THE AMAZING BOER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7506, 13 September 1902, Page 4

THE AMAZING BOER.

The text of the- interview between thei Bper Generals and Mr Chahiberlain has npw been published, and to say that it haa •ctpnisbed the British nation is putting the effect that it has created in the mildest terms. At the tin - * peace was declared it H*ras anticipated by spnae critics that upder the inflaenc e gfjmt agdYeflejetiog.the Rbers might presently begin to chafe at the conditions which they accepted gladly enough when they were exhausted from" the long struggle, and harassing life oh the veldt. iFew, however, could have tbat th#i» fl^atfpjae^n.wopld iisvs. taken the direction it Vhas followed. And yet the attitude of the Boer Oenerals is symbolical of the Boer nation. Frpih the time when they first 'began to be a factor in Sbtith Africa^ the ppers have consistently done what they Were not expected to do, and neglected that which was expected from tbtm. But whatever was the reason which induced the Bper Je#4er_s tp approach Mr Ghiamherlavn With, their; requests, whether it Was tine influence of their , fellow-country-tnen in Holland or their natural impervipusness tp.. reason as English people know the term, they can scarcely have anticipated at idiJJarf-pVt answer frpm tbe otoe they received. If thoy did expect that their request would be granted, they were wofujly disappointed. Mr Chamberlain was courteous, but be was firjn ; firnj, enough even to .please) Mr Beddon. He told the Generals a ••num-r I her of home truths, and reminded them of certain inPidept^ which cpuld not have escaped even their wilfully short memories. Finally he diswssed--them with, an intimation .that their ppnfjuct if as not calculated 1 to promote the pacification and future prosIperity* of South Africa. We do not profess tQ have fathomed the Boers' reqiiest, but wb hope that they have not mistaken the tonei »f Mr Chanjijerialp's reply. It- would be a, lamentable thing if the burghers were permitted to harbour the belief that by wai*ting long encujgh they could obtain, aj modification of the trims of peace. They ougfet te he fiaade tp understand that) they are in^thie position of a cdnquered enemy, and that on po jjonsideratien whatever will Great* Britain depart from the terns which she has gnui*te4 them- TJ 106 ! 6 terms were eaey enough in aji conscience. Anybpdy but a Bobr, blind to defeat and forgetful of his pledged Word, would have realised this, and,' on the principle of leaving well alone, bavemade no effort tp extract further concessions from .a top generous cojjiquerpr. The Boer, however, appears to be exceedingly -forgetful or extremely ungrateful. Gratitude is a virtue which it is rather too late jnow to attempt to instil in his mind, but surely it ought to be possible to refresh his memory. If it is possible, then Mr Chamberlain's reminders will not have been "Wasted. - -