CHAPTER 3. THE NEGOTIATIONS.

uidproquointhesecondconvention,andeventhemostcarelessofColonialSecretariescouldhardlyhavebeenexpectedtogiveawayaverysubstantialsomethingfornothing.Butthecontentionthrowsusbackupontheacademicquestionofwhatasuzeraintyis.TheTransvaaladmittedapowerofvetoovertheirforeignpolicy,andthisadmissioninitself,unlesstheyopenlytoreuptheconvention,mustdeprivethemofthepositionofasovereignState.Onthewhole,thequestionmustbeacknowledgedtohavebeenonewhichmightverywellhavebeenreferredtotrustworthyarbitration. Butnowtothisdebate,whichhadsolittleofurgencyinitthatsevenmonthsintervenedbetweenstatementandreply,therecamethebitterlyvitalquestionofthewrongsandappealoftheUitlanders.SirAlfredMilner,theBritishCommissionerinSouthAfrica,amanofliberalviewswhohadbeenappointedbyaConservativeGovernment,commandedtherespectandconfidenceofallparties.Hisrecordwasthatofanable,clear-headedman,toojusttobeeitherguiltyofortolerantofinjustice.Tohimthematterwasreferred,andaconferencewasarrangedbetweenPresidentKrugerandhimatBloemfontein,thecapitaloftheOrangeFreeState.TheymetonMay30th.KrugerhaddeclaredthatallquestionsmightbediscussedexcepttheindependenceoftheTransvaal.'All,all,all!'hecriedemphatically.Butinpracticeitwasfoundthatthepartiescouldnotagreeastowhatdidorwhatdidnotthreatenthisindependence.Whatwasessentialtoonewasinadmissibletotheother.Milnercontendedforafiveyears'retroactivefranchise,withprovisionstosecureadequaterepresentationfortheminingdistricts.Krugerofferedasevenyears'franchise,coupledwithnumerousconditionswhichwhittleddownitsvalueverymuch,promisedfivemembersoutofthirty-onetorepresentamajorityofthemalepopulation,andaddedaprovisionthatalldifferencesshouldbesubjecttoarbitrationbyforeignpowers,aconditionwhichisincompatiblewithanyclaimtosuzerainty.Theproposalsofeachwereimpossibletotheother,andearlyinJuneSirAlfredMilnerwasbackinCapeTownandPresidentKrugerinPretoria,withnothingsettledexcepttheextremedifficultyofasettlement.Thecurrentwasrunningswift,andtheroarofthefallwasalreadysoundinglouderintheear. OnJune12thSirAlfredMilnerreceivedadeputationatCapeTownandreviewedthesituation.'Theprincipleofequalityofraceswas,'hesaid,essentialforSouthAfrica.TheoneStatewhereinequalityexistedkeptalltheothersinafever.Ourpolicywasonenotofaggression,butofsingularpatience,whichcouldnot,however,lapseintoindifference.'TwodayslaterKrugeraddressedtheRaad.'Theothersidehadnotconcededonetittle,andIcouldnotgivemore.Godhasalwaysstoodbyus.Idonotwantwar,butIwillnotgivemoreaway.Althoughourindependencehasoncebeentakenaway,Godhasrestoredit.'Hespokewithsinceritynodoubt,butitishardtohearGodinvokedwithsuchconfidenceforthesystemwhichencouragedtheliquortraffictothenatives,andbredthemostcorruptsetofofficialsthatthemodernworldhasseen. AdispatchfromSirAlfredMilner,givinghisviewsuponthesituation,madetheBritishpublicrecognise,asnothingelsehaddone,howseriousthepositionwas,andhowessentialitwasthatanearnestnationaleffortshouldbemadetosetitright.Inithesaid: 'Thecaseforinterventionisoverwhelming.Theonlyattemptedansweristhatthingswillrightthemselvesifleftalone.But,infact,thepolicyofleavingthingsalonehasbeentriedforyears,andithasledtotheirgoingfrombadtoworse.Itisnottruethatthisisowingtotheraid.Theyweregoingfrombadtoworsebeforetheraid.Wewereonthevergeofwarbeforetheraid,andtheTransvaalwasonthevergeofrevolution.Theeffectoftheraidhasbeentogivethepolicyofleavingthingsaloneanewleaseoflife,andwiththeoldconsequences. 'ThespectacleofthousandsofBritishsubjectskeptpermanentlyinthepositionofhelots,constantlychafingunderundoubtedgrievances,andcallingvainlytoherMajesty'sGovernmentforredress,doessteadilyunderminetheinfluenceandreputationofGreatBritainwithintheQueen'sdominions.Asectionofthepress,notintheTransvaalonly,preachesopenlyandconstantlythedoctrineofarepublicembracingallSouthAfrica,andsupportsitbymenacingreferencestothearmamentsoftheTransvaal,itsalliancewiththeOrangeFreeState,andtheactivesympathywhich,incaseofwar,itwouldreceivefro