the new
Transvaal Government said to the
world on August s, 1881, when they
took over the administration of the
country;
10 all inhabitants, without ex
ceptiOn, we promise the protection of
the law and all the privileges attend
ant thereon. We repeat
solemnly that our motto is unity and
reconciliation
In 1884 the Transvaal authorities
!, induced the British GOyernment to
agree to new convention, whose ar
, tlcles supersede those of the conven-
tion of 1884. President Kruger
went to London and persuaded the
: late Lord Derby, then Colonial Sec
: retary in the British Cabinet, to omit
all reference In the new convention
to the snzerainty of Great Britain.
In this convention the title of the
: country was also changed from
'Transvaal State" to South Afri
can Republic" The omission of any
mention of suzerainty, in Mr.. Bryce's
opinion, was an error on the part of
Lord Derby, ''but it was an error
which would have signitied little but
for an event which happened imme-
diately after it was committed, name
, ly, the discovery in the Traansvaa
! in 1885 of the richest gold field in
world"
. The alleged grievances of the Out
landrrs were the nominal cause of
the war between the South African
, Republic and Great Britain. Up to
the time the gold beds were discover
ed the Transyaal was a pastoral will
derness, with scarcely more than one
inhabitant to the square mile, most
, of them ranchmen. When the exis