ENGLISH AND BOERS.[5]
1.--_The Ideal of the Boers._
No French Pro-Boer has reproduced the portrait I have published, as
given by Dr. Kuyper. It disturbs the conception presented to their
readers by journalists, whose dishonesty is only equalled by their
ignorance. Quoting his own statements, I have shown Boer relations with
the natives; I will now proceed to show their relations with the
English.
In addition to Dr. Kuyper's evidence, I will avail myself of a document
from Boer sources: The Petition of Rights, addressed to the President of
the Orange Free State, February 17th, 1881, and bearing Krüger's name at
the head of the list of signatures. This document clearly shows not only
the manner in which Boers write history, but also that, five years
before the discovery of the Gold Mines, they cherished as their ideal,
not only the preservation of their independence, but the driving out of
the English from all South Africa: "From the Zambesi to Simon's Bay,
_Africa for the Afrikanders!_" This is the rallying cry with which the
document ends, and we find it repeated by Dr. Reitz, as the concluding
words of his pamphlet, "A Century of Injustice."
[Footnote 5: _Le Siècle_, March 23rd, 1900.]
2.--_The English in South Africa._
Dr. Kuyper cannot forgive the English their occupation of the Cape. Yet,
they had only followed the example of the Dutch who, during their war
with Spain, 1568-1648, had seized the greater portion of the Portuguese
colonies, because Portugal had been an ally of Spain. Holland had been
forced into an alliance with France, and in exactly the same way, in
1794 and 1806, England seized the Cape. In 1814 she bought it from the
Prince of Orange. Dr. Kuyper does not deny that the price was paid, but
remarks that it did not replenish the coffers of the prince. Be that as
it may, the treaty is none the less valid, and the "Petition of Rights"
begins by protesting against "the action of the King of Holland who, in
1814, had ceded Cape Colony to England in exchange for Belgium." The
English valued the newly acquired colony only as a naval station; they
did not endeavour to extend the territory they occupied. Professor Bryce
clearly shows in his "Impressions of South Africa" that if England had
enlarged her possessions it had been in despite of herself, and solely
to ensure their safety; although, from the treatise "Great Britain and
the Dutch Republics," published in _The Times_, and reproduced in _Le
Siècle_, it is evident that she had always considered that her rights in
South Africa extended to the frontier of the Portuguese possessions;
that is to say, to the 25° of latitude, in which latitude Delagoa Bay
is situated.
Dr. Kuyper begins by himself putting us somewhat on our guard concerning
his feelings towards England; for, not only does he decline to forgive
her the occupation of Cape Colony, but also her triumph over Holland in
the eighteenth century.
"Nowhere had resentment against 'perfide Albion' penetrated
national feeling more deeply than in the Netherlands. Between the
Dutch and English characters there is absolute incompatibility."
As a rule, I attach little faith to such generalities; in this case, I
am sure, rightly. Forgetting his dictum of "absolute incompatibility"
(p. 449), Dr. Kuyper, at p. 520, shows that, as far as he is concerned,
it is only relative; for in speaking of England, he goes on to say:--
"Were I not a Dutchman, I should prefer to be one of her sons. Her
habitual veracity is above suspicion; the sense of duty and justice
is innate in her. Her constitutional institutions are universally
imitated. Nowhere else do we find the sense of self-respect more
largely developed."
Dr. Kuyper further admits that the "incompatibility" is relative as far
as Afrikanders are concerned, it is only "absolute" as applied to the
Boers. After giving us this example of the consistency of his views, Dr.
Kuyper speaks of the English as being "unobservant." A reproach somewhat
unexpected, when directed against the countrymen of Darwin. As a proof,
he presents us with this metaphor, equally unexpected from the pen of a
Dutchman--a dweller of the plains:--
"Because, in winter, the English had only seen in these
insignificant river beds a harmless thread of frozen water, they
took no thought of the formidable torrent which the thawing of the
snow, in spring, would send rushing down to inundate their banks."
"The torrent" is of course the war now going on. Lord Roberts seems to
be successfully coping with the "inundation."
3.--_"The Crime."_
Dr. Kuyper approves of the "Petition of Rights" of 1881. It sets forth
that the South African Dutch do not recognise the cession made by the
King of Holland in 1814; it does not admit that he had the right to
"sell them like a flock of sheep." There have been Boers in rebellion
since 1816.
One of these was a man named Bezuidenhout. In resisting a Sheriff who
tried to arrest him, he was shot. His friends summoned to their aid a
Kaffir Chief, named Gaika. The English authorities condemned five of the
insurgents to be hanged. The rope broke. They were hanged over again.
Dr. Kuyper, and the "Petition of Rights" found their indictment of the
British upon this event which they denominate "the Crime." The scene of
the execution was named "Slachtersnek," "hill of slaughter."
This act of repression was violent, but it may possibly have been
indispensable. At any rate, it bears but a very far off relation to the
events of to-day. Dr. Kuyper in resuscitating, and laying stress upon
it, follows a method well known in rhetoric; he begins by discrediting
his adversary. However, despite his good intentions, he has not
increased our admiration for the Boers by pointing out to us that the
most serious grievances they can allege against the English are the
protection accorded by the latter to the natives and slaves, and the
final emancipation of the latter.
4.--_British Sphere of Influence in 1838._
In a few lines Dr. Kuyper draws a conventional picture of British policy
with regard to the Boers, making it out to be ever greedy of power. The
contrary is the truth. A vacillating and timid policy has been England's
great mistake in South Africa; it is this very vacillation that has
brought about the present war.
Dr. Kuyper bitterly reproaches the English for having in 1842, six years
after the Great Trek, claimed those emigrants as British subjects. The
Great Trek was similar to the emigration of the Mormons. The United
States have never admitted that they were at liberty to found a separate
State within the limits of the national possessions. If on the same
ground alone English had proclaimed their suzeranity over the Boers who
were endeavouring to form States in Natal, the Orange Free State, and
the Transvaal, they would have been perfectly within their rights; but
Dr. Kuyper forgets that as far back as 1836 England promulgated the
_Cape of Hope Punishment Act_. The object of that Act was to repress
crimes committed by whites under English dominion throughout the whole
of South Africa, as far north as the 25° South Latitude; that is, as far
as the Portuguese frontier; and it is so thoroughly imbued with that
idea, that it specially excepts any Portuguese territory south of that
latitude. It is thus proved that with the exception of the portions
occupied by the Portuguese, England claimed, as comprised within her
sphere of influence, the whole of the remaining South African territory.
A certain number of Boers, irreconcilably opposed to British rule, so
fully recognised this, that they trekked as far as Delagoa Bay. Another
object of the Act was the protection of the Natives against the Boers.
The constantly recurring and sanguinary conflicts between the Boers and
the Zulus led England to extend her direct sovereign rights to Natal for
the peace, protection and good government of all classes of men, who may
have settled in the interior or vicinity of this important part of South
Africa.
5.--_England, the Transvaal, and the Orange Free State._
Far from being anxious to assume direct control over these territories,
the Cape Government for a long time disregarded the petitions for
annexation addressed to it by the inhabitants of Durban; until one fine
day, a Dutch vessel laden with provisions for the Boers, arriving in
Port Natal, the Captain, Smellekamp, took it upon himself to assure them
of the protection of the King of Holland. Thereupon, England established
a small garrison under the command of Captain Smith. It was attacked by
the Boers; a volunteer, named Dick King, contrived to make his escape
from the town, and after an adventurous journey reached Grahamstown.
Troops were despatched by the Government, and it was incorporated with
the Cape Colony; some of the Boers left Natal, some remained; their
descendants are there to-day.
In 1848 the Government entered into a series of treaties known as the
"Napier Treaties," for the constitution of Native States extending from
Pondoland, on the frontiers of Natal, to the district of which Kimberley
forms the centre (see _Great Britain and the Dutch Republics_). Great
Britain demanded no more than peace and guarantees of security on her
frontiers. Dr. Kuyper himself admits this, when he sums up in the
following sentence, the history of the emancipation of the Transvaal and
the Orange Free State.
"Natal was to remain an English Colony, but the English were to
retire from the Orange and Vaal rivers; it was thus that the
Independence of the Transvaal was recognised by the Treaty of Sand
River, of 17th January, 1852; and the Independence of the Free
State by the Convention of Bloemfontein, of 22nd February, 1854."
Dr. Kuyper is compelled to admit that England was not forced into this
act of generosity, she having on the 29th August, 1848, defeated the
Boers at Boomplaats, on the Orange table land.
But Dr. Kuyper forgets to say that the majority of the Free Staters were
far from desiring the gift made to them by the British Government in
1854. They considered it not as a measure of liberation, but as an
abandonment to the tender mercies of the Basutos. Some years later the
Orange Free State entered into an arrangement with Sir George Grey, for
forming a Confederation with Cape Colony. This was not ratified by the
Cape Government.
Nor do we find that Dr. Kuyper takes notice of certain stipulations
contained in the above Conventions; among others, the abolition of
slavery, and free permission to merchants and missionaries to travel and
settle where they pleased; which obligations continued to England the
right of control over the administration and legislation of those
States.
The development of subsequent events is explained by Dr. Kuyper in the
simplest possible manner:--
"The promptings of selfish and aggressive materialism now took
unchecked sway, and, although bound by solemn treaties which
England could not thrust aside without open violation of pledged
faith, she did not hesitate. The diamonds of Kimberley in the Free
State flashed with a too seductive brilliancy, and the Gold Mines
of the Rand became the misfortune of the Transvaal."
I would here observe to Dr. Kuyper that England's friendly relations
with the Orange Free State, remained unbroken until October 9th, 1899,
when, led away by Krüger's promises, it committed the folly of engaging
in war with England.
As for the Transvaal, it was annexed by England in 1877, but not on
account of the Gold Mines, which were only discovered ten years' later.
Dr. Kuyper has a trick of neglecting dates, and arranging his facts
after the fashion of an advocate who supposes that those whom he is
addressing will be content with his assertions, and not trouble to
verify them. For his rhetoric, I shall substitute the actual facts.