The Globe-republican., 1902-06-19

cede them He said they would insist
that their flag, the "Vierkleur,'' should
be retained He spoke of their recent
successes. in particular his own over
Won DonOp's convoy, and the capture
of Lord Methuen- t'I took on the
latter occasion over S57 of Lord
Methuen's column prisoners, including
wounded" he observed why,
could hold out in the Western Trans
vaal for two years more" added the
Boer general, who is, I fear, suffering
from that sad complaint. a 'sweIled
head But to man who has lived
upon the weld among a very hone1y,
untraveled people such boastfuIness
is, under the circumstances, surely
pardonable. Delarey is a man among
and over his BOer compatriots- He
is honest and downright in his deal
ings, and was before the war-a
BOer whose word was his bond. He
further hOtly declared that if he
fought he would fight, as in the past.
honorable foe, and would do
nothing to forfeit the good name of
himself and his burghers- Lord Kitch-
ener, VINO surely is a diplomatist
well a soldier-and he has had
varied experience in both capacities.
at least in Egypt-received the dele
gates at his residence.
The TranSvaaIerS, with but one or
two isolated exceptions, were for
immediate cessation of hosuilities,
even to leaving the Free Staters to
themselves. In the end 1 believe it
has come to sthis-they are to have
the dubious honor of being the last
to come in and to give up the further
useless, wanton splitting of human
blood. Steyn, who is, fear, breaking
up physically, voted for continuing
the struggle, but his influence counts
for little beside that of the pugnacious,
plump, swart, saturnine Christian De
T0t hn ic f1o rho
of tne Free State Delarey's was
practically the only bellicose voice
raised for war to the bitter end from
the Transvaal- Mr.. Reitz, the state
secretary, need not be too seriously
considered. But let this justice be
done to Gen. De1arey, who deserves
the need of honest mems praise; re
said: IF the commanders burgh ers
accept the English flag I will abide
by their verdict and come in, for L
have done my duty If not, L will die
in the field, fighting for the old gov
eminent and the old flag At last
the voices of the burgher women-or,
at least, a majority of them-are now
for peace. and that has not been with
out it's influence for settlement in the
deliberations.
To get to the back of any mans
mind is not usually an easy task 1t
is almost an impossible one when the
sto1id taciturn, self-sufficient Boer
is the subject of the operation.
would not be dealing fairly by you
and your readers if 1 did not state
that there are those among the Beers
now demanding settlement and peace
who seek to and would these
means to conspire for the abrogation
of all the conditions mat they are to-
| aay so anxious to sign. But the sense
| of fairness, the pride of keeping their
plighted word, will, l believe weigh
with the vast majority, and the
/ peace" will be a lasting peace if the
/ terms do not assign away the vic
tors manifest rights Better, in mer
cy's name, to fight to a finish thar
/ tolerate such a settlement, for bitter
| ness and contention carried into civil
life are more deadly to nationhooC
/ than war in the field between men
| The future danger, if not guarded
| against, will come from the former evi
element in south Africa, intriguing
dN[ AAhM