THE BOER ULTIMATUM.[23]
1.--_Dr. Kuyper's Logic._
Referring to the Bloemfontein Conference, Dr. Kuyper says:
"Mr. Chamberlain opened his criminal negotiations ... Unfortunately
for him, his opponent, of whom Bismarck said there was not a
statesman in Europe who surpassed him for sagacity and sound
judgment, did not fall into the trap. He prolonged the negotiations
... but from the moment he held in his hands undeniable proofs of
the manner in which Mr. Chamberlain was luring him on and seeking
to gain time, he hurled at him the reproach of "coveting Naboth's
vineyard," and sent an ultimatum to London." (p. 502).
We are struck in this passage by the admirable logic of Dr. Kuyper. It
is Krüger who "prolongs the negotiations," and Chamberlain who "seeks to
gain time." To heighten the prestige of Mr. Krüger, Dr. Kuyper invokes
the testimony of Bismarck. I certainly think that it was Krüger's
ambition to become the Bismarck of South Africa, and President of the
"Africa for the Afrikanders, from the Zambesi to Simon's Bay."
I come to the final act:--
On September 2nd, the Government of Pretoria withdrew its proposal to
reduce the delay in granting the franchise to five years; the British
Government not having accepted the conditions imposed: (1) Refusal of
all enquiry into the condition of the Franchise Law by a Joint
Commission; (2) Abrogation of Suzerainty in conformity with the note of
the Government of Pretoria, of April 16th, 1898; (3) Refusal to submit
questions under discussion to Arbitration.
[Footnote 23: _Le Siècle_, April 13th, 1900.]
2.--_Despatches of the 8th and 22nd September._
Mr. Chamberlain replied in his despatch of September 8th. He was unable
to accept the terms of the Note of April 16th, 1898, which he had
formally refused.
He maintained that the Franchise Law was insufficient to guarantee an
immediate and effective representation of the Uitlanders.
He demanded that a joint, or unilateral, Commission should be instituted
to examine whether the law on the Franchise were not rendered
inoperative by the conditions which would make such representations
impossible.
The acceptance of these propositions by the South African Republic
would put an end to the tension existing between the two
Governments, and, in all probability, would render ulterior
intervention on the part of Her Majesty's Government to ensure
redress of the Uitlanders' grievances unnecessary, as they
themselves would thenceforth be entitled to bring them directly to
the cognizance of the Executive and the Raad.
Mr. Chamberlain adds that the British Government is prepared to
authorise a fresh Conference between the President of the South African
Republic and the High Commissioner in order to settle all details of a
Tribunal of Arbitration, and the questions capable of being submitted to
it on the basis of the Note of August 30th.
This very moderately worded despatch, embodying equally moderate
propositions, ended as follows:
"Should, however--which Her Majesty's Government earnestly trusts
may not be the case--the reply of the South African Government be
negative, or dilatory, it reserves to itself the right to consider
the situation _de novo_, and to formulate its own propositions for
a final settlement."
The Government of Pretoria replied on September 16th, by referring to
its Note of September 2nd. It devotes an entire paragraph to the
statement that the English language will not be admitted in the
Volksraad. It refuses to consider at that juncture the appointment of a
fresh Conference; it accepts, however, the proposed Joint Commission.
Mr. Chamberlain replies in his despatch of September 22nd, in which he
clearly states the attitude of the British Government. It has no desire
to interfere in any way with the independence of the South African
Republic. It has not asserted any other rights of interference in the
internal affairs of the South African Republic than those derived from
the Conventions, or "which belong to every neighbouring Government for
the protection of its subjects and of its adjoining possessions. But, by
the action of the Government of the South African Republic, who have in
their Note of May 9th, asserted the right of the Republic to be a
Sovereign International State, it has been compelled to repudiate any
such claim." He repeats that the Franchise would enable the Uitlanders
to procure just treatment for themselves, and concludes by saying: "the
refusal of the South African Republic to entertain the offer thus made
coming, as it does, at the end of nearly four months of negotiations,
and of five years of agitation, makes it useless to further pursue a
discussion on the lines hitherto followed, and Her Majesty's Government
are now compelled to consider the situation afresh and to formulate
their own proposals for a final settlement."
The Transvaal Government has accused Sir Alfred Milner of not keeping
his word. Two despatches, one from Mr. Chamberlain, September 16th, the
other from Sir Alfred Milner, September 20th, refute this allegation.
3.--_The Ultimatum._
These two despatches received no reply. On September 28th, the Volksraad
of the Orange Free State proclaimed that it would "faithfully and
honorably fulfil its obligations towards the South African Republic, in
accordance with the alliance between the two States, whatever might be
the consequences." Mr. Steyn, the President, gave an account of the
negotiations from his point of view. The Cape presented a petition drawn
up by fifty-eight members of the Cape Parliament, five of whom were
Ministers and had adopted Mr. Steyn's view; on the other side,
fifty-three members of both Chambers passed a resolution approving the
policy of the British Government. President Steyn complained of troops
being sent to Africa. Later events have proved whether these complaints
were justifiable. On September 29th, the Netherlands Railway stated that
communication with Natal was interrupted. The telegraph wires were cut.
On October 2nd, President Krüger, in adjourning the Volksraad _sine
die_, stated that "War is inevitable," and on October 9th, the
Government of the South African Republic handed an Ultimatum to the
British Agent at Pretoria.
The Ultimatum demanded Arbitration on all subjects; the withdrawal of
British troops; the re-embarkation of British troops landed after June
1st; troops on the high seas not be landed.
"The Transvaal Government requires an immediate and affirmative
reply on these four points, before five o'clock, p.m. on Wednesday,
October 11th, and it is added that should a satisfactory reply not
have reached within that period, it will, to its great regret, be
compelled to consider the action of Her Majesty's Government as a
formal declaration of War."
Next day Mr. Chamberlain naturally replied that "henceforth all
discussion was impossible." Notification was made on the 11th of
October. Englishmen and suspected foreigners were expelled; and
President Steyn, with the special Boer skill, in misrepresenting facts,
announced that "England had committed itself to an open, and
unjustifiable attack upon the independence of the South African
Republic."
We have seen from which side the attack came.