The Savannah morning news., 1902-09-25
HosrEsucK DOM PAUL.

H0nESICk DOM PAUL.
It is said that ex-President. Kruger.
OF the late South African Republic, is
making overtures to the British gov
eminent, through the Boer delegates,
Gems. Botha, De Wet and De Ia Rey,
for permission to return to South Az
rica- The delegates have informed Mr.
4 Chamberlain, Secretary for the Colo
MES, that Mr.. Kruger is sincerely de-
sirous Of accommodating himself TO the
/ existing situation; that he is ready to
/ acknowledge British supremacy and
/ conduct himself as a subject of the
/ British crown.
/ Dom Paul is a pathetic figure in con-
! temporary history. He was the
1 father Of his country" and outlived
it. Indeed. it has been charged that he
was responsible in a greater degree
/ than any other one man for its disso-
/ luton He was stiff-necked and un-
/ leaders. held before the ultimatum
! which precipitsted the war was sent to
England many CT the strongest most
patriotic and brainiest of those leaders
were in favor of compromising and
preserving the peace. But President
Kruger would listen to no such thing.
He had his way. and the war came on.
The leaders who had counseled peace
took the field. The gallant fight they
made is known to the world. Several
of them were killed, giving their lives
for their country in a conflict that had
been brought about against their best
judgment. Dom Paul. too old to fight,
but intent upon making England pay a
price that would stagger humanity"
remained at his capital until it was
seen that it must fall into the hands
of the enemy; then he fed to Europe,
leaving behind in Pretoria his aged
wife. There she remained, an honored
captive in the hands of the British,
until she died.
Meanwhile Dom Paul was in Holland,
trying to bring about Intervention in
behalf of his country. But all of his
efforts failed. The end of the war
finally came, in the triumph of the
British. Still Dom Paul was irreconcil-
able. Almost a fanatic in his religion,
he was equally strong minded with re-
spect to the conquerors of the Trans
vaal. He was in favor, so it is said, of
keeping up a party of irreconcilables in
South Africa and carrying on a guerilla
warfare. But his people were against
| any such thing. AS they had fought
bravely as long as there was hope
even against hope-they as bravely ac-
| cepted the fortunes of war and are now
| seeking to retrieve their ruined for
tunes.
But at last there has come a change
in the fierce and stern old man. He
longs for the scenes of his young man.
hood, his triumphs and his home. 1t is
true that the scenes have been changed,
and will never again be as they were
Pretty nearly all that he strove and
suffered for has been wiped out. His
wife is dead, several of his sons and a
number of his grandsons were killed in
the war. The government that he built
up and administered has been over
thrown. Only the ashes of the past re-
main for him. Yet his heart turns
back to South Africa. He is aged, and
lettering upon the brink Of the grave.
1t is his wish to view the landscape
Ger" once more and to lay his bones
with those of wife and kindred and
friends who have gone on before. 1t
would be a graceful act on the part
of Great Britain to permit him to re-
turn home and to grant him the fullest
measure of freedom when there.