Apart from the progress of the present Anglo-Boer war a world-wide interest
has been excited also upon the question of its actual origin. Much disparity
of opinion prevails yet as to how it was provoked and upon which side the
guilt of it all lay.
English statesmen of noblest character and best discriminating gifts are
seen professing opposite convictions; one party earnestly asserting the
complete blamelessness of their Government, whilst the other, with equally
sincere assurance, denounces the responsible Ministry for having provoked a
most unjust war against a totally inoffensive people, whose only fault
consisted in asserting its love of freedom, and for thus plunging the entire
British nation into blackest guilt deserving universal reprobation, a blot
and stigma upon Her Majesty's reign.
In
following the course of the arguments which have led to those opposing
verdicts, one is impressed with the paucity and the clashing character of
the information adduced. The marked reticence on the part of the British
Cabinet in regard to its diplomatic proceedings tends further to mystify the
inquirer, and leaves the bulk of the British nation in a painful state of
suspense without conclusive data for judging whether the war is really
justifiable or not.
Nor do the various pamphlets and Press articles furnish sufficient light for
exploring the maze and producing an approximate unanimity of conviction.
It
is hoped that the succeeding pages will be found to supplement the material
so essential for diagnosing those grave questions with some degree of
certainty, and to locate the guilt more precisely.
Since my youth I have passed nearly forty years in uninterrupted and
intimate intercourse with all classes of Boers, resulting in a sincere
attachment to that people, with no small appreciation of its many good
traits and character. Besides making myself familiar with the earlier
portion of that nation's history, I have had leisure and opportunities to
closely follow up its later interesting phases up to the present moment.
These presented a more perplexing aspect during the last decade, adding a
zest to my endeavours for unravelling them, and happening to be a good deal
in the know I felt that I might not remain quiet.
Being anything but anti-Boer, nor an Englishman, but a foreigner, born of
continental parents and brought up in Europe, these facts should exempt me
from a supposition of bias in exonerating England. It is with real grief
that I must record my convictions against the Boer nation as solely and
entirely guilty, but with this qualification, that its responsibility is
much attenuated by the fact, as I will endeavour to show, that the bulk of
that people has been unconsciously decoyed as tools of a gigantic intrigue,
a conspiracy which was originated some thirty years ago by an infamous
Hollander coterie, and operated since by its product and engine, the now
well-known "Afrikaner Bond Association," with its significant motto of "Afrika
voor Afrikaners"[1]—its object being no less than the eviction of all that
is English from South Africa, and to substitute a federation of all South
African States into one free and independent Republic, the affiliation to be
with Holland instead, and Dutch the common and official language, other
nations, in return for afforded aid, to participate in the trade and other
advantages wrested from England.
I
only regret that my ability falls so much short for the task of
demonstrating all this in an approved style—for doing justice to the
subject. Its investigation embraces a wider range of details to serve as
evidence than may, upon first thought, be held as relevant; but I believe
that a willing study will show their connection as serviceable for arriving
at an independent and unhesitating verdict.
A
very strong and convincing case is indeed needed for remodelling opinions
where there is preconceived Boer partisanship, and where party spirit or
else foreign jealousy have already warped judgment and established bias.
It
would be no small relief to every honest-minded person, especially in
England, to be clear upon the subject that England is free of guilt—equally
so to the soldier who is called upon to fight her battles. But other objects
of no less importance are in view, viz., to open the eyes of the misguided
Boer people to the wicked artifices by which it has been seduced from
friendly relations with England into an unjustifiable war, to deter the
still wavering portion from joining the ranks of sedition, and, lastly, the
grounds for palliation being recognised, to pave the way to an early
termination of the war by adjustments which could restore mutual goodwill
and respect between the contending parties, and so bring about a speedy
return of South African prosperity and progress.
The writer is fully prepared to give data and names of the incidents adduced
in this paper in support of their authenticity.
FOOTNOTES:
-
Africa for white
African citizens.
