CHAPTER 3. THE NEGOTIATIONS.

qualpoliticalandcivilrightsforsettlersofallnationalitiesupontheother.ButtheseconventionsarenotlikethelawsoftheMedesandthePersians.Theyaremortal,theycanbedestroyed...andoncedestroyedtheycanneverbereconstructedinthesameshape.'Thelong-enduringpatienceofGreatBritainwasbeginningtoshowsignsofgivingway. InthemeantimeafreshdispatchhadarrivedfromtheTransvaalwhichofferedasanalternativeproposaltothejointcommissionthattheBoerGovernmentshouldgrantthefranchiseproposalsofSirAlfredMilneronconditionthatGreatBritainwithdrewordroppedherclaimtoasuzerainty,agreedtoarbitration,andpromisedneveragaintointerfereintheinternalaffairsoftherepublic.TothisGreatBritainansweredthatshewouldagreetoarbitration,thatshehopedneveragaintohaveoccasiontointerferefortheprotectionofherownsubjects,butthatwiththegrantofthefranchisealloccasionforsuchinterferencewouldpassaway,and,finally,thatshewouldneverconsenttoabandonherpositionassuzerainpower.Mr.Chamberlain'sdispatchendedbyremindingtheGovernmentoftheTransvaalthattherewereothermattersofdisputeopenbetweenthetwoGovernmentsapartfromthefranchise,andthatitwouldbeaswelltohavethemsettledatthesametime.BythesehemeantsuchquestionsasthepositionofthenativeracesandthetreatmentofAnglo-Indians. OnSeptember2ndtheansweroftheTransvaalGovernmentwasreturned.Itwasshortanduncompromising.Theywithdrewtheirofferofthefranchise.Theyre-assertedthenon-existenceofthesuzerainty.Thenegotiationswereatadeadlock.Itwasdifficulttoseehowtheycouldbere-opened.Inviewofthearmingoftheburghers,thesmallgarrisonofNatalhadbeentakinguppositionstocoverthefrontier.TheTransvaalaskedforanexplanationoftheirpresence.SirAlfredMilneransweredthattheywereguardingBritishinterests,andpreparingagainstcontingencies.Theroarofthefallwassoundingloudandnear. OnSeptember8ththerewasheldaCabinetCouncil—oneofthemostimportantinrecentyears.AmessagewassenttoPretoria,whicheventheopponentsoftheGovernmenthaveacknowledgedtobetemperate,andofferingthebasisforapeacefulsettlement.ItbeginsbyrepudiatingemphaticallytheclaimoftheTransvaaltobeasovereigninternationalStateinthesamesenseinwhichtheOrangeFreeStateisone.Anyproposalmadeconditionaluponsuchanacknowledgmentcouldnotbeentertained. TheBritishGovernment,however,waspreparedtoacceptthefiveyears''franchise'asstatedinthenoteofAugust19th,assumingatthesametimethatintheRaadeachmembermighttalkhisownlanguage. 'AcceptanceofthesetermsbytheSouthAfricanRepublicwouldatonceremovetensionbetweenthetwoGovernments,andwouldinallprobabilityrenderunnecessaryanyfutureinterventiontosecureredressforgrievanceswhichtheUitlandersthemselveswouldbeabletobringtothenoticeoftheExecutiveCouncilandtheVolksraad. 'HerMajesty'sGovernmentareincreasinglyimpressedwiththedangeroffurtherdelayinrelievingthestrainwhichhasalreadycausedsomuchinjurytotheinterestsofSouthAfrica,andtheyearnestlypressforanimmediateanddefinitereplytothepresentproposal.Ifitisaccededtotheywillbereadytomakeimmediatearrangements...tosettlealldetailsoftheproposedtribunalofarbitration...If,however,astheymostanxiouslyhopewillnotbethecase,thereplyoftheSouthAfricanRepublicshouldbenegativeorinconclusive,IamtostatethatherMajesty'sGovernmentmustreservetothemselvestherighttoreconsiderthesituationdenovo,andtoformulatetheirownproposalsforafinalsettlement.' Suchwasthemessage,andGreatBritainwaitedwithstrainedattentionfortheanswer.Butagaintherewasadelay,whiletheraincameandthegrassgrew,andtheveldwasasamountedriflemanwouldhaveit.Theburgherswereinnohumourforconcessions.Theyknewtheirownpower,andtheyconcludedwithjusticethattheywereforthetimefarthestrongestmilitarypowerinSouthAfrica.'WehavebeatenEnglandbefore,butitisnothingtothelickingweshallgivehernow,'criedaprominentcitizen,andhespokeforhiscountryashesaidit.Sotheempirewaitedanddebated,butthesoundsofthebuglewerealreadybreakingthroughthewranglesofthepoliticians,andcallingthenationtobetestedoncemorebythathammerofwarandadversitybywhichProvidencestillfashionsustosomenoblerandhigherend.