New-York tribune., 1901-02-22
PROCLAMATION BY sTEYN AND DE WEI
THEY CHARGE THE BRITISH WITH CARRY
ING OK = BARBAROUs WARFARE

Port Elizabeth. Feb. 2I.-The following procla-
nation has been issued by President steyn and
General De Wet
BE il known 70 all men that the war which
hls been forced On the Transvaal Republics by
M British Government SIN RACES over South
Atrlca; that al. the customs q civilized warfare
ana also the conventions Of Geneva and The
Hague are nor observed by the tuemy. who have
hct scr-llea contrary to the Geneva CCnver-
tonr 70 capture doctors and aubulalces ana
otport them. in order 10 prevent CIr wounded
from gett-De medical assistance: that they have
seized afuauarcs material apperta!ning thereto:
tAat they have not hesitated 10 have recourse TO
primitive rules q warfare, contrary 10 the SOL
t-ln agreement u The Hague. 10 arrest neu-
tals and ceport them, u send out maraudiEg
t't-0 to pl-Ader, o'tn ana damage oLrchers
private property thar they have armed katflrs
ana natives and used them against Us IN fhe
N.F- mat they have been continually capturing
en1 that there have been many deaths among
tf- womer because the so-callcd Christian enc
my had 40 cons da-ation for women on sick
b'a oc whose sr4t. Ct health should have pro-
t7-'a9 them aga uet rough treatment Horora-
tc women and tender children have not only
Den treated 70 gGly, but have been insuIe1
~ soldiers, ov %. acr of the.r officers Moreover,
oe mothers and women have been raped, even
wives ana children and the property Of pris-
oners ~ war. even Of killed burEhers, has not
been respected. In man. Instances the mother
ana Father have been taken the house has been
leii unprotected, and al have been left 10 their
tale, an easy prey - saVaeFS.
. lhe world has untrgthtully been informed hy
tae enemy that They have been obliged 10 carry
o-L l4ls OBSTRUCTION because The lurChers blow
" he lines cut the wires and misuse the white
nsE Nearly an the houses in the republics have
pen destroyed. NAetEcr in the neighborhood Of
u railroad or oot. Tho alleged misuse of the
white fag is simply continuance of the ever
lasting calumny against which the AFrikander
ms had 10 strive since the time God brought
iA INTO contact with the fuglishman. Rob
bng his opponent Cf goods only does not satisfy
nm He Is not satisfied untfl he has robbed him
ot MS good name Also, they state % the world
t1at the republics are conquered, and that only
hele and there small pluDdering bands are con-
tnuinE the strirc in an irresponsible manner.
ihis is an untrlth. The republics are not con
ouerod. The war is not finished. The burrher
tpunslble leaders. as from the commencement OF
TIE var. under the supervision q the govern
ments % both epuAlics. The fact ~ Lord Rob
erts ana Lord Kitchener choosing the term
'fnarauders' in desi gnatiag bUrghers does not
make them such When was the WaI over? Per
haps after the hatuCs IN which irreSuars capt
lled the enemy and totally VauQuished them2
The burghers would be less than men II they
Treating their yes and destroying their houses
Eofn sheer lUst Uf destruction. Therefore a
portion ~ the burchefs resent il. cape Colony
VII not only wage war but VIII be in a position
70 make rcprsals as IL has already done. n
tne case - ami uances, Therefore. We warn the
ohcefs - Fts Nalestys troops that unless they
cease Tho destruction % the property Of the
republics we shan Wreak Nengeance 10y destroy
ing the propoftT 81 His Majesty's subjects who
ait unklncly disposed But N order 10 avoid
nehg misunder TODD, we hereby openly declare
,tlp4ested In spite ~ anything done by ours or
- iils MaJcstts g troops. We request nothing
ston our brothers in the Colony. but call on
.t-H4 as Wei 80 on the civilized world, 20 as
80 IA behalf ~ our Joint civilization and CHRIS
S'~h!ty, Ia putting an end 10 the barbarous man
or he eneny,s warfare
,,pr PRAYER ~ill always be that God our
Father w'in not desert us in this unrighteous
'""e STEYN and DE WET