The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-09-11
THEY ASK TOO MUCH
CHAMBERLAIN REPLIES TO DE-
MANDS OF BOERs.
FARE BETTER THAN SOUTH.
TREATMENT OF THIS SECTION BE
NORTH Is CITED.


Liberal Treatment of Their People.
The Conditions of Surrender Al
ready Accepted by Both sides,
Says Chamberlain and Cannot BE
ReOpened--Terms Exceed Liberal
ity of North to South After Civil
| War, He Declares.
London Sept. 10.-A parliamentary
paper issued to-day gives full report
of the recent conference between the
Colonial Secretary, Joseph Chamber
| lain. and the Boer generals, Botha,
| DeWet and De la Rey. Prior to agree
| ing to the interview, which the Beers
asked for Aug. 20, the Colonial Secre-
tary requested a list of the subjects
which 1t was desired to discuss and
the generals forwarded a list, includ-
ing the following:
| Complete amnesty to the rebels; a
| yearly grant to all Boer widows and
orphans and MANNED burghers; equal
! rights for the British and Dutch Ian
| guages in the schools and courts; that
equal rights with the British be con-
| coded to burghers complying with the
| terms of surrender, including the right
to return to South Africa; the imme-
\ date release of all prisoners of war;
the reinstatement of the officials OF
the late South African republics, or
compensation for their loss of office;
| compensation for all loss occasioned
| by the British troops by the use, re-
moval, burning or destruction by other
means Of all private property; the re-
| instatement of the burghers in the
ownership of their farms confiscated
or sold under the proclamation of Aug.
| z, 1901; compensation for the use of
| the properties of the burghers taken
! by the British authorities; payment of
the lawful obligations of the late
South African republics, including
those incurred during the war; the
resembling of the decision to add a por-
ton of the Transvaal to Natal; grant
! ing an extension of time for the pay
ment of all debts due by the burghers
to the late governments of the South
African republics.
surprised MIR. Chamberlain.
Mr.. Chamberlain. in replying, ex-
pressed great surprise at the number
and character of the proposals. saying
that the conditions agreed on at We
| reeniging were duly accepted by the
burghers and the British government,
| and that they could not be reopened,
| nor could proposals rejected at that
| time be again discussed.
| At the opening of the conference the
| Boer generals disclaimed any desire
| to alter the terms of surrender in any
way. On the subject of amnesty to
| rebels, Gen. Botha expressed disap-
pontment that after the promise given
| by Lord Kitchener that the rebels had
| not been granted amnesty at the time
of King Edwards coronation, in reply
| to which MIR. Chamberlain promised
| that the imperii government would
not hinder any generous intentions of
| the government of Natal and Cape
| Colony in regard to rebels.
AS to the return of burghers to South
| Africa, the colonial secretary declared
| 1t was the governments intention to
retain the right to prevens the return
of disloyal persons who had not frank
| ly accepted the terms of peace.
Mr.. Chamberlain Informed the gem
| erals that there was no truth in the
report that the government intended
! to sell farms belonging to the burghers.
Relative TO the transfer to Natal of
! part OF the Transvaal, Gen. Botha said
1
! from He lived there. but he saw no
| chance of remaining, the feeling of tile
| British in Natal being 50 strongly anti
! Boe-.
On the subject of martial law. Mr..
| Chamberlain said it would not be con-
| tinued much longer.
| Gen. Botha concluded with an ap-
peal for the widows and orphans. and
| said he considered that the appropria-
1 ton of 5000, 900 was inadequate.
(! Treatment of south by North.
| Replying to this, Mr.. Chamberlain
compared Great Britain's treatment of
| the Beers with the treatment of the
South by the North after the Civil
War in America. 81 would remind
the general" Mr.. Chamberlain said.
that we have undertaken already
more obligations than have ever be-
fore been undertaken under similar
| circumstances. To take one case In
my time, recollect very well the great
| Civil War in America, and
| appeal to that because that
stands out as a case in which
more than ever before. or indeed ever
since, the victor, the conqueror showed
a magnanimous and generous feeling
to the conquered. There was good rea-
son for this, because they We're broth
ers of the same race, the same relig-
ion. the same everything. 1t was a
civil war, but even in that case the
Northern side, that Is to say the vic
torious side, made no provision what
ever either by way of grant, pension
or allowance to the people who had
been wounded to the side that had
been conquered. They gave them their
lives and their liberties, and after a
period of ten years gave them votes,
but did not give them any money
compensation. But we have gone a
step beyond that, because we have
contributed in addition to all our own
enormous expenses very large sum
to relieve those who are really desti-
tute In our new colonies We have
done more than / think was expected,
and we have done all that we can af-
ford to do and ! think il would be
undesirable for the generals 70 press us
any further in this matter either now
or in writing"
Proceeding. Mr. Chamberlain recipro-
Gated the desire expressed by Gen.
Botha that they should all live in
peace IN future IN South Africa
How soon complete seif-govefnment
viii be extended TO South Africa de-
ponds entirely on the rapidity with
which the old anlmOsities die out. said
Mr. Chamberlain.
Dir. Chamberlain concluded with
Eaying inst the government would be
glad ~ the cooperation ~ men like
the generals, who had loyalty accept
I'd the new situation.