The Jennings daily record., 1902-06-26

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. 81 took on the
latter occasion over S57 of Lord
Methuen's column prisoners, including
wounded he observed why, l
could hold out in the Western Trans
vaal for two years more" added the
Boer general, who is, | fear, suffering
from that sad complaint. "swelled
head" But to a man who has lived
upon the weld among very homely,
untraveled people such boastfulness
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 so 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,
as an honorable foe and would do
nothing to forfeit the good name of
himself and his burghers. Lord Kitch-
ener, VINO surely is a diplOmatist as
well as a soldier-and he has had
varied experience in both capacities
at least in Egypt-received the dele
gates at his residence.
The Transvaalers, with but one or
two isolated exceptions, were for
immediate cessation of hostilities.
even to leaving the Free Staters to
! themselves. In the end ] believe it
has come to this-they are to have
the dubious honor of being the last
to come in and to give up the further
useless, wanton spilIing of human
| blood. Steyn, who is, fear. brealiins &
! up physically, voted for continuin 6
| the struggle but his influence counts
| for little beside that of the pugnacious,
! plump, swart, saturnine Christian De
| Wet, who is the real burgher master
of Inc Free State Delarey's was
practically the only bellicose voice
raised for war to the bitter end from
the Transvaal. Mr.. Reitz, the state
considered. But let this justice be
done to Gen. Delarey, who deserves
the need of honest mems praise; he
said: IF the commanders or burghers
accept the English flag l will abide
| by their verdict and come in, for
have done my duty. If not. will die
|
ernment and the old flag" At las
the voices of the burgher women-or
at least, a majority Of them-are nov
for peace, and that has not been with
out it's influence for settlement in the
deliberations
To get to the back of any man!
mind is not usually an easy task. l
is almost an impossible one when thu
stolid, taciturn, self-sufficient Boe
is the subject of the operation.
would not be dealing fairly by yo1
and your readers if l did not stat
that there are those among the BOer
now demanding settlement and peac
who seek to and would use thes
means to conspire for the abrogatiol
of all the conditions that they are tC
uay so anxious to sign. But the sens
of fairness, the pride of keeping thei
plighted word, WILL l believe, weig
with the vast majority, and tn
peace" will be a lasting peace if tn
terms do not assign away the vic
tors manifest rights. Better, in me-
cy's name, to fight to a finish" tha
tolerate such a settlement, for bite
ness and contention carried into civ
5 life are more deadly to nationhoo
4 than war in the field between mel
: The future danger. if not guarde
against, will come from the former ev
: element in south Africa, intriguin
6M-zZ[ -NAhM\