.E PEOPLES CONGRESS.
Worcester, 6tli December, 1900.
(Rcprinted from the South Afrioan News/)
ET VOLKS CONGRES,
Worcestr, 6 December, 1900.
/
(Oyergedrukt uit f Ons Land/)
Yan de Sandt de Villiers & Co., Limited, Printers, Cape Town,
1900.
The People's Congress
Worcester, 6th December, 1900.
Reprinted from the South African News.
The Worcester Congress has come and
gone, and whatever its immediate re-
sult* may be it represents a landmark
in the South African history. Of that
no thoughtful person could have a
shadow of doubt, who witnessed the
vast, orderly throng that gathered un-
der the grateful shade of some of Wor-
cesters tall trees on Thursday morning.
There are various estimates of the num-
ber present, the lowest being 7,000 and
the highest 12,000. Persons the longest
experienced in such estimates give the
number as fully 10,000, and this is
borne out by statistics as to the num-
ber of tickets issued. Within a shade
of 10,000 tickets were actually given out
to people entering the grounds, but
thesethe large grounds where the an-
nual mission gathering is heldare
to be entered by other approaches than
those where the ticket-distributors were
stationed, and it is most likely that
many hundreds did enter in that way.
The meeting was the largest ever known
at Worcester and probably the largest
ever held in the Western districts cut-
side Cape Town. But a more striking
fact than that of number is the fact of
the comprehensiveness of the gathering.
Only South Africans, aware of the im-
mense distances to be traversed, the ab-
sence of railways, and the difficulty of
farmers getting away at this time, can
realise the full significance of the de-
spatch of delegates from such distant
spots as Kokstad, Clanwilliam and Cal-
vimia. It was a most cheering sign', too,
to note that many of those present were
women, and Mrs. Van Zyt, a farmers
wife who in simple but earnest fashion
gave her views on one of the resolutions,
had one of the heartiest receptions of the
day. Olive Schreiner was there, but
a sight of the famous author. Needless
to say that wherever she was recognis-
ed she had an enthusiastic reception.
Mr. Cronwright-Schreaher had nothing
to say about his own brutal maltreat-
mentwhich in one case only just stop-
ped short of murderin England, the
centre of Lord Roseberys 'free, toler-
ant and unaggressive Empires; he con
fined himself to the experiences of th4
Peoples Delegates, but when he had
finished speaking up jumped Mr. R. P.
Botha, of Richmond, and in a few heart-
felt words related what Mr. Cronwright-
Schreiner had done and suffered, and
thereafter the welkin rang with cheers
in honour of the burly and doughty
Eastern Province Briton who hais taken
such a fearless stand for justice over
this war. Two most striking incidents
attended the delivery of Mr. Cron-
wright-Schreiners speech. When he
said that Sir A. Milner should be re-
called there was a scene the like of
which the present writer has not seen
at a South African meeting during an
experience of many years. For fully a
minute and a-half the people cheered,
cheered themselves hoarse, cheered and
waved their hats or hand'erchiefs, clap'
ped their hand, and in every way show-
ed their enthusiastic agreement with
the orator. At another point in the
speech Mr. Cronwright-Schreiner re-
ferred to Mr. J. Tengo Jabavu. Again
there was cheering loud and long. At
another point somebody called out,
when Sir A. Milners name was men
tioned : Lanyon over again. And then
there was a moments painful, eloquent
silence. Again, when it was said Sir A.
Milner should leave this country some-
one cried : And take Rhodes with him,
and then we shall all get on well. If
Lord of Groote-Schunr had heal'd
did not speak, and only a few people got j the
2
the answering cheer he would almost
have doubted the efficacy of his cheque-
book, big as it is, to corrupt the African-
der Party for whose support he and his
agents are trying so desperately. All
the speakers were well received. Rev.
D. P. Faures name was saluted with
volleys of cheersrenewed at the close
of his address, which was capitally read
by Rev. Mr. Pienaarand Dr. Kolbe,
whose reception told its own good tale
as to the lessening of sectarian preju-
dice, had to pause at many points of his
admirable speech, owing to the cheer-
ing.
The Congress had the rare good for-
tune of obtaining the services of Mr.
J. N. P. de Villiers, ex-C.C. and R.M-,
as chairman. Mr De Villers, who acted
in a similar capacity at the Graaff-
Reiniet Congress, set a high note at the
beginning of the proceedings, and that
note was never lost. It is due to the
meieting to add that never once had the
chairman to complain of the slightest
breach of decorum. What this means
in the case of such a vast gathering,
most of whom had to stand for over five
hours, and did so most cheerfully, need
not be emphasised. Mr F S Malan found
time despite his editorship of Ons
Land and his work as parliamentary
candidate at Malmesbury, to act as
Hon. Secretary to the Congress, and
right well he did it, while Mr. D. S.
do Villiers, the local Assistant Secre-
tary, performed a vast amount of pre-
liminary and other work with the ut-
most credit to himself and satisfaction
to the promoters of the meeting.
Towards the close of the meeting
somebody observed Mr. Sauer, who
(with Mrs. Sauer) was seated at the
back of the platform. The cry was
taken up and there were deafening
cries of Sauer, Sauer. Mr Pretori us,
M.L.C., that burly old patriot, seized
Mr. Sauer by the arms and fairly forced
him to the front. Mr. Sauer
said a very few words on
the situation and then moved
a vote of thanks to the Chaarmami of
the Congress, which was most warmly
accorded.
The Congress came to an end soon
after four oclock, with the singing of a
hymn, and many of the delegates left
Vvotrcester the same night. At the
station a few of the troops, in> charge of
tho Maxims placed by Sir Gordon Sprigg j
and his colleagues to over-awe the
meeting, were gathered, and with these
many of the delegates were soon in
friendly conversation:. Many of the
Volunteers expressed their disgust at
being sent to bully peaceful Colonieta
holding a lawful meeting, and expres-
sed themselves strongly as to what
would happen to any Government that
attempted the same thing in their coun-
try.
It goes without saying that the dele-
gates received at the hands and in the
houses of the residents of Worcester
true Colonial hospitality.
A detailed report follows:
The Congress was opened at 11.15,
with prayer offered by the Rev. Mr.
Neethlmg, of Stellenbosch.
Mr. J. N. P. de Villiers presided.
Amongst those on the platform or in
the body of the meeting were Mr. and
Mrs. Sauer, Mr. and Mrs. Cronwright-
Schreiner, Mosots1. Pretorius, M.L.C.,
j xju Toit, M.L.C., Kuhn, M.-l..^., Krige,
M.L.A., Neethling, M.L.C., J. H.
Marais, M.L.A., Van WijK, M.L.A.,
T P Theron, M.L.A., A S du Plessis,
M.L.A., Van der Merwe, M.L.A.,
Dr Beck, M.L.A., Rabie, M.L.A.,
Mr and Mrs A B de Villi era
(Paarl), Dr Gadow, Messrs Roux (Cape
Town), Benning, A J van Renen, F J
Centlivres, P S Celliers (Mayor of Brits
Town), Revs B J Marchand, D J Mar-
j chand, Prof De Vos, Prof Muller, Prof
| 'Marais, Rev Dr Kolbe, Rev J du Ples-
sis, Rev J Krige (Caledon), Mev Mr
Roos (Cape Town) and Mrs Roos, Dr
Reinecke, Rev Mr Botha (Swellendam),
Rev Mr Tru^ar (Montagu), Rev Mr De
Villiers (Worcester), Rev Mr Alheit
(Ceres), Rev V7" P de Villiers (Carnar-
von), and Mr Philippus du Plessis (Cra-
d-ock), and Mr R P Botha (Peoples De-
legates to Britain)
THE DELEGATES97 DISTRICTS
REPRESENTED.
Following is a list of the delegates,
the districts they represent, and the
number of people. No fewer (than 97
districts and 120,000 people are thus re-
presented :
Adelaide: Rev. Mr Van Wijk and De
Beer.
Aberdeen: Van der Berg, Joubert
and five others.
Albertina (Riversda&e) 450: Rev
D J Malan and G F Muller.
Alexandria (Quaggasfontein), 1,000:
Pieter Bakkes.
Beaufort West. 1,500: A Rase-Inn.ee
and J J Pienaar.
Bedford, 200: C van Aardt and H S
de Beer.
Bedford (Baviaanrivier), 98.
Bedford (Oost Rietrivier), 160.
3
Brakrmer: N van der Walt.
Bredasdorp, 4: H du Preez:
Wet, C Fick and J de Villiers.
Britstown, 1,500: Thos. Theron,
M.L.A., P S Ciliers and Human.
Caledon : Rev. J Krige, C Joel Krige,
P D de Wet, P H Swart, H C de Wet,
J G le Roux and J D de ViUi'ers, sen.
Carnarvon: Pieter Kruger, Amines
Cilliers and two others.
Carnarvon, 960 : Rev. W P de Villiers,
S A Redelinghuys and D P Hugo.
Conway 32.
Clan william (No. 6): G J S Lubbe and
J G du Toit.
Ceres, 1,050: C J van der Merwe and
49 others.
Caivinia, 2,500: H C Nieuwoudt, F
J van der Merw-e, M.L.A., and 10
others.
Cajlvinda (No. 5, East): J A van der
Merwe (30).
Oommadagga (Som. East) : J H
Mcolman and J J Bouwer.
Cradock, 3,000 : P W Michau, P L du
Plessis and Ph. Nel.
Darling, 500: S W van der Merwe,
De Villiers find Van Reenen.
Durbanville (1), 600: H Theunissen,
J W Schabort, Rev Mr Malam, J A
Dreyer, G F Dreyer, J G Louw, L J
van der Spuy, H.son, J H de Villiers, i
S de Wet, G van Niiekerk and S J van !
dor Spuy, sen. i
Fort Beaufort, 400 : De Beer and Van
Zi.il.
Frenchhoek, 400: J P Kriel de Vil-
liers and J S Klerck.
Fraserburg: W F Stofberg and T J
Townsend.
George: Rev Mr Rossouw and H
Raubenheimer.
Groot. Rivier : J van Zijl, G WolfaardJt
and Izak Marais.
Griqualand East, 600: P de Lange,
A van Zijl and S B Pohl.
Graaff-Reinet: J F du. Toit, M.L.A.,
J H Smith, M.L.A., Joubert and mine
others.
Groenberg, Wellington, 200: D J
Malan.. ^
Hanover, 800: Mr and Mrs Cron-
wright-Sclireiner, Mrs J A van Zijl, Mr
J F Cilliers, Mr and Mrs D J Viljoen.
Hiedelberg: H J Gildenhuys, H P
and J L TJys, F H Badenhorst.
Houft Bay, 50: J C Combrinck.
Hopefield : 15.
Humans dorp: Carel^Lotz.
Jansemville: ^
Nieuwoudt.
Kuils River (number comprised un-
der Stellenbosch): P A M Brink, A
Brink and G G van den Bergh.
Ladismith, 2,000: A Gremieer, E
Kleynhamsi, Wolfaardt, Van Zijl and J
Marais.
Lemotenkraal: 180.
Laxton, 1,200: N J Theunissen, and
F J du Toit.
Macanzana (Bedford), 90: W Lorn-
~V^rd.
Maraisburg (12), 700: J8 A Cloete,
jun, C J Botha, jun, J A Venter, jun,
D de and nine others.
Malmesbury, 1,500: A C Koch, Izak
van Aarde, P du Toil, W van der Merwe,
C A de Greeff, Peter du Toit, Evert
Smit, R de Leeuw, Hugo Walters.
^Middleburg (village), 500 : J S van der
Walt, II J van der Walt, P van der
Walt, Pretorius, M.L.A., and L van
der Walt.
Modderfontein (Clanwilliam), 500: J
, A van der Merwe, A van Zijl, and five
i others.
| Molteno : J de Wet, G Cloete, F van
Wijk, C Hattingh.
Montagu, 1,100: G S Wolvaardt,
M.L.A., B J Keytei, G P van Zijl, P
W Cloete, D S van der Merwe, D S
du Toit.
Moorreekburg, 1,300: Rev Mr Relief,
G Rust, D Krynauw, J Lochner, M.L.O.,
P Marais, Jan Basson, F Bester, M Bas-
son, D Tufbergk, Jan Dippen-aar, Hugo
Rust, Jan Hoffman, Johs Smuts, Jan
Bester.
Murraysburg : D C Theron, Philip van
der Me lave, Miss Ella Pienaar, and Mrs
Willem Faure.
Mossel Bay: Theunissen.
Nieuw Bethesda (3), 600: F R Davel,
J T
Oudtshoorn (Cango West): G P Schoe-
man (80).
Oudtshoorn: Terolanche, De Jager.
Paardenberg {Malmesbury), 600 : P de
Waal, J Zeeman, and Liebertrau.
Paarl: A B de Villiers, P.J.son, Mrs
A B de Villiers, and others.
Pearston, 1,300: W P Louw, and J A
Coetzee.
Philadelphia (3): J F Dreyer, J N
Mostert, and S J van der Spuy, J.son.
Philips!own : M M Venter, jun, and
J G Visagie.
Prince Albert: J J P du Plessis, R
P du PI essis, J H du Plessis, C Oosthui-
zen, F Oosthuizen, S Luttig, sen, and
S Luttig, jun.
Prince Alfred Hamlet: J C Reynolds,
J Rossouw, N Deetlefs, G Frick, H dn
Plessis, and J D Goosen.
Porterville (800): A Bresler, G Immel-
man, C II L Mouton, Dirk Visser, W
Basson, P J Mohr, Julius Rood, P Toe-
rien, A J van Zijl, sen, and H Alber-
tijn, senior.
Queens Town (2,000): Van Altentar
and Du Plessis.
_________ Riebeek Kasteel: P E Hamman, H
G F Krog and Johs | Truter, M Marais, W van Aarde, and
another.
Riebeek West: Rev G Hugo, D F
Mai an, Dr Steyn, and C A Grobbelaar.
Richmond (1,500): Z B Jansen, N
van der Merwe, R P Botha, J 8 van
Zijl, W Sieberhagen, and D P Viljeon.
Rhenosterfomtein (Middelburg): J S
van der Walt (300).
Riversdale (14): D van Wijk, M.L.A.,
Jacs. Badenhorst, J H Hofmeyr, and
11 others.
Robertson (780): O Klopper, J P
4
Marais, J S Botha, J H Conradie, and
H F Naude.
Sandveld (Piquetberg): D 0 Brink
(120.
Schoemansdorp (Oudtshoorn), 80: J
H Schoeman.
Schoonbiesklip (Middelbnrg): B J
Yorster.
Stellenbosch Students Union: F P
Hoogenhout, B.A., representing 450
students.
Stellenbosch and District (8,000):
Hon M L Neethling, M.L.C., J H
Marais M.L.A., G J Krige, M.L.A.,
C M Neethling, Japie du Toit, P J
Garinus, D P du Toit, Professor Muller,
Professor Marais. Pieter de Waal, J D
Krige, F A de Meillon, J J S du Toit,
J P Louw, PAM Brink, A J de \vaal,
Professor De Vos, and Dr J H Neeth-
ling.
Sterkstroom: 2.
Steynsburg (1,000): A S du Plessis,
M.L.A., L Coetzee, A Coetzee, L du
Plessis, a Botha, M Marais, i T
Bekker, J Yorster, Paul Kruger, G
Olivier, S' Kruger, F du Plessis, W
Venter, and C van Rooy.
Somerset West: H A Fagan and J E
Scholtz.
Sutherland: A Marais and Visser.
Swell endam: 40.
Tarkastad : L J van Heerden, D J
Hattingh, and D Pepler.
Tulbagh: P J P Marais', B Lombard,
P Tulleken, and 15 others.
Tweefontein: P J van Rensburg and
Zirk P J van Blerck.
Victoria West (2,250): H J H Caas-
sess, C J van der Merwe, G J de
Klerck, J J Hugo, P J Olivier, P J
Hugo, J H Glaarsens, A P Liebenberg,
G van Wijk, G P Verster, and Rev Mr
Maeder.
Fishoek (Kalk Bay), 200: F Auret,
J de Villiers, C van Heerden, J van
Blerck, and J S de Villiers.
Villiersdorp : M Lotter, sr, W Roux,
J F Zeeman,A Lotter, D Burnard J P
de Villiers, R van der Merwe, P Maree,
P W de Villiers, J S Kriel. M Lotter,
A.son, H Brink, J van der Westhuizen,
H de Wet, J Visser, D Erasmus, W du
Toit, A Raats, and J Morkel.
Vosburg: Steyn and two others.
Velorenvlei (Porterville): Van Zijl
<43).
Vredenburg (650): Jacob Sadie, A E
Anderson, P P Kotze, W J Baard
Loubeer, Heydenrych, and Kotze.
Wellington : S W Joubert.
Willem Burgers Rivier (Riddel-
burg), 250: C Marais and P J Troskie.
Worcester.
Zandveld (Piquetberg): D O Brink,
120.
Zuurberg (Middelburg): B J Vorster
and G L Van der Walt.
TELEGRAMS OF SYMPATHY.
The Secretary said that a large num-
ber of letters of sympathy had been re-
ceived from all parts of the country,
and! over 100 telegrams. It would be
impossible to read all of them, and it
was barely possible to mention them
all. Amongst those who wrote or tele-
graphed were:Women of Saldanha-
bay ; Womens Union at Cradock kerk-
j raad, Knysna; Mrs P Troskie and
others, Cradock S van der Merwe,
| Malmesbury; Het Zuid Westen,
j Oudtshoorn ; B van Rensburg, Cra-
j dock ; women of Middelburg; Diebel,
Malmesbury ; Erasmus, Damsfontein ;
family Smit, Dordrecht ; Fred Muller,
Riversdale; Louw, Uniondale; Jaco-
bus Kotze, Nicolaas Lambrechts, Groot-
plaats, Piquetberg; Rev J I Beyers and
several hundred sympathisers, Willow-
more ; Ignatius Diebel, Alexandria;
Moolman, Commadagga; F Laurence
and others, Porterville; inhabitants of
Britstown; Van Blommestein and Vil-
joen, Stellenbosch; H R B Truff. Mal-
mesbury ; Ladies Committee, Moor-
reesbu-rg ; Lettie Sadie, Philipskraal;
families De Villiers, Uys, Le Roux en
Steyn, Paarl; D-r. Hoffman, Colesberg ;
Mrs A Dreyer, Eksteen, Piquet berg; H
Dempers, Cape Town; Mich&u, Cape
Town; Mr and Mrs Visser, Hex River ;
Olivier Porterville; Izaak Meiring,
Sutherland; Fourie, Aberdeen: Rev
Mr Keet, Humansdorp; Mr and Mrs
Gabriel Hauptfleisch, Stellenbosch;
Elzas, Moorreesbuirg; public meeting,
Elliott ; Botha, Sterkstroom ; Africand-
ers, East London; Jacobus Louw,
Damslaagte ; Hendrik Mulder, Koos
Raubenheinier, Oudtshoorn : H Ken-
nedy, Malmesbury; Botha, Richmond,
Rev Mr Malan, Albertina; Africander
ladies at GraafF-Reinet; Mare, Bed-
ford!; Africander Bond, Seymour D S
Perold, Murraysburg; Armoed, at Ar-
moed; Dr. Neethling, Stellenbosch;
Rev C Leepoldt, Clanwilliam; Bond,
De Rust; J de Waal, rsew Bethesda;.
Mr and Mrs Steinmetz, Green Point;
meeting of Bond, Calvinia; Brinkman,
Victoria West; Carl van der Merwe,
Victoria West; Van der Merwe. Vic-
toria West; Immelman, Malmesbury;
Hendrikz, Adelaide ; Rad ernevr. Hu-
mansdorp ; J Scheepers, Alexandria;
Van Huyssteen, M.L.A., Plettenberg
Bay ; Mr and Mrs Bartman, Odend'aal,
and Pieterse, Altee ; Weich, Bethesda;
Wessels, Napier; P Smit, Ceres, and
many others.
Verse 3 of Psalm 146 having been
sung, with magnificent effect, the
Chairman addressed the meeting.
THE CHAIRMANS SPEECH.A
TELLING QUOTATION.
The Chairman, who was received with
j great cheering, said he had decided to
i address the meeting in Dutch. They
i had met together that day to discuss
! matters of great moment and impont-
| ance, and hie was glad to see that so_
1 many, even at this season of difficq?
5
and drought, had shown their interest
in the meeting by attending it, some
of them at the cost of personal sacrifice
and inconvenience. (Cheers.) In the
name of the Congress he extended a
hearty welcome to all who were present,
especially the delegates. Proceeding,
Mr. De Villiers said the object of the
meeting was well known to all, and the
subjects to be discussed more particu-
larly would be set forth in detail by the
several speakers who would follow him.
The fact that numbers of those whom he
saw before him had come from far to
attend the Congress, many of them at
great personal sacrifice, was proof con-
vincing of the interest which they all
took in the affairs which lay so near to
their hearts. (Cheers.) They had all
of them heard of the testimony which
had been given by the women of the
country. (Cheers.) To those women
they were all grateful, for they had led
the way, and had they been silent the
very stones would have spoken in pro-
test, (Cheers.) They had met in
Congress to give expression to the fee-
lings which animated them on the sub-
ject of the sufferings and misery which
this country had' to endure owing to
the war with the two Republics. He
had not the slightest doubt as to their
right as British subjects thus to give
expression fio their feelings. (Hear,
hear.) Bub if there was anyone in the
meeting who did have some doubt about
THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL PRIVI-
LEGES
he would draw attention to certain me-
morable and burning words which were
uttered* by a prominent and leading
statesman in England not long ago.
Speaking in a large English town, May
11, 1900, this statesman expressed him-
self as follows: The question which
you have first to settle, the question
winch will decide everything else, which
will decide the main lines of the con-
duct of the war, which above all will
decide the settlement which is to follow
the war, that issue is: Is the war iust?
Is it righteous? Is it inevitable? If
it be, I need not tell you what to think
and what to say of the men who held
that opinion and do not give every sup-
port to those who are prosecuting the
campaign, but if it be not, if we cannot
prove it has those necessary qualifica-
tions then I sayno man deserves the
name of honest man who does not at
once denounce the war, who does not
claim immediately that peace should be
made, and who does not refuse one
penny of contribution to what would
otherwise be a national sin. (Loud*
cheers.) Again, during the recent gene-
ral election campaign that same pro-
minent statesman, speaking at the same
place on September 22, only about two
months ago, said, Now, gentlemen,
L
was this war just? Ever thing depends
on that. I can nardly restrain a feeling
of contempt for the men who say that
this war was unjustified then say that
they are willing to prosecute it to the
bitter end. No, if vou believe that the
was was unjust, oppose it tooth and
nail; endeavour to prevent your country
from committing a crime, and
no matter what may be the fate of
statesmen or parties you at all events
will be justified to your own con-
sciences. (Loud cheers.) The
speaker was Mr Chamberlain. That in
short was the .constitutional position
they were in at that Congress. (Cheers.)
The whole question was whether or not
the war was inevitable and just. Those
now assembled in Congress had already
on more than one occasion expressed
their opinion on that subject. Meet-
ings had been held throughout the land
from the Peoples Congress that assem-
bled at Graaff-Reinet in June last to
the smaller meetings all over the coun-
try, and at each of these South Africans
had definitely expressed their opinion
that they considered the war unjust.
(Hear, hear.) To-day they saw the dis-
graceful results of the war : in the way
old men and women, sick children and
infants were being treated. This rough
treatment of those whom they loved had
deeplv wounded the hearts of all South
Africans. (Hear, hear.) Before this they
could not grasp the full significance of
the struggle ; the horrible realisation of
it all was to-day only too well felt by
everyone. It had been brought to their
doors by the cry of these unfortunate
women. (Hear, hear.) A prominent
Cape Town paper talked about an in-
ferno. That was a little word, but_of
horrible, awful importance. He did not
know what the paper meant bv using
it. If it meant the present condition of
affairs in the country it was unfortun-
ately right, but what right had a -paper
that had been largely instrumental in
bringing about the war to talk of an
inferno? (Hear, hear.) They had* met
together to discuss these matters, and
it was scarcely necessary for him to ask
them to do so in a fit and proper man-
ner, never forgetting themselves, sneak-
ing temperately, in a manner worthy of
British subjects who were loyal to their
Sovereign. (Cheers.) Tney had before
them some of the members of the de-
putation which had been sent to Eng-
land to lay their views before the .public
there, and he heartily welcomed them.
(Cheers.) They had done their best,
and* he could not but be reminded of
Christs parable of the tares and the
good seed. They had gone to England
and found a fair field, but alas! it was
sown with tares and the grain was
scarcely to he distinguished at present.
Yet hadi they sown their seed, which
was good, and returned in the expecta-
tion that with Gods help it would grow
6
and flourish, and in time bear fruit
worthy of the sowing. (Applause.)
THE LEADER OF THE PEOPLES
DEPUTATION.
Professor De Vos, chairman of the
Peace Delegation sent bv the Graaff-
Reinet Peoles Congress to England,
then stepped forward to address the
meeting. His appearance was the sig-
nal for general .cheering, and it was
sometime before the venerable old pas-
tor could make his voice heard. Then
when he did speak, his voice scarcely
carrying to the skirts of the vast crowd,
complete silence reigned, broken only
now and) then by cheering or other
marks of approval. The time, he said,
was a most critical one, and1 sonic
months ago the people of the Colony,
feeling and knowing how critical it was,
decided to send a deputation to Eng-
land to lay their view's before the Eng-
lish public. They thought and hoped
that thereby the false impression pre-
valent in England: would be removed ;
they cherished the hope that if the Eng-
lish people were rightly informed of the
state pf things prevailing in South
Africa they would never approve of the
war, and would never sanction tlhe
deeds which were being done in their
name on their behalf. (Hear, hear.) But
alas that turned out to have been a
false impression, a mistaken hope. They
found that the English public had been
grossly misled, but what was more
painful that they had been only too
willing to be misled. (Hear, hear.)
South Africans deemed that an appeal
to the better feelings of the English
nation would not be without good re-
sults, but that too had proved
a delusion. On the arrival cf
the deputation in England
they had no lack of advisers. There
were some who said, Oh, whatever you
do take care you avoid Courtney, Stead
and people of that class. (Laughter.)
They knew* what worth to attach to such
advice. (Hear, hear.) Others again
said they should1 in the first place take
care to see Lord Salisbury and Mr Cham-
berlain, for if it wrere known that these
bad refused to receive them they would
have great difficulty in obtaining a
hearing with the people. However, they
finally decided not to join any partv.
but to work 'on their own platform,
freely and gratefully accepting what-
ever aid was given them. In following
out this policy they held several m eet-
ings, private as well as public, and had
the honour of meeting several important
men, Lord Hobhouse and others, to
whom they could tell their views and
talk matters over in private. They had
meetings with the cler- of various de-
nominations in private, but unfortu-
nately with little success. There were,
however, many who sympathised with
them, many who w*ere kind to them,
and many to whom they had cause to
oe grateful. Some of those told them,
We do not know w*hat has come over
our people. It seems as if they are
mad.' They said to the deputation:
u You will have a hard time of it, but
what will become of our nation? That
is what troubles us the most at pre-
sent. (Hear, hear.) The deputation
held several meetings, but could not
reach the ear of the nation, and came
to the conclusion, reluctantly, tha.t
there was nothing more to be done at
the present moment. Everything was
done to make their work difficult. Very,
very rarely .were full reports of their
meetings inserted in the newspapers,
but on many occasions dishonest ancl
garbled reports were published, and if
they wrote to contradict it their letters
were refused and never published.
( Shame.) Nevertheless they held
several meetings, and if they had been
Progressive enough to speak an Sun-
days at public meetings they could have
held many more. (Hear, hear.) They
were often asked to do so. it being held
that as the public-houses were closed
on Sundays the audience would be more
disposed to listen quietly to them but
they told their friends that in South
Africa people were not so Progressive
as to address political meetings on Sun-
days. (Cheers.) Proceeding. Profes-
sor De Vos related the further experi-
ences of the deputation, of which re-
ports have already been published, and
said that he was astonished to find so
many sympathisers in England,
many of whom had done their best for
them, and to whom South Africans were
duly grateful(cheers)and in Scotland,
Ireland1, and1 especially on the Conti-
nent, there were many more. With re-
gard to the English public, Professor
De Vos said he expected little from
them. They had been bitten by the
mad dog of Jingoism, and they were
mad in consequence. He was especi-
ally disappointed with the Liberal
Party, and said he agreed with Mr.
Chamberlain that if a man felt honestly
that the war was unjust he should op-
pose it tooth and nail. (Hear, hear.)
He felt far more respect for an out-and-
out Jingo than for the members of the
Liberal Party who had not the courage
to give expression to their opinions.
(Cheers.) He thought, the work the
deputation had done in England would
bring good fruit in the future. The
English public would feel the truth of
their words when the bill had to be
paid. (Hear, hear.) They would then
feci that those on the spot were right
in saying they knew more about affairs
here than did people thousands of miles
away. In conclusion, Professor De
Vos appealed to the Congress not to
neglect anything in their power, in a
constitutional manner, to bring the true
7
state of affairs before the notice of the
public in England; to reiterate again
and again their expression that the war
was a horrible injustice, and above all
not to lose their faith in God, who heald
their prayers, and who in His time would
do justice. (Loud applause.)
MR CRONWRIGHT-SCHREINERr
RECALL SIR A. MILNER.
Mr Cronwright-Schreiner, who was
received with long-continued cheering,
moved a vote of thanks to the delegates
who went to England from the Peoples
Congress at Graaff-Reinet. In doing so
lie said: There is, I think, a certain ap-
propriateness in my moving a resolution
of thanks to the Peoples Delegates.
I, perhaps more than any man in
South Africa, know what they have
gone through; for I also have shared
their experience. From my childhood
I grew up in a firm belief in the nobility
of the English nation. I loved and hon-
oured England with a love that was al-
most a religion. Believing thus in the
English nation, loving it thus, being of
unmixed English blood and an uitlan-
der, I thought I would go to England
iand tell its people of the great wrong
that was being done in South Africa,
and the irreparable injury England was
doing to her own interests by being
drawn into this war by capitalists and
politicians. I knew she had been mis-
informed by the purchased press, and,
In my simplicity, I believed she wished
to know the truth and to do right. But
A HEART-BREAKING EXPERIENCE
awaited me. I found that my faith and
my admiration had been based on an
-erroneous conception of her present con-
dition ; that, steeped in ignorance
though she was about South African
matters, she neither wished to know the
truth nor to do right. For myself, I
was mobbed, I was assaulted, mauled,
and nearly killed, and Imperialist mobs
lay wait to attack me at hotel doors and
railway stations. (Shame.) They
attacked me in such overwhelming num-
bers cxiat I might have been General Dje
Wet at the head of a commando, instead
of one solitary Colonial Englishman.
(Laughter.) The mobs were incited, en-
couraged, and applauded as patriots by
the press. The forging of tickets, the
personal assaults, the destruction of
property of those opposed to the war
was acquiesced in by the police, con-
doned by the local authorities, and pal-
liated in Parliament even by such men
as Mr Balfour. ( Shame.) It was bad
enough that a single British Colonial,
oing to England to explain what he
elieved to he the truth with regard to |
South African matters, should have \
been treated as I was. But it was in- ]
finitely worse that our delegates should j
Lave been treated as they were. They re- j
presented the majority of white British !
subjects in the Gape Colony, they were
elected at a public meeting, and sent
across officially, to lay our view of the
matter before the English nation. You
have heard what happened. Not only
were our accredited delegates ignored
by Her Majestys Ministers, not one of
whom even met them; but the majority
of the English nation complacently
stood aside and looked on, while our de-
legates were hunted from one end of
the kingdom to the other by the Impe-
rialist mobs, with perfect impunity to
their cowardly assailants. I -think, per-
haps, that no single fact lets in such a
lurid light upon the present condition
of the British people as the treatment
of our accredited delegates. Our
DELEGATES DID THEIR DUTY
NOBLY
(great cheering)they persisted in the
face of the most outrageous persecu-
tion. They have learnt, as I did, that
there is now no fair play for us, much
less for the Republics, to be hoped for
from the British nation. They have
done their duty to England. England
has failed in her duty to us. In spite
of the fact that there are hundreds of
thousands of the most thoughtful, cul-
tured, and earnest men and women in
Great 'Britain who ias fervently desire
the independence of the Republics as
any of us gathered here to-day, and who
have the most profound sympathy with
the sufferings and wrongs which have
been inflicted upon the South African
nation during the past yearsin spite
of this, the fact remains that the bulk
of the English people have, at this cru-
cial juncture in the history of South
Africa and the British Empire, grievous-
ly failed in their duty to the
people of this Colony. (Cheers.)
On your behalf, on behalf of the majo-
rity of the white British subjects in
the Colony(cheers)on behalf of the
overwhelming majority of the white
residents in South Africa, on behalf of
the Natives, led by that noble Kafir,
Mr. Tengo Jabavu(loud cheers)who
have earnestly desired peace in South
Africa(cheers).on behalf of all the
brave, well-informed, and unbiased
men and women who love
South Africa and regard it as their
fatherland, and all men and women
born in it as their fellow-countrymen
(cheers)I thank the delegates. (Great
cheering.) For me, the present pro-
blem in South Africa is not in any way
a matter of Dutch and English
(cheers)it is simply an intellectual
and moral problem, a question of
honour and justice. (Cheers.) To me,
I it is impossible to justify Englands
conduct towards the South African
I Republic since the Raid; it has been a
! record of dishonesty and cowardice on
! the part of her political leaders, the
i tools of international capitalism.
8
(Cheers.) This war is a crime into
which she has been pncti-
oally forced by the capi-
talist. (Cheers.) She knows she could
not submit her case to any just tribunal
in the world but she would be knocked
to pieces, and therefore she has refused
arbitration.. She has condoned the
Raid, she has rejected a franchise law
more liberal than her own, she has
put forward a dishonest claim to
suzerainty, she has violated her Im-
perial word and the 1884 Convention
(cheers)she has forced a war on South
Africa in opposition to the wish of the
overwhelming majority of its inhaoi-
tants, and she is compelling her sol-
diers, often, I feel confident, much
against their will, to wage the war with
an inhumanity, with a barbarism,
which is astonishing the civilised world.
( Shame.) Now, why has this all
come to pass? Because the capitalists
want control of the Legislature of the
South African Republic to fill their
own pockets, and because Mr. Rhodes
and Mr. Chamberlain want
TO COVER UP tnEIR SPOOR
(Great cheering.) This war is being
waged and English soldiers are being
sacrificed to place a gang of interna-
tional speculators in control at Pre-
toria. That is why our friends and
relations are to-day ^eing slaughtered
in the Republics; it is for this that
thousands of English soldiers have
fallen. The Raid put an overwhelm-
ing majority in the South African Re-
public, in the Orange Free State, and
in this Colony against the capitalists;
and the capitalists, finding they coil'd
not buy us nor beat us at the polls,
forced on a position in which the South
African Republic would have to give
up its control of its. own Legislature
mid its land, or fight. (Cheers.) Be-
;g men, the Republicans fought.
(Prolonged cheering.) This dot is
directed as much against the mm and
women of the Cape Colony as against
the Republics. > We, too, the legitimate-
majority in this Colony, are to be got
under in our own Legislature that the
capitalist may reign from Aguilhas to
the Zambesi. Or own freedom from
capitalist control is bound up in that
of the Republics. (Cheers.) This is
why it has become necessary to the
capitalist to crush the Dutch South
South Africans. In the Republics this
is to be accomplished by the ruthless
extermination, if possible, of the
people, and the devastation of the
whole country, in defiance of all huma-
nity and justice. In the Colony the same
policy is being pursued at present by
other means. You know how this is to
be accomplished. A ^ Ministry, nearly
every member of which is a Rhodes
man(cheers and Rhodes hacks )
is in power, representing a minority of
the Colony. (Cheers.) I need not
dwell upon how this was made possible,,
or point out to you that the disfran-
chisement of the rebels is part of
j this plot. Once this capitalist Minis-
! try is strong enough in Parliament, it
| will pass a Redistribution Bill, con-
i firming the minority in power and
then the end of that plot of which the
Raid was the first public move will
have been accomplished. (Cheers.)
They will then proceed to disfranchise
the Natives and enslave them in all but
name to procure cheap labour for the
capitalists(cheers)while we, the
legitimate majority, will have been
handed over, tied hand and foot, to the
speculators and monopolists who have
produced this ar. (Never and
cheers.) But if we are indignant at
the forcing on of this war in the Re-
publics and the manner in which it
i brought about, if we are indignant at
| the determined attempt to politically
i crush the majority in the Colony, we
| are still more indignant at the manner
I in which the war is now being con-
ducted. (Cheers. It was bad enough
when the Republicans, our fellow
South Africans, our friends and rela-
tions, fought against overwhelming
numbers, besmirched by a /torrent of
mean abuse from the Ananiases of the
j capitalist press. (Cheers.) But it has
| reached a stage now as cowardly as it
is cruel, when the soldiers are ordered
to wage war upon women and children
and systematically to
DEVASTATE THE COUNTRY.
This is the unholy use to which tin-
scrprulous politicians and soulless
speculators are to-day putting the
British soldier. It is bad enough that
our soldiers should! be put to butcher a
gallant little foe fighting for the land
of their birth; but when, to beat this
gallant foe, they are ordered to turn
women and children out into the veld,
to destroy their food, to burn their
houses, to huddle refined and cultured
women into trucks, comfortless and
foodless, to ship them to the ports and
there, with loaded' rifle and fixed1
bayonet, to keep them and their chil-
dren prisoners'this is a deoth of de-
gradation in which we, as British sub-
jects, will have and can have no share.
(Prolonged cheering.) Because we are
men we dissociate ourselves from this
cowardice and wickedness; because we
are men, and loyal to the highest Eng-
| lish traditions, we do more: we place
ourselves with a large body of our
fellow-subjects in Great Britain in
strenuous opposition to it. We can
well realise the horrors that are being
committed by Lord Robertss; inoenr
diaries against an heroic people, whose
great fault is^ that they are too brave
and love their country too well1; we
! may guess what treatment is being
9
meted out to our relations and friends
in the Republics, not only to strong
men but to women and children, by the
treatment that is meted out to British
subjects in the Cape Colony. Whin a
man can be shot with impunity as Dolly
was, when a woman can be shot, as the
young girl at Barkly West w'as; when
innocent men can oe imprisoned and
not even a pretence of civil justice. The
founded suspicion; when certain mem-
bers of a Colonial corps can behave
with impunity as they have behaved in
a British colony supposed to be safe-
guarded by civil laws, we can well
infer what horrors are being perpe-
trated in the Republics where there is
not even a pretence of civil justice The
war had not been long in progress when
THE REAL OBJECT
of all the intrigues of the speculators
and their political tools became appa-
rent. The indecent haste to annex,
when practically the whole country was
in the possession of its rightful owners
(as indeed it still is), showed the
inner meaning of it allthe greedy
hunger for the gold fields of the South
African Republic. Personally I say I
fervently hope that England may never
succeed in the accomplishment of the
crime she is engaged in, and that the
two Republics may retain that freedom
which is their right, which their
splendid heroism (heroism rarely
equalled and surely never surpassed in
the history of mankind) has deserved,
and which is essential to the
well-being of South Africa and
the freedom of us all, white and black,
from the corrupt and selfish domina-
tion of a gang or international speculat-
ors. (Prolonged cheering.) he ini-
quities of England in this matter will
surely come nome to her. She has right-
ly forfeited that love and1 trust which
we South Africans gave her. She will
only have herself to thank if she makes
her rule horrible to us, just as she has
herself to thank for the hostility of Ire-
land and the loss of the United States.
If she thinks she can pacify South Africa
by crushing the Republics, by allowing
one of our electoral bodies to be gerry-
mandered in order to give a political
majority to a capitalist minority and
by waging an uncivilised war upon wo-
men and children, she makes a griev-
ous mistake. (Cheers.) Now, what nre
we to do ? Two things, I think, prima-
rily. First we must let England clearly
understand' that we, the majority in this
Colony, will never acquiesce in the tak-
ing away of the independence of the
Republics. We take this course, be-
cause it is the only just one, the only
one by which peace -may be attained in
South Africa and because also our own
freedom from domination by the inter-
national speculator gang depends upon
it. Next, we m/ust insist upon freedom
j in the control of our own internal af-
| fairs. Mr Chamberlain has said. we are
j as free as England internally. Let us
; take him at 'his word. We cannot re-
! move Mr Chamberlain himself, as we
j are not Birmingham electors, any more
j than we can prevent Kynochs maKing
i expansive bullets(laughter)or than
| we can prevent M:r Chamberlains fam-
! ily from growing wealthy on fat army
: contracts which the war makes doubly
remunerative. (Laughter.) But, if we
| are a 'free people, we have a right of
i choice about the man whose salary we
; pay. So let us say at once, and let us-
j stand to it without flinching that
j WE WILL NOT HAVE MILNER
(immense cheering, long continued)
1 that Milner must be recalled1 at once,
j From the time of his insult to the Dutch
i South Africans at Graah-Reinet down
to his making excellent practice at
President Krugers effigy and the effi-
gies of some of the most respected und
honoured1 Englishmen in the -public life
of the Colony (an act which would have
been as impossible to a gentleman as to
a brave man)(cheers)he has persis-
tently insulted and1 misrepresented us,
and shown himself in all matters the
narrow political partisan and not the
broad, balanced, unbiased representa-
tive of our Queen. (Cheers.) Never
have we had a High Commissioner so-
lacking in intellectual grasp and ability
to see things as they are; never. Mr
Rhodes excepted, has England had so
great an enemy in South Africa
(cheers)one who has done her highest-
interests here such incalculable harm,
(Cheers.) A brilliant man in England
said to me, when I was over there, that
Franklin had said he had a short code
of laws for breaking an Empire; But
I, said the brilliant man, nave a
shortersend Milner! (Cheers.) It
was w~ell said. (Cheers.) Not only is
Milner a curse to South Africa, but he
is the disintegrator of the Empire here,
as he would1 be in any other self-govern-
ing Colony, with his narrow, sectional
and ^arty bias, and his incapacity to
understand a free people. (Cheers.) As
long as his foot -remains anywhere on
South African ^ soil, there can be no
peace. "(Cheers.) And', inasmuch as we
do not desire to have all the ties of
affection between England ami our-
selves permanently broken, let him- be
recalled, and let them send us a man
that understands men. (Great cheering.)
Again, in the name of the people who
sent them, I thank the delegates for
their able and strenuous accomplish-
ment of their task in England1. (Pro-
longed1 cheering.)
Tne Chairman said he had listened
with great attention to Mr Conwright-
Schreiners speech, but he appealed to
the meeting to speak against the prin-
ciple and system rather than against
10
persons. Tlhev could express their opin-
ion about a mistaken policy without per-
sonalities(cries of No,not about
Milner)and he hoped they would do
nothing that would be in any way
construed as directed against anyone
personally. (Hear, hear.)
Mr R. P. Botha (Richmond), a mem-
ber of the Peoples Deputation, propos-
ed an informal vote of thanks to Mr
Oronwright-Schreiner, who, he said, had
proved himself a true friend of South
Africa, for he had been her friend in
tbe hour of need. (Loud cheers.) At the
^ost of personal injury and insult he
had' championed her cause. (Cheers.)
At Leeds Mr Cronwright-Schreiner had
suffered severely at the hands of the
mob, who had attacked him and knock-
ed him down unconscious. (Hear, hear.)
But he had done his duty, and they
were grateful to himnay, he had done
more than his duty, for he had gone
at his own risk at anothers request.
(Cheers.) Proceeding, xvir Botha crave
additional details about the work of the
deputation in England1, and mentioned
the staunch friends he had^ met there,
amongst others Professor Liston, whose
house had been attacked and damaged
by the mob, but who cheerfully told his
assailants : You have done me an
honour in letting me suffer injury in the
cause of justice and right. (Loud ap-
plause.) The work the deputation had
done in England was no doubt small,
but its effects would be felt in the fu-
ture, and then it would be seen who
were the true friends of South Africa.
Mr Cronwright-Schreiners name would
ever be remembered as
ONE OF SOUTH AFRICAS HEROES,
and he (Mr Botha) hoped the meeting
would second his proposal to give three
hearty cheers for Mr Cronwright-Schrei-
ner.
The meeting willingly responded to
the appeal, and cheered Mr Cronwright-
Schreiner right lustily.
At this stage a telegram was read
from Mrs W P Schreiner, Newlands,
r I am with you in deepest sympathy.
The telegram was received with much
cheering.
The Secretary then read a letter
from Rev A Moorrees, who was unable
to be present owing to indisposition.
Mr. Moorrees wrote expressing his
cordial sympathy with the meeting and
tiusting that the Congress would not
forget the many friends in England
who had zealously supported them. He
pioposed the following resolution, which
was read by the Secretary:
This meeting has heard with deep
gratitude of the unceasing efforts
made by Mr and Mrs Leonard
Courtney and others in the in-
terests of the maintenance of jus-
tice in the restoration of a lasting
peace in South Africa. This meet-
ing feels that the steadfastness and
self-sacrifice with which they, not-
withstanding contempt and ridi-
cule and the temporary loss of popu-
larity, have fought for the rights
of a small and unjustly-treated
nation deserves its honour and ap-
preciation to the fullest degree,
and that the principles to which
they have given expression and
which they have defended are
worthy of the noblest traditions of
the English nation, and expresses
its conviction that the day will as-
suredly come when the better part
of the nation will do justice to
them and trusts that in the mean-
time they may possess in the ap-
proval of their consciences that
pleasure which the changeable
favour of the people can neither
give nor take away.
The resolution was received with pro-
longed cheers, and when the Chairman
rose to second it the meeting exclaim-
ed, K We all second it, and carried it
with acclamation.
It being now about one odook, an
adjournment was made for lunch, re-
freshments being provided under the
trees on the grounds. Tables and
stalls had been erected at which sand-
wiches and the usual light refreshments
were sold, the proceeds going towards
the funds for the Republican women
and children. Many took advantage of
the interval to inspect a
non, a piece of wooden ordinance made
by the Boer prisoners at St. Helena.
One shilling (which went towards the
womens fund) wras charged for inspect-
ing this curio, which was soon surround-
ed by a large crowd of interested spec-
tators.
On resuming after lunch the Secre-
tary read the following letter from Mrs
Koopmans' de Wet whose name was re-
ceived with loud and prolonged ap-
plause :
23, Strand Street,
Cape Town.
Dear Sir and Friend,
heartily I trust that the Con-
gress of which you will be Chairman "will
be productive of much good for our
country and people. We know that
right may be preverted for a time but
ultimately it will triumph. I sincerely
trust that our nation by speaking tem-
perately but firmly will show that the
bicod of Hollanders and Huguenots has
not degenerated in them, and -our Eng-
lish friends, who are English in the
best sense of the word, as we know feel
with us. May this Congress in the far
future even bear good fruit! I am to-
day in thought with you, although my
health does not permit me to be so in
I person. God help us!
11
Rev. Professor Hofmeyr wrote from
Stellenbosch as follows:
Brothers,My heart is with you this
morning. I will think of you and con-
tinually pray to God that He may let
His light shine upon you and grant that
you may express yourselves in such a
dignified manner that even our enemies
may feel respect. Hold fast to the
God of our fathers. He rules, and He
will succour us in His good time. This
trust will strengthen to guard against
whatever may be displeasing to Him. I
write myself a fellow-sufferer in the
misery that has befallen us.N. J.
Hofmeyr.
The first resolution was moved by Dr
Roinecke, of Ceres. It ran as follows:
We men and women of South Africa
assembled and represented here,
having heard the report of the Peo-
ples Deputation to England, and
having taken into earnest consider-
ation the deplorable condition into
which the people of South Africa
have been plunged, and the grave
dangers threatening our civilisa-
tion, record our solemn conviction
that the interests of South Africa
demand a termination of the war
now raging with its untold misery
and horrors, such as the burning of
houses, the desolation of the coun-
try, and the extermination of a
white nationality, and the treat-
ment to which women and children
are submitted, which will leave a
lasting heritage of bitterness and
hatred, while seriously endanger-
ing ^ the future relations between
civilisation and barbarism in South
Africa (b) the retention by the Re-
publics of their independence,
whereby alone the peace of South
Africa can be maintained.
Dr. Reinecke said he himself had la-
boured amongst the Republicans, and
prided himself on that. (Cheers.) Con-
tinuing he quoted from the Encyclo-
paedia Britannica, vol. 8, page 363, to
show what the state of Ireland was in
1787, and compared it with the condi-
tion of affairs in the Republics to-day.
Referring to the ill-treatment of the
women he alluded to the murder of Miss
Van der Merwe. who was shot dead by
tho soldiery, and quoted from Mists
Cronjes letter (which recently appeared
in our columns) to show in what man-
ner the Republican women were treated.
Many of them had been taken away
when at work in the fields, before they
had time to get extra clothing or pro-
visions(Shame)and deported. He
referred to Mrs Hurduss letters, and
told how women had been forced to trot
in front of soldiers horses when ar-
rested, and taken to the military camp
(cries of Shame)how Kafirs had
been allowed to insult them at Elands-
fontein, and also referred to the ill-
treatment which Mrs. Hertzog had ex-
perienced at the hands of the military,
and said that one of her children had
died owing to the miserable way it hacl
been treated. (Shame.) They had
now been informed that these state-
ments were untrue. The Magistrate
at Port Elizabeth had written to state
that matters had been improved. (A
delegate from Steytlerville: Very
little indeed, doctor, its abominable.)
It seemed to him as if the British were
waging war on womankind out of re-
venge on De Wet, whom they could not
beat. (Cheers.) He also quoted from
Mr. Williamss articles in the Mor-
ning Leader, and read extracts from
letters received from troopers and offi
cers at the front telling of wanton des-
truction and pillage of property and of
gratuitous insult to women. (Shame.)
General Bothas dignified reply, What-
ever you may force our women to under-
go you will not force us thereby to give
up the struggle for our freedom was
surely enough to show the absurdity of
fallowing a policy of exasperation and
cruelty. (Hear, hear.) Mrs. Kruger
and Mrs. Botha were to be sent to Bo-
thas camp although the former was an
old lady in bad health, and the journey
might be her death. (Hear, hear.)
These things were done, if not by Lord
Roberts, then under his supervisioin,
certainly with his cognisance. (Shame.)
When Miss Joubert was asked by Lord
Roberts -to go to the Republican forces
and tell them to surrender she visited
the women first and asked them what
she should tell their husbands. They
one and all answered Tell them, not
j to come to us unless they come as mas-
! ters of their own country. (Loud
cheering.) When Mrs. Schoeman was
! asked to induce her husband to lay down
j his arms she said that she preferred to
! see him dead. (Cheers.) If that was
i the spirit which animated the Republi-
| can women it could not be crushed by
cruelties, however severe. (Hear,
hear.) It was said that the condition
of affairs had been ameliorated at tho
prison camp at Port Elizabeth, hut if so
it was in consequence of the public
opinion expressed by the Africanders
with regard to the matter. How was It
with similar camps at Pretoria, Johan-
nesburg, Kimberley, Durban, NorvaPs
Pont and elsewhere where there were no
sympathising friends to interest them-
selves in the matter? Proceeding,
Dr Reinecke read extracts from Colonel
Hannas letters, and quoted -Mr Wil-
liamss article in the Morning Leader
of October 23, with reference to the
gutting of churches, and from other ar-
ticles wherein Lord Robertss conduct
was described as fit for tbe days of
Tilly. (Hear, hear.) In conclusion, Dr
Reinecke urged that these matters
should be brought to the notice of the
permanent committee of tbe Hague Con-
12
ference, and referred especially too Mrs
Corbetts case and the shooting of Dolly.
It flhtrcdd also 'be brought to the atten-
tion, of the British public. They had not
met in Congress t-o stir up race-feeling,
but to express their honest sentiments
and convictions. As British subjects
such was their privilege, and he trusted
they would not cease to agitate and
continually to protest against what was
not only a crime, but a disgraceful and
cruel one, entailing much suffering upon
the innocent. He thought it would be
a good thing if the deputation which
he understood was going too wait upon
Sir Alfred Milner to bring to his notice
the resolutions which had been passed
at the Congress could ask to be allowed
to send a deputation to the Republics
to see in how far the misery and suffer-
ing there could be alleviated by the
efforts of sympathisers in this Colony
and elsewhere. (Applause.)
A WOMANS VOICE.
Mrs Van Zyl, who was received with
loud applause, seconded the resolution.
Speaking in Dutch, she said: Mr
Chairman and friends, it has been
said by Dr Rein e eke that we do not
come here out of love for speaking ia,nd
agitation, but out o'* dire necessity.
(Hear, hear.) I am an example of that.
I am a South African woman, with no-
thing else to pride myself upon but that.
(Loud cheers.) It is with a deep sense
of my unworthiness I appear before you
to second the resolution which has been
read to you, and to say what I feel for
my country(cheers)---and especially
for my sisters who have had to suffer so
much. I sincerely trust our respected
Government will not ignore our appeal
on behalf of these poor women. We ask,
in the first olace, that an end should
be made to this cruel war, and, second-
ly, that arrangements may be made
whereby the women and children may
be put at liberty again. (Hear, hear.)
And then in the third place, that the
independence of those brave States may
be respected(cheers)whereby alone
an enduring peace can be ours. I hope
that this resolution and what has been
said in support of it may find an echo
in the heart of every South African.
(Applause.)
REV. D. P. FAURE THE MILLS
OF GOD GRIND SLOWLY
ENGLANDS MORAL DEGENE-
RATION.
Rev. D. P. Faure had been announced
to speak in support of the resolution.
He was unable to be present, but sent
the following address, which was read
on his behalf by Rev. Mr Pienaar:
We who take part in this meeting and
share the opinions here expressed must
be prepared to be accused of disloyalty.
Against previous meetings of this nature
this charge has been brought; let us
rely upon it that we shall not escape it.
But what is the meaning of the word
loyal, and who are the 1-oyals? We
are loyal to our Queen, to our country,
to our people; when we endeavour to
promote the interests of that Queen,
of that country, and that people, when
we assist in averting dangers which
threaten that country or people.
(Cheers.) The events of the last 14
| months have shown who have proved
-themselves to be true friends of Her
Majesty the Queen, of the British Em-
pire, and of the English people. (Cheers.)
When, after the outbreak of the Ameri-
can War of Independence, William Pitt
described that war as a crime and even
went so far as to express the hope that
the Americans might win, George HI.
undoubtedly regarded him as a disloyal
subject, but the judgment -of history has
been that George III. has proved him-
i self to have been the bitterest enemy
of the country of which he was the
King, and that Pitt has been the saviour
of England in her darkest hour, even
though he had been accused of disloyalty
by his Sovereign. (Cheers.) Everybody
in and outside South Africa feels con-
vinced tha-t if Her Majestys Ministers
could have foreseen the consequences,
if they had had a conception of the
gigantic task which awaited them, this
warwhich might have been so easily-
avoidedwould never have been com-
menced. But those who were in autho-
rity allowed themselves to be misled by
such loyal Britons as Beit, Eckstein,
Rhodes, Garrett, Monypenny(laugh-
ter)-and by a corrupt press, which as-
sured them that the Boers would never
venture to fight, that they would climb
down, that only a small army would be
required, and that the expenditure of
only a small sum was needed to make
England the owner of the richest gold-
fields in the world, to wipe out the Re-
publics, and too expand the Empire from
Table Bay to the lakes of 'Central Africa.
(Cheers.) These assertions were be-
lieved, on this advice action was -taken.
The warnings, the prayers of those who
were in the best position to predict the
results of such a policy, were cast aside
with scorn. The petition of two-thirds
of our members of Parliament, the peti-
tion of the whole Dutch Reformed
Church, the numerous resolutions
passed by Bond and other meetings, the-
letters of individuals from all parts of
the Colonyall these were dealt with
as if they were beneath notice. (Cheers.)
. And later still the deputation sent by
| us to England to enlighten -the petoplo,
was silenced by means of stones and
mud. ( Shame.) And -this has been
done in the land which used to boast
of i-ts fairplay and free speech! Mr
Chamberlain pretended to believe that
a Monypenny was better acquainted with
the people of South Africa than Dr
13
Andrew Murray, that Garrett was more
worthy of credence than Dr Kolbe, that
a Beit was a safer guide than the majo-
rity of the Cape Parliament. Our voices,
which, as those of loyal British subjects,
made themselves heard in the interests
both of the Empire and of South Africa,
were
TREATED WITH CONTEMPT.
We foresaw the consequences. (Cheers.)
We knew that the South African Boers
were sleeping lions which it was dan-
gerous to rouse- (Cheers.) We knew
that the blood of the Beggars (Gueux)
who fought the 30 years war against
Spain still streams in the veins of one-
third of the population, that in another
third still flows the blood of the French
Huguenots, and that in yet another
third the Beggars and the Huguenot
blood is intermingled. (Cheers.) And
accordingly we knew also that the strug-
gle which awaited the British army here
would be one totally different from that
against Hindoos, Bedouins, and Neg-
roes. Well, the 'advice was followed of
the gentlemen of the Stock Exchange,
of the capitalists, and of their news-
apers. What was the result ? What
ave we, loyal British subjects, had to
witness? We have had to see a blow
administered to British military pres-
tige such as has been inflicted never
before. The whole world is amazed at
the figure cut by about 35,000 untrained
farmers over against 250,000 soldiers
from England and from all her Colonies,
brought into the field against the Re-
publicans. (Cheers.) I shall not stop
to notice the way in which the nations
of Europe have made themselves merry
about the mode in which that army has
avenged and wiped out Majuba. But
we cannot shut our eyes to the criti-
cisms now indulged in by the most bel-
licose English newspapers. With one
exception, the Globe is the most
ultra-JingP of London dailies. Listen
to the language used in that paper. It
Bays that throughout all their military
operations the British troops have be-
haved as amateur soldiers rather than
as professional soldiers. It points out
that the Boers have received little or
no education, that they passed no ex-
aminations, that they have never
studied the history of great campaigns
and sieges, and then followed these
words: Yet they have out-generalled
and outwitted again and again British
officers of high reputation, who had en-
i'oyed all these advantages, and they
lave performed this with small forces
of undisciplined men, more farmers than
soldiers. Another, also an Imperialis-
tic paper, the Empire, bitterly com-
plains about the uninterrupted
SERIES OF SCANDALS
which have characterised this war from
its inception up to the present moment.
It wishes to know from Lord Roberts
why he is returning to England while
the country is being raided in all direc-
tions by the victorious Boers. (Cheers.)
It wishes to know what has become of
the 200,000 men who are fighting the
15,000 remaining Boers. And it says
that if there were now 200,000 Boers
in the country fighting against 15,000
British, there is no doubt that the Bri-
tish would be annihilated within a
week. And why, it asks, why are
the British still paralysed? But the
testimony of Jingo newspapers is alto-
gether outweighed by authorities of in-
finitely greater significance. I refer to
Englands 'Prime Minister, Lord Salis-
bury, with whom on this point Lord
Rosebery was fully agreed. Both these
statesmen of the first rank have de-
clared in January in the House of Lords
that the condition of affairs at that time
was such that the South African Boer
war had become a question of life or
death to the Empire, and they implored
the nation to spare no exertions and to
begrudge no sacrifices in order to extri-
cate the Empire from the extreme peril
in which it then found itself. I shall
not allude to the millions which this war
has already cost, but think of the more
than 60,000 British soldiers killed by
bullets or diseases, wounded, maimed,
and invalided, and think of their wid-
ows and orphans. It is now 14 months
since the commencement of hostilities,
but the end is not yet. (Cheers.) All
this is the outcome of the disregard of
the words of us who are branded as dis-
loyal, and of the adoption of the advice
of those who are called loyal, loyal not
to the one Sovereign on the throne, fnffc
to the many
SOVEREIGNS IN THEIR POCKET,
who have not scrupled to lead their
country into the Valley of Humiliation,
if thereby they could promote their
own interests. This day and by this
resolution we once more warn against
tlie continuance of the war and against
the annexation of the Republics
(Cheers.) As British subjects who are
anxious to isave the Empire, we feel
bound to speak. (Cheers.) It is possible,
it is even probable, that once more we
shall fail to obtain a hearing, but if
the Imperial Government remains deaf
and blind, then only oome result is pos-
sible, namely: dismemberment of the
Empire and the loss of South Africa
Empire and the loss of South Africa.
We do not subscribe to the motto: Our
country, right or wrong. (Cheers.) If
1 am asked, what is the first duty of the
statesman or of a Government, my an-
swer is and I trust that
it is yours also their first
duty is to do Right, and I
would add, their second duty is to do
Bight, and their third to do Right.
(Cheers.) If I understand the Repub-
14
licans, this is also their principle.
(Cheers.) They beg for no favours, they
solicit no magnanimity, but they de-
mand Justice. (Cheers.). And for my
part, if I were convinced that in this
instance England was in the right and
had a juist cause, I would side with her,
against my own people, for however
praiseworthy it is to love ones country
and ones people, it is a higher duty to
love Justice. (Cheers.) But in the
firm conviction that England in this
case is committing an injustice, I de-
cline to applaud her proceedings.
(Cheers.) Unfortunately, however, we
live in days when with brutal shame-
lessness conscience is ridiculed, trodden
under foot and is called liver; in
days when righteousness is described as
unctuous, in days when men who con-
trod the destinies of the Empire are
shareholder's in syndicates which are the
contractors for supplying munitions of
war, they, their wives, their sons and
their daughters, while at the same time
in the House of Commons they solemn-
ly declare that they are not, and in days
when such men, after such and other
scandals have come to light, yet at
parliamentary elections obtain the sup-
port of the majority of the British
people! (Shame.) We live so fast
that the causes and creators of ithe war
are now temporarily eclipsed and at the
present moment the manner in which
the war is being conducted, is a matter
of far greater importance and urgency.
The rules and usages of civilised warfare
arc being totally ignored. (Cheers.)
When reading the war telegrams we
feel as if we were suddenly transported !
into the dark middle ages and as if bar-
barities which we fondly imagined to
have been outlived by the Christian
world, have revived on the eve of the
birth of the twentieth century. We
now hear little about fighting against
men, war is now being made on their
wives, their sisters, their mothers and
their children. The resolutions of the
Hague Peace Conference, signed by
England a few months ago, are now
by her trodden under foot. Fur-
niture, dwelling-houses, villages are
being burnt down, farms are destroyed,
food, necessaries of life are consumed
by the flames, bereft of bed and cloth-
ing helpless women- and children, even
babes, are left in the open veld to
starve or to succumb to disease, or as an
extraordinary concession or as an act
of extraordinary clemency, these women
are, by hundreds, taken prisoners of
war and treated as such; they are exil-
ed to this Colony or to Natal,kept pri-
soners there, and guarded by British
soldiers. Uncivilized Kafirs stand as-
tounded, cry shame, feel pity where so-
called civilised fellow-Christdans feel *
none, and those Kafirs have taken these
despoiled and maltreated ones into
their huts and have fed them. And
this unheardof treatment it. is sought to
justify by the assertion that these
women are helping their husbands,
fathers, sons and brothers, who are still
fighting for their independence! Did
these people then really imagine that
these women would be ready to betray
their husbands and their fathers? Hid
they actually cherish the hope that
these women would assist the enemies
of their nation in the conquest of their
country? Would English, Scotch,
Australian women have acted different-
ly? Would these have welcomed their
countrys -enemies, and have become
unfaithful to their husbands? Though
these women are
ONLY DUTCH BOER WOMEN
their sense of duty and their human
feelings are no less developed than
those of the most aristocratic Eng-
lish ladies. (Cheers.) It is a mistake
however to impute all the blame and
guilt of this inhumanity to Lord
Roberts and his officers. These things
could not possibly have been done with-
out the instructions or without the con-
sent of the Imperial Government, and.
since the Government winch acts thna
has been honoured with a vote of con-
fidence by the British people, the en-
tire British nationwith exception of
the 7,000 who have not bowled the knee
unto Mammonhas taken over the re-
sponsibility, the gui'lt and the shame.
The result of the recent elections in
England means : Their blood be on us
ancl of our children! 0 Land of
Charles Dickens! How are the mighty
! fallen! What marvel that Olive
Schreiner our Olive Schreiner
of whom we are proud and
of whom England in days gone by was
proudsorrowfully and pathetically
exclaims : The England of my lovo is
dead! Woe unto the country, whose
most accomplished and most high-
minded daughters are coerced into the
admission that that country has lost
their love, and that it is dead to them!
Let us hope and pray that this wave of
demoralisation may soon pass awray, and
that the England which we all admired,
trusted and loved may come to itself
again. (Cheers.) Englands best friends,
its truest sons and daughters, shed
tears and' mourn over its temporary in-
sanity. Should it .persist in is mad
course, the issue is clear and certain.
We read' of Babylons king who boasted
of the mighty kingdom which he had
builded, but at the riotous feast in the
gorgeous palace a mysterious finger was
seen writing onj the wall: Mene
Tekel ; : Uou 'hath numbered and fin-
ished thy kingdom, thou art weighed
and art- found wanting, thy kingdom
is divided and given to others. And
the story ends with the solemn words:
In that night was Belshazzar the
king of the Chaldeans, slain. The
15
mightiest kings of to-day are subject
to the same Law and! are in the hands
of the same Omnipotent Ruler who
shaped the destinies of Babylon and
the nation Which transgresses, violates
and defies these Divine Laws of Truth
and Righteousness, .must inevitably
perish. Dark is the present, still dark-
er the future. But a ray of hope pierces
the skies. A voice froip the distant
past re-echoes through the ages : Shall
not the Judge of all the earth do Tight?'*
In the year which lies behind us, pray-
ers have been offered uip as never be-
fore by men and) women, by old and
young, bv believers and sceptics, and
there are many who complain that these
pravers (have remained (unheard'., and
that the heavens are as brass. Let us
bear in mind that Gods wavs are not
our ways. The ancient Greeks and Ro-
mans said of their goddess of avenging
justice, Nemesis, that she comes on
woollen shoes but with iron grip,an
idea which a Christian poet has ex-
pressed in the well-known words:
The mills of God grind slowly
But they grind exceeding small.
John Brand w*as accustomed to say in
bad' Dutch, but with incontestable
truth: Alles zal recht komen, apd
one who was greater than he has taught
mankind that All things work to-
gether for good. Let deceit and machi-
nations, let streams of malignant
lies, designed to compass the ruin of
our people within and beyond the
Colony, do their work, in the end they
must fail and be brought to shame.
(Cheers.) Such were the practices
which the Israelitic poet had in view,
when he wrote : He that sittith in the
heavens shall laugh, the Lord shall have
them in derision. Let us retain our
faith. Let us learn to labour and to
wait.
We lift up our eyes to the mountains
Our help we expect from above.
With Americas prophet, Lowell, we
say:
Truth for ever on the scaffold, Wrong
for ever on the throne,
Yet that scaffold sways the Future,
and! behind the dim unknown,
Standeth God within the shadow,
keepin~ watch above His own.
Meanwhile we do what our hand finds
to do, and we protest as we herebv 'o,
against the annexation of the Republics
and against the prosecution of tnis war
of extermination. (Prolonged cheer-
ing.)
A member of the audience called, for
Three cheers for D. P. Faure, and
long life to him! and the cheers were
heartily given.
The Chairman, in putting the resolu-
tion, said they had listened to a woman
from the back veld and to two educated
gentlemen, who had all three given ex-
pression to the views which everyone
there felt upon this vital subject. Rev.
Mr Faure had referred: to the dark
Middle Ages, but in those times there
was abroad a feeling of deep respect for
woman-kind, and' chivalry for the weak.
(Cheers.) In the days of Queen Eliza-
beth that chivalry was still there and
they hoped that in une days of their
great Queen it had not entirely de-
parted. The sense of sympathy with and
pity for the weak was an honourable,
and noble one, and they had given ex-
pression to it that day and' they trusted
their prayer would not be in vain.
(Cheers.)
The resolution, having been put to the
meeting, was carried with acclamation.
DR. KOLBECOLONISTS AND
THEIR RIGHTS.in0 BRITISH SUB
JECTSHIP BY FORCE.
Rev. Dr Kolbo moved :
This Congress' desires the full recogni-
tion of the right of the people of
this Colony under its constitution
to settle land (manage their own
affairs, and to express its grave dis-
approval of the policy pursued, and
the attitude adopted" in'these mat-
ters by the Governor and High
Commissioner H;s excellency Sir
Alfred Milner.
Dr. Kolbe, who was received most en-
thusiastically, saidl: The motion which
I have to put before you is nothing else
than a national Petition of xtight,
(Cheers.) And if I may begin with a
personal allusion I would sa w that I
have no claim to the cheers which you
give to those who come from outside to
assist us, the people of South Africa. I
can trace my descent directly for more
than 200 years in this country. /Cheers.)
So can most of you, and it is a privilege
Which w'e none of us desire to use light-
ly. We feel that our roots go
back into this country for hundreds of
years, and therefore we have some right
to talk about nationality and liberty.
(Cheers.) A short while ago somebody
wrote to me to thank me for my sym-
pathy; with the Africander people, and
I wrote back to say that, sympathy was
not the word, because it implies a cer-
tain separateness, and I do not admit
that separateness. (Cheers.) There-
fore, from the first moment that the
shadow of war fell upon this country,
(though there may have been differ-
ences in opinion and in other things, I
at once cast aside all such
minor and extrinsic differ-
ences, and with voice and pen and purs
and energy and prayer and heart-sorrow
I took my stand by my copntry in her
time of calamity. I say in her time of
calamity and peril. There are some
people who tell us it is treason to call
it our calamity ; but we cannot help it
16
that the stream of nationality lias over-
flowed1 the b ounds of empire. (Cheers.)
And we cannot help it if our hearts go
with that stream. (Cheers.) Sup-
posing England had always been fair
there would have been no such over-
flowing, and even now, at this eleventh
hour, if England would still be fair that
stream would return. (Cheers.) They
tell us we must not feel it a calamity;
they say we ought to be glad that
these people should be brought into the
Empire. Well, we do not want them, ;
dragged in as slaves. (Cheers.) If |
they were to come in, if England were j
fair and these people came in freely |
and voluntarily, no one would be more !
delighted than we, so that we might be
one people, as we ought to be. (Cheers.)
They say by our calling iit our ca-
lamity we are encouraging these people
to go on with the fight. I do not believe
we have the slightest impression upon
them at all. If we all hung on to De
Wets coat-tails we
COULD NOT KEEP HIM FROM
FIGHTING.
(Laughter and cheers.) It is not we
who encourage them; it is they who
encourage us. (Cheers.) If they were
to give in now and surrender we should
say: You have done all that honour
suggest. But if thev go on fighting we
shall say, You are even greater heroes
than we took you for. (Cheers.) And
what we say is this, That a nation which
can produce men like that gives us en-
couragement, because it is likely that
it will go on producing them. (Cheers.)
A nation that produces men like that
and goes on producing them is not a
nation to he snuffed out like a candle,
nor is it likely ever to have to hide it-
self under a bushel of uitlanders.
(Cheers.) I say. however, it is a car-
lamity and a peril even to us, because
we know very well at whom this war is
aimed. It is not merely at the Re-
publicans outside, it is also at the liber-
ties and the national spirit that- we
have here, that it is aimed at. (Cheers.)
And therefore I feel proud to-dav to
join my voice with this grave and digni-
fied but non the 1 ess heartfelt and de-
termined manifestation of the spirit
of national liberty. (Cheers.) I say
we know against whom this war is
aimed, for why, as soon as the African-
der Party got a majority, did they be-
gin waving the flag, and tailring about
danger to British supremacy ? (Cheers))
They say to ws, You have the fran-
chise, and as soon as we find.our feet
and use it they begin to talk about their
supremacy. (Cheers.) Whv did thev
INVENT THAT AFRICANDER CON
SPIRACY?
It was a blow which was directed against
us. It is not. needed any more now that
the blow has fallen, and' so they throw
it away. They do not need, it any moire.
(Cheers.) Then those who are opposied
to us say, Do not we love South Af-
rica also? Well, yes, they do, in a
dog-in-the-manger-ish sort of way. The
dog in the manger loved the manger,
but it was the cow that had a right
there. (Laughter and cheers.) They
say we should forgive and forget. The
province of forgiveness begins when
repentance comes, and I say that- as
soon as the first sign of true repentance
and of real amendment is given, that-
very moment the Africander nation will
forgive. (Cheers.) And as soon as we
can honourably forgive we shall amic-
ably forget. (Cheers.) But these very
people who talk about forgiving and
forgettingwhat do they do? We see
in their own papers that concentrated
malice, that clee^ bitterness of feel-
ing, that continued taunt- and jeer, that
endeavour to drive us over the limits of
our moderationwhat does this
all mean? They want us to do or say
something foolish, that they may clar-
mour for martial law, and they know
that under -martial law they can at-
tack our liberties in a way they cannot
under the ordinary Constitution*
(Cheers.) Therefore we sav we will go
on our way, we will protest against in-
justice, and we will take up our national
stand as before, ungoverned' by them; or
their martial law or their Australian
Maxims(great cheering)which affect
us no more than the Australian gum
trees around us. (Cheers.) When we
talk they call it sulks or hysterics. If
the Rev. Mr Steytler or Mr Marchand
speak they call it sulks, if Olive Schrei-
ner, it is hysterics. (Laughter.) Sulks
for the men ; hysterics for the women.
(Laughter.) Now I ask, Do we, the men
of South Africa, look sulky, and I chal-
lenge any man to look at the pleasant
faces of the true women of South Africa
I see here, and tell me if they look hys-
terical. (Cheers.) But we will tell
them what the tsu-vs and the hys-
terics mean.' They mean a deep-root-
ed indignation against a national wrong,
and a dogged determination to blazon
forth that indignation to the whole
world, and a persistent resolve to use
every constitutional means to bring the
consciousness of that injustice to the
heart of the English people, and a per-
sistent resolve within the limits of the
Constitution to make South Africa
THE MOST UNCOMFORTABLE
CORNER IN THE EMPIRE
until that injustice is recognised and
rectified. (Cheers.) After all, what is
our claim? We claim to have the Bri-
tish Constitution. They tell us now
and then in a patronising way. they
allow us to have it-. They can keep
their allowing to themselves. We
have^^
P'
ago. They no longer have a monopoly
of it: the patent 'has expired1. And
every man born into the Empire has a
right to the Constitution. They talk
about this Constitution so much. They
say, You 'have it here, and therefore
you ought to be glad that the Republics
are brought into it. Well, t'he Re-
publicans look over the borders, and
they do not see full signs of the perfect
British Constitution here. (Cheers.)
The war-party keep on repeating that
this Constitution is the finest in che
world, and therefore everybody ought
to be happy under itthey say the Re-
publicans will fare all the better in the
Empire. Fare better! Well, all the
turkeys that are now being fattened
for Christmas are faring very much
better than ever before in their lives.
(Laughter.) And if coming events oast
their shadows before for those turkeys
(laughter)they would rather go out
and scratch for their living on the veld,
and be free. (Cheers.)
A LITTLE STORY.
This continual repetition about the
British Constitution being the best in
the world reminds me of a story which
some of you may have read in Alice
in Wonderland1. It is the story of the
mad tea-party. There was the mad hat-
ter, who took his watch out, and dip-
ped it into the tea-pot, and shook "s
head and said his watch wouldn't go,
and lie said to the March Hare, ¥ou
must have spoilt it : but the March
Hare said no, he had' oiled the works
with the best butter. Whereupon vr e
March Hare said he must have put the
butter in with a bread-knife. That is,
what they do with us. We have no ob-
jection to the British Constitution : it
is the best butter ; but it is the crum-
biness with which they rub it in that
interferes with our works. (Laughter.)
Then, in addition to that they dip us
into the boiling tea and then complain
that our works dbnt go, and that we
clfc not tell the clock to any business,
they say befits the hour. We sav,
give us the British Constitution as it
really is, and you will see how energe-
tic and loyal a portion of the Empire
we are. (Cheers.) What is it? It is
the rrovernment of Englishmen for Eng-
lishmen bv Englishmen. ('Clieers.) When
this is taken to another country, it 1 as
to be translated right. They once
translated it into Irish, to mean govern-
ment of Irishmen b^ Englishmen or
the sake of the landlords and it nas
not worked. (Laughter and cheers.)
Thev keep on giving concessions to
Ireland, and1 Ireland takes them, and
after each one says, And now we want
Hqitf^MMt^^ch^ l*i 5
go getfiitj ditdiofiiili
fee qnlip^kboil
like^6VhrlM#htpJ$f S&tPtm iffitfoknaiibpevo
the military for the uitlanders. (Cheers.)
That wont work. But let us have such
a Government as it is in Englandof
South Africans, by Soulth Africans, for
South Africans, and once they give us
that they need not keep a single Im-
perial troop in this country. What the
Boers have done against the British
Army we are prepared to do against 'the
whole world. (Cheers.) As a matter
of fact the whole difficulty .is that they
have been ignoring our spirit of nation-
ality, and that is what is raised in the
resolution I am now proposingthat
our national, legitimate aspirations
should be acknowledged as a wholesome
and healthy part of the Empire. Mr
Chamberlain the other day was giving
an historical review of the various
grades of progression in English Colo-
nial life, but did not go far enough.
He said England was beginning to look
upon the Colonies as sister-naitions. The
old idea was there was only one nation.
I remember the time when anyone pro-
posing the toast, Ireland a nation,
was regarded as a rebel. Now, Austra-
lia is a nation, Canada is a nation, and
Ireland is a nation. We are all nations,
and part of the same Empire. England
is no longer a mother, with children
under her. She is a sister. She never
was our mother. She was not even a
good stepmother. (Cheers.) We are
willing to acknowledge her as a sister.
THE RELATIONS BETWEEN ENG-
LAND AND THE COLONIES.
We no more owe loyaltv to England
than England owes loyalty to us. We all
owe Jpyalty to the Empire, and to our
Queen, who represents the Empire, and
to ourselves, and we do not want to he
Anglicised. (Cheers.) We have our
own national feeling and character, and
it is established. It has its life, and
we want it to be developed from within,
with perfect freedom, and we want to
be trusted in the exercise of that free-
dom. (Cheers.) Therefore I say you
must also add the second part of the
resolution, for iit is an essential part
of the English Constitution that in Eng-
land they have a Sovereign, who stands
i.n a serene atmosphere, above all poli-
tical views. She leads the way in all
high and noble and refined social
methods, and her influence has been,
we willingly acknowledge, most whole-
some for the Empire and the whole
world. (Loud cheers.) They are happy
in having above them none but a Queen
like that, and it is an essential part of
the Constitution that we govern our-
selves under one who is above all poli-
tics. And. bearing in mind the Chair-
mans advice to keep clear of person-
alities, I merely say that it is an essen-
18
tial part of the British Constitution
that the ruler should hold himself aloof
from all parties, should work with what-
ever -the naJtion does. He must trust
the nation, and not domineer over it.
I say, merely as a matter of principle,
and not personal feeling, that our pre-
sent High Commissioner has not kept
within the constitutional limits of what
we think a Governor ought to he.
(Cheers.) In the words of our resolution
we simply say we gravely disapprove of
his policy and attitude. We do not say
all we mean. (Laughter.) We say less,
in order that what we do say may be
heard the further, and in the most grave
way we do assert our disapproval, and
say we ought to be ruled as the English
people are ruled, and I will repeat it,
that we want true partnership, with our
own power of developing our own na-
tional lire, so that we may all have such
a Government as the rest of the Empire
has-a government of South Africans,
for South Africans, by South Africans.
(Prolonged cheering.'
Mr. Gideon Hamman, of Worcester,
in seconding Dr. Kolbes resolution,
said there was little left for him to
sayt as Dr. Kolbe had expressed a1?
their feelings to a T much better than
any one of them could have done it.
England was the only nation that
could pride itself on the fact that it
had waged war against women. (Hear,
hear*) They as British subjects felt
themselves in duty bound to protest
against such action on her
part, and they would protest
as long as it lay in their
power to do so in a manner compatible
with their constitutional rights and,
privileges. Sir Alfred Milner had not
had time to receive their deputation,
but he could receive the deputation
from Johannesburg rebars. (Hear,
hear.) But let them not do Sir Alfred
an injustice. Perhaps he came to the
country for the benefit of the Johan-
nesburg capitalists only. (Hear, hear.)
He gloried in the fact that his bones
were intact, hut was his conscience un-
blemished Wore God and man? He
had never placed himself in a position
where his bones could be broken, but had
he guarded his soul from stain? (Hear,
hear.) As Africanders they protested
against his policy and demanded his
recall, and hoped that they woulld have
peace in the future.
The resolution was put and carried
with eheers, almost everyone rising,
and the men waving their hats.
UNCEASING AGITATION.
A third resolution wa9 moved by Mr.
H. J. H. Classens, of Victoria West,
being as follows :
This Congress solemnly pledges itself
to labour in a constitutional way
unceasingly for the attainment of
the objects contained in the above
resolutions, and resolves to send a
deputation to His Excellency Sir
Alfred Milner to bring these reso-
lutions officially to the notice of
Her Majestys Government.
Mr. Classens said they had previ-
ously sent petitions, which had been
slighted. They could only do so again,
no matter if their appeal fell on deaf
ears. They could only pledge them-
| selves to do so again and again, per-
sistently and conscientiously, till they
attained their ends. Trustful, and
looking towards God, confident in his
almighty power and in the fact that
He would not allow injustice and wrong
to triumph, they could only work, and
work unceasingly. (Cheers.)
Mr. Dirk Viljoen, of Hanover,
seconded. He had always been proud
of the British flag, and considered
himself within his rights in protesting
against what he thought would blemish
that flag. Sir Alfred Milner was mak-
ing the country a desert and should be
recalled. They had been silent for 15
months, the longest months he had
ever known. (Hear, hear.) What a
time it had been! At the time of Mr.
Gladstone(loud1 cheering)there was
peace. He, the Grand Old Man, knew
South Africa, as Sir George Grey and
Sir Hercules Robinson did(loud
cheers)but Sir Alfred did not. (A
voice: Its Lanyon over again.)
They should appeal consistently to the
highest authorities. Sir Alfred had
announced his intention of crushing
Africand'erdom, but he would not find
it an] easy matter. (Cheers.) Let
England beware that she did not drive
her loyal subjects to despair an
them to take their harps from the wil-
lows and say We will never sing again,
we will never touch the strings again.
(Hear, hear.)
Rev. A. I Steytler asked what
would be done in case Sir Alfred re-
fused to see the deputation?
The Chairman: A permanent com-
mittee will be appointed, who will
arrange matters in that case.
Mr. Steytler: And if need be appeal
to the House of Commons? (Cheers.)
The Chairman: That, too, will be
taken into consideration.
The resolution was put and unani-
mously carried.
The following gentlemen were selec-
ted to form the deputation :Hon. Mr
J. Pretorius, M.L.O., Rev. A. Moorrees,
Mr P Kuhn, M.L.A., Mr P. J. Marais
(Tulbagh), and Mr P. W. Miohau (Cra-
dock). In tlie event of Rev. A. Moorrees
being prevented from accompanying the
deputation through ill-health, Rev. W.
P. de Villiers, of Carnarvon, will take
his place.
As a standing and executive commit-
tee were appointed Messrs J. J. Michau,
S. Malan, and Rev. A. Moorrees.
19
At this stage there wei^ loud
cries of Sauer, Sauer, and
Mr Sauer was seen to shake his head.
This only increased the ardour of the
meeting, and on the clamour becoming
greater, Mr'Pretorius, M.L.O., lifted Mr
Sauer almost bodily and placed him on
the table, where lie wa6 accorded a
most enthusiastic reception.
Mr Sauer said he had not come to
speak, but solely to show that he was
in sympathy with the object of the Con-
gress. (Cheers.) They all wanted peace
(hear, hear)and the other side they
wanted peace as well. Well, they could
have it by leaving the Transvaal and
Orange Free State their independence
(loud cheers)by leaving them what
was theirs. (Renewed cheering.) That
was all he would say on that point, but
he had something to say on another
matter, and that was to propose a heartv
vote of thanks to the Chairman. Mr
De Villiers deserved it, for he had done
his duty under difficult circumstances,
and they could pride themselves that
he was their countryman and willing
to stand with them (Prolonged ap-
plause.)
Rev. Mr Maeder, of Victoria West,
seconded the resolution, whicn was car-
ried with three ringing cheers for the
Chairman.
In expressing his thanks,
Mr J. N. P. de Villiers said that he
had been cognisant that it was a duty
for him to nreside. At first he thought
it would be a difficult duty, but he need
have had no such fear, for he ought to
have known that the meeting, being a
meeting of Africanders, would cordially
help him. (Cheers.) He had deemed it
a pleasure to preside, although, alas!
the subject of the meeting was not a
Eleasant one. He thanked them very
eartily for the way in which they had
supported him. (Cheers.)
Votes of thanks were also adopted to
Advocate Malan as Secretary, and (on
the motion of Rev. A. I- Steytler, sec-
onded by everyone) to the inhabitants
of Worcester. In moving the latter
vote, Mr Steytler said that Paarl had
hitherto aspired to the honour of being
the Mecca of South Africans, but that
town would have to look to its laurels
after what Worcester had done. (Cheers
and laughter.)
The closing prayer was offered by Rev.
Prof. De Vos, after which a hymn was
sung, and the Congress was finally dosed
with the singing of the Old Hundredth,
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