The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-02-22
wives and Children of CoIOnists VIII
Not Be Molested, but Prop
erty VIII BE Destroyed.
BRITISH SEVERELY SCORED
CHARGED WITH ALL MANNER OF
BARBA3OUS OFFENsES.
Mothers and Daughters of Boers Said
to Have Been Violated and
Effects of the Dead Stolen.

LONDON, Feb. 21.-The following procla-
nation, issued by former President Steyn
and General De Wet. has been forwarded
from Port Elizabeth, Cape Colony:
BE it known to all men that the war
which has been forced on the Transvaal
republics, by the British government, still
RACES over South Africa; that all the Gus
toms OF civilized warfare, and also the
conventions of Geneva and The Hague are
not observed by the enemy, who have not
scrupled, contrary to the Geneva conven-
ton, to capture doctors and ambulanceS
and deport them i'm order to prevent our
wounded from getting medical assistance:
that they have seized ambulance material
appertaining thereto; that they have not
hesitated to have recourse to primitive
rules OF warfare. contrary to the solemn
agreement of The Hague, to arrest neu-
trails and deport them, and to send out
marauding bands to plunder, burn and
damage burghers' private property: that
they have armed Kaffirs and natives and
used them against us in the war; that they
children and old and sickly men, and that
there have been many deaths among the
women because the so-called Christian
enemy had no consideration for women on
a sick bed, or those whose state of health
should have protected them against rough
treatment. Honorable women and tender
children have not only been treated rough
ly, but have been insulted by soldiers by
order of their officers. Moreover, old moth
ers and women have been raped, even
wives and children, and the property of
prisoners of war; even dead burgherS, has
not been respected. In many instances the
mother and father have been taken, the
house has been left unprotected and all
have been left to their fate, an easy prey
to sayages.
-The world has untruthfully been in
formed by the enemy that they have been
Obliged 20 carry out this this destruction De-
lines, cut the wires and misuse the white
flag. Nearly all the houses in the repub-
lies have been destroyed, whether in the
neighborhood of the railroad or not. The
alleged misuse of the white flag is simply
continuance of the everlasting calumny
against which the Afrikander has had to
contact with the Englishmen. Robbing him
of the goods does not satisfy him: he is not
satisfied until he has robbed him Of his
good name also.
'They state to the world that the repub-
lies are conquered and that only here and
there small plundering bands are continu-
ing the strife in an irresponsible manner.
1t is an untruth. The republics are not con-
quered. The war is not finished The burgh-
er forces of the two republics are still led
by responsible leaders, as from the COM
mencement of the war. under the super
vision of the governments of both repub-
lies. The fact Of Lord Roberts and Lord
Kitchener choosing the term 'marauders'
in designating burghers does not make
them such. When was the war over? Per-
haps after the battles in which irregulars
captured the enemy and totally vanquished
them. The burgherS would be less than
men If they allowed the enemy TO go un-
punished after ill-treating their wives and
destroying their houses from sheer lust of
gain. Therefore, portion Of the burghers
resent 1T. Cape Colony will not only wage
war, but will be in position to take re-
prisals as Ii has already done.
I'VE warn the officers OF his Majesty's
troops that unless they cease the destruc-
ton of the property of the republics we
shall wreak vengeance by destroying the
property of his Majesty's subjects who are
unkindly disposed. But in order to avoid
being misunderstood, we hereby openly de-
clare that their wives and children will al
ways be unmolested, in spite of anything
done to ours by his Majesty's troops We
request nothing from brothers in the
Colony, but call on them, as well as on the
civilized world, to assist in behalf of our
joint civilization and Christianity in put
ting an end TO the barbarous manner of
the enemys warfare.
"Our prayer will always be that God our
Father. will not desert us in this un-
righteous strife.