THE BOERS—A HUNTED PEOPLE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIV, Issue 7, 12 June 1896, Page 27

THE BOERS— A HUNTED PEOPLE.

(Bead before tbe Auckland Catholic Literary and Debating Society by Mr M. J. Sheahan.)

The attention to-day of the civilised world is ri vetted upon the extraordinary proceedings which are beiog enacted in the Transvaal Republic in Sjuth Ulrica. There in nothing new about them, for we find them of periodical occurrence daring the last tbref -quarters of oentury. In fact the trials and vicissitudes of tbese Dutch men and women since their departure from the sluggish waters of the Scheldt hare been considerable. Driven from post to pillar has been their quantity. Though comparatively new in the collection of Governments, yet their heroic and praisaworhy efforts to avert effac ment and absorption have made them prematurely old. In large numbers the Hollanders Bettled in the Cape, the majority of whom pursued farming occupations with them they brought all their national characteristics which were out of harmony with those of the Britons. Disputes and quarrels naturally arose. The Boers began to " trek *' northward. In 1814 Cape Colony fell intothe hands of the British Government. To the Boers the new system of government was foreign and obnoxious, Above all they vehemently protested a ainßt the ad. ranees and superiority airs patroaiaingly bestowed upon them by those seemingly necessary auxiliaries to British conquest— the missionaries. These gantlemen not only vill.fied the Dutch throughout the oolocy, but they spread over Europe the most degrading statements conearning them. The policy of the new Government tended in this direction, and the Boer pioneer colonists were treated as inferior subjects, and levelled to the savage hordes around them. To this they ware determined not to submit, and in the winter of 1836 the midland and eastern districts of the colony were all astir. Upon all sides the Boera were vacating their homestjads to such an extent that the Government took alarm. Strenuous efforts were made to stem the exodus, but it went on. To the Orange River the immigrants wended thair way fondly imagining that when beyond the confines of British territory they would owe co allegiance to the Crown, and would be free to govern themselves. This hallucination received many and subsequent rude shocks. Th« wanderers suffered various disappointments] and hardships. Tne MUabele, under their savage chief, Moielekatae, were united to worry and rob them. Natal was determined upon as their new capital. Their first act was to obtain a cession of the territory from Dingan, the powerful Zulu chief. A Government was shortly after formed. There was a Volksraad or Parliament, a military commandant, also a district magistracy, and ■11 the requisites of a republic. This news perturbed very much the Cape authorities. It was more tban they could sand to have the Boerß establish themselves thua, and especially were they angered at finding the port of Natal used by their quondam subjets as an outlet foi their produce, etc. Forthwith the Cape Government sent an armed force to take possession of Natal, with tbe declared object of stifling nil trade by the Boers, wbo were distinctly informed that no vessel of any description would be allowed to enter the port. After a while tbe Cape force was withdrawn, and for a time tbe Boers ware left in quietness. At i bis ju i ct nre a man of ability and energy forced his way to the front amongst tbe B x rs, Andrus Pre orius, destined, sub tequently in their struggle?, to become famous. He sought to open oegotia'iODS with the Br.t sa authorities, rrqut sting a recognition of tbe rights of the republic on the basis of a close alliance, Tbe answer was tbe despatch of an armed force with orders to prevent tbe establishment of a s>parata Government by the Boers, and commanding them to return to Cape Colony The Boers stoutly resisted, and the invaders were be<»ieg<d, and for a time were ia danger of immolation, and were only bayed by tbe foic 'd marches of the relieving force. In the end tbe Boers were re lac antly compelled to submit, but in so doing they refused absolu ely to barter their freedom. Tbe whole body once more wearily moved over tbe mountains across tbe Vaal river and settled down in tie country now known to tame as the Transvaal. Is here not some hi, g chivalrous in a people who dared and risked so much to preseive intact their nationality ? Would it not have beeu becoming io a great power who evinced so warm an interest in the a.leged thralJom of the Neapolitans under King Bomba and who spent fortunes in stamping oat the si ive traie, to hive allowed this plodding, ponderous haniful of Ho landers to wjrk out their own destiny in their own way ? But no, with a persistent malignity they worried and tortured the home seikera. All this time there had been a gradual se'tlement of Dut^h farmers going on between the Change and Vial rivers, of which Bioeinfontein bad b come tbe recognised capital. In 1847 Genaral Sir Harry Smith was appointed Governor of tbe Ope Colony and High Commissioner, with authority, if be saw fit, to proclaim the sovereignly of the Queen over the territory sou<b of tbe Vaal. He, of course, " saw fi ," and Bptedily proclaimed the " Orange sovereignly " the effect of which was to bring nnder British rale tba whole of the country between tbe Orange and Vaal rivers. Tbe intrepid Pretorius resolved that his people should fight notwithstanding tbe unequal chacots of the combatants. The British resident magistrate had barely time to eaoape from Winburg.

Bloeinfonteio was soon captured. A decisive battle was fought at Bloomplaats a couple of marches beyond the Orange River. Sir Harry Smith soon found that the hunted farmers could fi;ht. He came up with them posted on tbe first of three steep ri^grs covered with boulders, so that thay could, if necessary, retreat from one ridge to another. In all bis Indian expeiienos tbe new Governor said that he never saw such hot and sever* skirmishes as he did on this occasion. The Boers were defeated and pursued. Tbe usual penalties followed, The possessions of all who took part in defending their liberty and homes were forfeited, and a reward of two thousand pounds wa offered for the delivery of Pretorias. All wouM now seem to have been lost, but tbe sturdy Boers were not yet subdued. Resistance! active and passive, was kept up, culminating in punitive raids in which the insurgents north of the Vaal made c mmon cause with their co-partners in trouble in the Orange Bovenignty. Py this time the British authorities recognised tbe inutility of fuither continuing the strife, and grew heartily sick of the contest Commissioners were sent out with full powir to make all necessary concessions. The offer of a reward for Pretorius was withdrawn, and he was invited to negotia'e. The rtsnlt was tne Hand River Convention signed January 17th, 1852, the first article of which, " guaranteed in the fullest manner on the part of the British Government to the emigrant farmers beyond the Vaal River the right to manage their own affairs and to govern themselves according to their own law*, without any interference of tbe British Government, with the further assurance that the warmest wish of the British Government is to promote peace, free trade, and friendly intercourse with the em I. grant fanners now inhabiting, or who may hereafter inhabit that country." This was an act of tardy justice, and there are tew wbo will deny that the recipients were in every same fully entitled to iti Within twenty eight years after, that treaty of 1852 was set aside. Through long continued incursions by tbe Zulus, and tbe enormous drain which they entailed upon the struggling Republic, its at no time plenary exchequer was nearly exhausted. This Was the opportune time, and Britain, from 1877 to 1880 had tbe Transvaal nndff her control. In the latter year, 1880, tbe Boers again took the field, and defeated Sir George Colley and the Imperial foroes at Majuba Hill. In 1881 a convention once more decreed the independence of the Transvaal upon tbe same conditions as the Sand River Oonvention in 1852 with this important exception that it conceded to Great Britain a superainty over tbe Republic, tbe terms of which provided that the Boers could oot, without the sanction of the Queen, contract foreign alliances, or enter into foreign treaties, etc. It sbou'd here be recorded to the credit and honour of England that she peiformed in this treaty towards the Bners a generouß ani magnanimous part, On the other hand it should be bo ne in mind that there still existed tbe Band River Convention under tbe obligations of which England was in all honour bound to remain faithful. For a psriod of fifteen years the inhabitants of tbe TraoavHhl have pursued their primitive occupation of tilling the soil. With the exception of the fierce r ids made upon them at intervals by the aboriginal bordea tbe Boers have hid since 1881 a comparatively qniet time of il.i 1 . But like the Romans of o'd who were constantly under arms and on tie alert to stem tbe persis ent onslaughts of the Goths on their frontier, these iturdv ynemen bad one more to abandon the plough and th harrow, and &h ulder the r fh to burl back from their territory an invader whate primary < bj-ct was, under tbe thin guise of redressing political and snci»l grievance", simply plunder. Within the octave of that great and holy season »hen ov> r tbe Christian world there ie* echoes the cry of '• peace on eartb," a cjbon in the employ of a land* grabbing syndicate i flated with a munific nt purse, ani elated at their recent murderous successes, by the aid of Maxims, over tbe surrounding negroes, and in violation of all honour and justice and equity, crossed the frontier of tbe Transvaal aroieJ to the testb Owing to the prompt and deceive action of the Boer authorities this nefarious filibustering txjloit was squelched befor accomplishing its f«tl designs, It was indeed a fortunate thing that such promp*. action was taken, otherwise, if J mi eon had at the outset been even partially successful it has been asserted that theie wonld have arisen throughout South Africa a racial war of extermination. lhe grievances of tbe Outlandere. were advarced as a pretext for this outrageous inva>ao-i. For a time this statement dazzled and en. trapped tbe unwary. Tbe mvi ation (that is what these persons styled it) asking Jameson tocriss tbe border was signed by five individuals nearly all of whom were connected with the land-grabbing syndicate. One of the signatories, Rhodes, was a brother to tha Cecil of that name, the latter of whom is tbe head and mainspring of the British South African Charteied Company. Fourteen day 8 prior to the invasion Jameson was olotttud with Cecil Rhodes at his residence in Cape Colony. From day to day there comes to hand evidencs of the most damaging character concerning the complicity of Cecil Rhodes wi h lameson's raid. In connection with this raid Mr Gladstone, writing on January 17 h last to Mr A. H Himmonds, of the Cape Tlmet London office, 61 Cornhill, seid : — "D-arSir, — I have alwajs thought the Transvaal had rather peculiar claims upon us, and I am much pleased with what I see thus far of Krager's conduct. Bat

we are not oat of tbe wood yet, and I am not entitled to interfere: As at present advised, however, I am alike surprised and disgusted at the outrage committed on the Bepublic ; and even if the Uitlanders were tbe main came, that is no answer to those whose territory was invaded and their peace disturbed by armed invasion." Tbe " peculiar claims upon us " here mentioned by Mr Gladstone are no doubt the solemn treaties thrice entered upco, and thrice violated ia tbe name of England. Again, you will observe that be says, "if the TJitlanders were the main cause," thereby intimating that, in his opinion, these grievances were but a stalking-horse for ulterior objects. Sir George Grey, an erst Governor of Cape Colony, and well qualified to Bpe»k on this subject, said of Jameson's raid that it w%i"amost wicked thing, one of tbe wickedest things ever done.'* Here in passing I may remark that a few evenings ago in an Anglican parish hall, in one of our suburbs, a rev gentleman, a preacher of the Gospel of peace, in a lecture on the Transvaal, said : " Jameson made a mistake, but it was the grandest mistake in British history." As a finale to this statement we are informed that tber* was performed amidst loud applause " Rule Britannia." In reply to the fulsome praise bestowed upon Doctor " Jim " and bis raiders by tbe new laureate, Mr T. D. Sullivan, M.P., with due acknowledgments, wrote ths following lines :— I Bobbery f murder f It may be, But I mean to go for my luck ; Do they think me s psalm-singer's baby, To be scared by some texts from a book ? Dutch Bill has a houseful of treasure, And why should he hold it, I say, When once 'tis a jingo's good pleasure To claim it and take it away ? II I know there are people so cqueamisb, They'll talk abont order and law ; But if strong be our crowbars and jemmies And jack-knives, we care not a Btraw. Full often by men they call famous Such deeds have been done 'neatta our flag, And very if ew Britons will blame us If ooce we get off with tbe swag. in. Tbe epics and the pals w« have near him, Say, " Now is the time for your spree," And add, " 'Twould be folly to fear him, So feeble and stupid is be. We've maps of his rooms and bis cellars, We'll show you bis safes and his stores ; S" 1 , pick up your tools, my brave fellowe, And in through bis windows and doors." IV. Away we went, joyous at.d steady ; But when near his homestead we came We found the old Dutchman was ready — He'd somehow got wind of our game. The rascal came forward to meet us, And then, in a way most unkind, He hammered, he battered, be beat up, He kicked us before and behind. V. Well, though we got licked very badly, Oar people will own as they Bbould, Thar, acted we rashly or madly, Our motives were lofty and good. I'll plead my own case, and I'll win it, I'm sure oq the great Judgment Day. But the thing I don't know to this minute, Is wbat can Dutch Bill have to say ?" Take a curpory glance at the map of South Africa extending as far as tbe French Congo on the west coast and British Bast Africa on the east coast, and you will rind the continent honeycombed with conflicting possessions by European power?. Tbe elements are 'all there for a conflagration. In the midst of them pushing its way north, east and west (it has already reached the southern extremity) is this landgrabbing body, propelled byJCecil Bhoded and granted a charter by Great Britain to do almost wbat it pleases. Naturally enough tbe > surrounding peoples cannot see eye to eye with Rhodes, and Co, wbo ' now boast that " a peaceful empire ia South Africa, the shadow of wbioh already stretches northwards towards tbe pyramids," will soon be an accomplished fact. The territory which is tbe sujeot under consideration you will find in the south-east corner. It has an arena of 113,642 square miles. In 1895 it bad a population of about 769,000, of whom 119,000 only were whites. Toe estimated revenue ia 1861 was £1,260,260. Sj inpatuble is the

earth huDger in this quarter of the globe that the possessors of thii insignificant plot are continullly harrassed by those whose Already acqaired ttrritory embraces the greater part of the continent. The The discovery in the Tranßvaal of fabulously rich gold mines is the cause of disturbance, and in their treatment of the disturbers, the Boers have shown a lenient spirit. Jameson was banded over to his own countrymen for treatment, and in the frenzied state of ecstacy into which they were thrown*|by ais freebooting exploit, it seemed like at the time, appointing a conclave^of wolves to enquire into the scarcity of lambs. The appeal to President Eruger by Mr Ohamberlain for leniency to the freebooters, sounds strange to the ears of Irishmen when they recall the fact that thirteen long weary years of incarceration have been spent by|their icountrymen in bastiles, and they are still there, within earshot of the" colonial office in Downing street, for loviDg their native land{not wisely botttoo wall, in other words for employing — to quote Mr Stead in his vain]' endeavour to white- wash Jamison's conduct — "thej sacred rtght of insurrection." Saored right indeed. Is it a sacred Bight to burst into a man's dwelling in order to strip him of his worldly belongings?* As with the individual, so with the nation. There were occasions in the world's history when invasions were justifiable,! and absolutely necessary. But in the case of tbt Transvaal it was, as Mr Leeky wonld say " a crime of the deepest tnrpitnde " or as Sir George (Grey truly said " the wickedest thing ever done." In conclusion I wish to state clearly that I cannot follow the Boer or conntenanoe bis dealings with those who choose to live under him, who are not of their nation. For instance, those of our faith are by him ostracised in all state functions. These and other of his methods I abbcr and despise, bat recognising the inalienable right of every people to govern themselves, it is the duty of all who cherish autonomy, while holding aloof from the admitted mistakes, and there are many, of the Boers, to stand by, and applaud a people who have done so mncbi and suffered so much to hold on high the principle of, let me use tbe bonoely phrase, Home Bale.