Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1902-07-24
IRONTON. MO-. THURSDAY. july "a, 1909

north and founded the Orange River
Free States. Here again they were
followed by the English government.
and in 1S4S, after the hard fought
battle of Boomphats, In which it was
demonstrated that the flint-lock mus
ket of the Boer was no match for the
modern, firearms of the Englishman,
the British flag was again hoisted over
their territory, but the severe losses
the English sustained at the battle of
Boomphats gave thsm great respect
for the fighting quaaties of the Boer.
Again large number treked beyond
the Vaal River and f unded the Trans
vaal Republic, which afterward be-
came known as the South African Re-
public. After maintaining her SOW
ereignty in the Orange Free States for
ak years, England became weary of
endeavoring to impose her authority
over such stubborn and unwilling sub
jects and acknowledged the independ-
ence of both the Orange Free States
and the South African Republic.
An account of the wars waged by
this valiant people with their bar
baric neighbors, would extend this
article beyond the limits Of the space
that the REGISTER can devote to it.
Suffice it to say that in future years
they will prove storehouse of song
and story of great value for the great
empire now forming at the southern
end OF the great African continent. In
one battle 40 Beers defeated 2000
Zulus. In this fight Paul Kruger OBJ
tained his baptism of fire. In another
fight 1856 Beers defeated $4,000 natives.
The British have faired but little
better when the superiority of their
arms and equipments is taken into the
account.
The two little republics were at
peace with Great Britain until the
| diamond mines were discovered, then,
under what all fair minded men admit
to have been fraudulent claim, ap-
propriated the diamond bearing terri
tory. The President of the Orange
Free States, Mr.. Brand, protested
against the iniquity, and made so good
a case that England, in lieu OF ceding
back the disputed territory, gave him
half million dollars, which he carried
back to Bloemfountain and honestly
paid off the Indebtedness of his coun-
try. When gold was discovered with
in the territory of the Transvaal, the
government of that republic gave to
the discoverer $25OO to hold his secret,
for they feared its evil influence upon
their fortunes.
In 1877 Sir Theopholus Shepstone,
the British Resident at Pretoria,
thought he saw an opportunity to
finally wipe out the Transvaal Re-
public. The Burghers had been fight
ing the Zulus and other native races,
and were hard pressed and unable to
resist. So he hoisted the British flag
over their country and once again
these people became the unwilling sub
jects of the British Empire. They
were unable to effectually oppose him
at the time, but at once began an agi-
tation for independence. They we're
assured that independence was i'm
possible. They were told that so long
as the sun shone they would remain
an integral part of the British Empire.
Every Epglishman in authority told
them to dismiss all thoughts Of inde-
pendepce; that it was impossible.
Notwithstanding these assurances,
Sir Garnet Wellesley was compelled to
write home in the latter part Of No.
vember, 1880, that there was grave
disaffection to English rule in the
Transvaal, and it appeared that the
burgers were contemplating fight for
what they wanted The time seemed
propitious for their enterprise. Eng
land had many irons in the fire in
various parts OF the world and there
were few troops in the Transvaal
! The Beers had made up their minds to
fight, as Sir Garnet had foreseen, and
the time for action was at hand. Tine
cause of the uprising was slight. The
!, government had claim, which has
since been admitted to have been
illegal, against man named Bez.
huidenot, son of the Bezhuidenot
who sixty years before was shot for
resisting the English in Cape Colony,
and was the cause Of Boer uprising
at that time. The English authorities
attached his wag on and on November
, 18th it was brought into the public
square OF Potchefstrom to be sold al
auction to satisfy the claim. As the
sale was about to begin a number oi
armed Beers rode up, took possession
of the wagon and rode away with 1t in
triumph. A month after the incident
of Bezhuidenot's cart the Boer people