The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-03-23
BOrHA WILL NOT SURRENDER.

No less an authority than Joseph
Chamberlain, the Judas of British poll
tics, has announced that General b.
tina has rejected the terms of peace
offered him by Lord Kitchener, the
Anslo-lrisll butcher of Omdurman.
OvcrtureS for peace came from the
British and not from the Boers-a fact
which shows that the British are tired
of the war and unable to compel UNI
conditional surrender. Reports from
South Africa during the past ten days
give evidence of renewed activity on
the part of the Beers, and the brave
hurglrrs are determined to harass the
enemy for an indefinite period until
their independence is acknowledged by
the batllc1 Rritishcrs. General Botha
long ago said that he would not give
up the fight for liberty while 500 of
his followers kept the field, and the
gallant De Wet, whose motto is lib
crty or DEATH" said: "If you hear
that l have surrendered, deny it, for
! will never surrender" Believing that
the Bocr generals meant what they
said, the Irish Standard never for a
moment took any stock in the British
news that they asked for an armisticn
and desired peace. 1t is the British
and not the Beers who took the initia-
tive to stop the war, but the Beers
would accept nothing less than the
liberty they enjoyed before hostilities
commenced. They are now as strong
in numbers as ever, for the raid Of De
Wet into Cape Colony brought many
recruits to tile Boer army.
A London correspondent intimates
that the Tory government is weaken
ing in it's jingoism and that Chamber
lain's influence is rapidly on the wane.
Ills influence with the nation," he
says, lis unquestionably less than it
was, and recently when he addressed
the House of Commons in defense Of
the war office treatment of Sir Henry
Colville the unusual spectacle was pre-
scented OF members quietly conversing
amongst themselves and paying no at
tention to what Ire said. This has
never happened, to the best of my
recollection, to any leading politician
unless his downfall was imminent"
The English people are beginning to
realize that the Boer war was Il stupid
blunder. They have been heavily
taxed, and now there is talk of con-
scription, for nobody is willing to vol
unteer. The army is in Il dcmoralized
condition, what is left of it, and re-
form is proposed. a large home army
Is desired for the defense Of the British
islands, but the government must pay
more to the men before they can get
them. and if draft is resorted to n
revolution may ensue. In case Of war
with Russia what is the government
to do? Withdraw the troops from
South Africa and leave the Beers in
peace? But will the Beers be salts
fled? They are entitled to compensa-
ton for the destruction of their homes.
The granting Of amnesty by Sir Alfred
Miner will not suffice. British am
nesty is like trial by jury in Ireland
"a mockery, delusion and snare"
The Beers will never submit to being
governed by the British, come what
may.
1t reflects discredit on the great pow
ers that they have not interfered in
the Anglo-B war. They have look
ed on unconcernedly at the unequal
contest and made>no effort ut arbitra-
ton. 1t Is disgrace to the Mckinley
administration that it has aided Eng
land in every possible way to destroy
the two sister republics. When the
Boer ENJOYS called at Washington
they received but scant recognition
from the American president and his
British secretary of state, whose son
was in the service of England at Pre-
toria. But the American people, who
have not yet lost the love of liberty