Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/163

 1899.] The Transvaal and Parliament [155

from the United Kingdom. The question was really whether British influence was paramount in South Africa. Great Britain had in any case a right to protect her subjects in South Africa, which was added to and not taken away by the conven- tion — the spirit of which was not only internal autonomy, but equality between man and man. Sir A. Milner had laid down a minimum at Bloemfontein, which was still the minimum of the British Government. The Outlander population must receive such an immediate, genuine, and effective representation in the First Volksraad as, taken in conjunction with the other privileges of a full burgher of the republic, would enable them to influence without controlling the Government of the country. A clear understanding was the only method of allaying any suspicion or fear that in future another Volksraad, by fresh legislation, or another executive, by acts of administration, might neutralise or impair the value of the concessions now made. The Earl of Kimberley, as leader of the Opposition and as responsible with Mr. Gladstone for the convention of 1881, declared they had two reasons for concluding it — (1) that the full consent of the burghers had not been obtained to annexa- tion ; (2) that if the war had been continued there would have been serious danger of a war of races in South Africa. Since 1881 two remarkable events had occurred — the gold discoveries, and the Jameson raid : " I in no way deny that the position of affairs with regard to the Outlanders is to the last degree un- satisfactory. 1 also admit that affairs in the South African Republic are a standing danger to the whole of South Africa. But I must still say a word in excuse — I must hardly say defence — of President Kruger, and those responsible for the Government of the Transvaal. My lords, just consider the position in which they found themselves. They, a small com- munity of Dutch farmers, occupying their farms and living a purely rural life, suddenly found themselves invaded by a large and rather motley industrial population. Can you be surprised that such men felt alarmed lest this new population should swamp them, and destroy the condition of things to which they had been accustomed? We must also always remember the considerable Dutch population in South Africa who presumably are in sympathy with the Transvaal burghers/ ' He was glad to hear the credit given to Mr. Schreiner and Mr. Hofmeyr for the influence they had exercised on the Government of the South African Republic during these negotiations, and he had no doubt that if the matter were judiciously and carefully handled, it would be found that the assistance of the Dutch inhabitants of the Cape would not be found wanting : " In 1890 the Transvaal burghers took away from the Outlanders electoral privileges which they had hitherto enjoyed, and I do not re- member that there was any protest on the part of our Govern- ment against it. From then date, of course, the disabilities under which the Outlanders labour. You will observe that the