INTERESTING LETTER FROM SOUTH AFRICA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2511, 30 April 1902, Page 45

INTERESTING LETTER FROM SOUTH AFRICA.

Tho following extracts from a letter received by a gentleman in Peebles fiom a Peeblean who has been a resident in South Africa for several years are published in the Peeblesshire Adveitiser: — I can assure you I am thoroughly in accord with your views on the war out here, and you certainly voice the opinion of colonists <O£ *U rifl'""" na " nna although, ftg in. )ii£

Old Country, there are a few out here who appear to claim some merit by differing. These, however, are very few. and almost without exception knew practically nothing of the circumstances which gradually led up to the climax, but were imbued with such an unreasoning hatred of Chamberlain, and even of Rhodes, that in their opinion it was only necessary to find out what side these two public men took, to convince them that the opposite side mu=t be- the right one. They then tried to fortify their opinions by reading history backwards, not with the idea of getting enlightenment, but purposely to endeavour to find a few farts here and there that might serve as a screen to their ignorance and prejudice. The only two facts which they were able to unearth were the Jameson raid (which we all admit was a mistake, brought about by Kruger's injustice), and the very old. old story of Slaghter's Nek. an incident which moct people regard as simpl}- the carrying out of a just sentence of the Supreme Court, and which in the hands of designing rebels has been pushed to the front and magnified as a piece of outrageous persecution. It would be phenomenal if England had made no mistakes in administering the affairs of a country like this for 100 years ; it is not necessary to maintain that. What I do most unhesitatingly assert is that the few mistakes were all against herself, and aro=s out of her very anxiety to do justice to the Boer and the native, even at the expense of the colonist of British extraction. Even since the war commenced, see how the olivp branch has been repeatedly held out so as to let our enemy down lightly Look at Lord Roberta's chivalrous treatment of those who came ■within his grasp, and how our troops were inspired by him in their handling of the people. Look) also at Innes's Treason Bill, passed to enable icbels to find an easy way back to loyalty if they would only repent and take advantage of it. All this has simply given the leaders an opportunity to impress on the mind of the more innocent Boer the idea that any apparent generosity is in reality only an evidence of weakness on our part, and that although the British soldier may be too much for them, the British public will be badgered into giving way if the ball is only kppt i oiling. To keep it going wo have had all these lying stories, and it is most humiliating to find that men of the Harcourt, Morley, Bryce, and Campbell-Bannerman order, are so ready to seize upon an .V little rumom, from whatever source it may come, not only to try to embarrass the Government, but to so glibly stigmatise their fellow countrymen out here in terms which in their own consciences they know to be absolutely unjustifiable. These men parade as the great Puritan statesmen of England, and their countrymen in far-off lands expect to find in them common honesty. You know that I as a Liberal was taught to look up to those very men, and at one time I believed them to be the champions of right, justice, and freedom. That they should have degraded themselves to the level of a Labouclfore and to a Stead only proves how effectually personal animus toward' a political opponent may warp their better judgment. Apparently they cannot tolerate the idea of having to admit that after all Chamberlain is right But the net result of all their declamation is that they have landed themselves in a mist of contradictions, and now they apparently " dunno where they are." Depend upon it, however, that there will be fighting out here as long as there ib any chanco of anyone in Parliament trying to make the Governmpnt deviate from their purnose. Mr M G. Thorburn's challenge to Wilson of the Financial Review was read with great interest here, and the castigation he administered was very effective, although it is wonderful what a hard licking suoh a man can take without feeling it. After giving some details regaiding the barbaric methods adopted by the Boers towards the British who fall into their bauds, the writer proceeds: — You will see that tiiis is the old story of stripping our wounded, .shooting a man after they have him in their power under circumstances where any civilised commander would disarm him. and using explosive bullets as well as bullets with their points filed off to make them expand on impact. These are the men that our Great Puritan statesmen, Hareourt, Morley. Bryce, and CampbellBannerman represent as innocent Biblcreading farmers. If they only saw a few of these specimen-,, they would, T think, realise the enormity of their conduct. I with others here feel very strongly the contemptible attitude of these members of i'iiihanient. and what their conduct has en^t our soldiers in the field, as well as thousands of helplos-, civilians who are now destitute, while those from whom wo expect honesty are raving; in Parliament about tho " poor Boer refugee."