Waterbury Democrat., 1901-03-22
WHY THEY FAILED
Story of the Peace Negotiations
 is Now Told.
BOTHA ASKED FOR TOO MUCH.

So Kitchener Said. and Thus the Ar
 engagement Fell Through-Amnesty
 Was to Be Granted and All Mill-
 tarv Prisoners Returned to Their
 Homes-Botha Wanted More.
 Iondon. March o2.-The parliament nrv papers giving details of the hesu- ttations between the Boer com1ilaiio, er-in-chief. General Potha. ana lor" Kitchener commanding the bfltlsh forces in South Africa. issued to-dav' heein with a telegram from Sir Al fred AIilner to Colonial Secretary Chamberlain. The dispatch is dated Pretoria, February %. and states that Mrs Botha had returned from meeting with her husband. bringing letter in reply to Sir Alfred Miners $ verbal message offering to meet Gen eral Rotha as a means Of ending the war on the express underStandin" tha ' he would not discuss tho question or the indenendence of the TranSvaal md the Orange River Colony. Mrs Potha assured Sir Alfred Miner that the latter was written with that noint clearly understood. General Rotha referred the matter to his generals. and it was stated that the meeting would probably take place at Middle burg
 NIr Chamberlain reDlied that he was glad to hear of General Botha'S desire to treat and hoped it was genuine. "He will find us" said the colonial secre- o4 1,f o noints affecting his individual posi- tion.''
 On February o7 Sir Alfred Miner wired Lord Kitchener. informing him That General Botha had written that q. m.. February 2S.
 A dispatch from Lord Kitchener to the war office, dated Pretoria. Fehr'- arv 2S. reports long interview with General Botha. who showed very good feeling and seemed anxious for peace. He asked for information. which he said he would submit to his govern ment. the generals and the people. If they agreed he would visit the Orange River Colony and get them to agree. Should all then hand in their arms it would finish the war. He said they could go on for some time and he was not sure he would be able to bring about peace without independence. Fl declined to discuss such q point. said Lord Kitchener. "and said modified form of independence would be most dangerous and would lead to war in the future" Replying to General Botha's inuliries, I informed him that when hostilitieS ceased the military would be replaced by a crown colony administration. consisting of nomi- mated executive and an elected as sembly to advise him. followed after a period by a representative govern ment The Boers would be licensed to have rifles to protect themselves against the natives. the Dutch and English languag ges were to have equal rights. kaffirS would not have the franchise until after representative government had been granted. the Or ange Free State laws for kaffirs would be considered good. church property. public trusts and orphan funds would not be touched. no war tax would be imposed on farmers. assistance would be given to repair burned farms and to enable the farms to start afresh. and colonists who had joined the republics should be disfranchised.
 "General Botha generally seemed satisfied with these conditions.'
 Among the questions to which Lord Kitchener apparently did not reply were. when the war prisoners would return and regarding the taking over of debts of the republics. including those legally contracted since the be- ginning of the war.
 General Rotha was reported to be making a strong point of this. He referred to notes which had been iS- sued. amounting to less than a mil lion pounds.
 Lord Kitchener arranged to commu- nicate Botha's views to his govern ment. All that he said was qualified by being subject to confirmation from the home government.
 .tOn March g. Sir Alfred Milner cabled Lord Kitchener. suggesting the following replies to General Botha:
 T beg to inform you that on the cessation of hostilities and the com plete surrender of arms. ammunition. cannon and munitions in the hands of the burgherS in the field at government depots or elsewhere. his majeSty's gov ernment is prepared at once to grant amnesty in the Transvaa1 and Orange River Colony for all bona fide acts of
 
 to move the governments of Cape Col ony and Natal to similar action. quail fed by the Acknowledgement of any British subjects implicated in the war. The military prisoners in St Helena. Ceylon and elsewhere on complete surrender. shall he brought back to their country. Military law shall at once be replaced by civil administra- tion, but it is the desire of his majes- tvs government as soon as circum- stances will permit to establish q rep resentatiye government. On the ces- sation of hostilities high court. inde- pendent of the executive, shall be es- tablished to administer the laws. Land, church property, trusts and or phan funds shall be respected. The English and Dutch languages shall be tnught in the public schools and all lowed in the law courts The legal debts of the state to the amount of E1.- 000.OOO shall be paid, even if contract ed during hostilities, to the extent a f creditor proves he has given value The government does not mean to Sex-