Transvaal (South Africa) -- History; Transvaal (South Africa) -- Politics and government
Dr. Kuyper then undertakes to show us how the Boers understand "the
angelic message" in their treatment of the coloured race. He begins by
waxing wroth with the English who, in 1816, in consequence of the
representations of their missionaries, had instituted an enquiry as to
the manner in which the Boers treated their slaves, "England humiliated
them before their slaves," he says. The English also protected natives.
Dr. Kuyper says:--
"With little regard for the real rights of their ancient colonists,
_the English prided themselves on protecting the imaginary rights
of the natives_."
The italics are his own. This virtuous protester continues:--
"Deceived by the reports from their missionaries, little worthy of
belief, and led astray by a sentimental love for primitive man,
'The Aborigines Protection Societies,' so drastically exposed by
Edmund Burke, saw their opportunity. With their Aborigines
Societies, the deists posed in the political arena as protectors of
the native races, while, in religious circles, the Christians with
their missionary societies posed as their benefactors."
Dr. Kuyper forgives neither the deists nor the missionaries. And what of
the Boers?
"The Boers had introduced a system of slavery copied from that
adopted by the English in their American colonies; but greatly
modified. I do not deny that, at times, the Boers have been too
harsh, and have committed excesses....
"The Boers are not sentimentalists, but are eminently practical.
They recognised that these Hottentots and Basutos were an inferior
race....
"The Boers have always resolutely faced the difficulty of the
colour question so persistently kept out of view by the English."
And Dr. Kuyper goes on to speak of the multiplication of the blacks in
South Africa. He dare not point to the logical solution, which would be
to regulate matters by extermination, pure and simple; but he gives vent
to his hatred of the English who, far from checking that multiplication,
assist it by their humane treatment of the natives. He is especially
wrathful with English missionaries, "those black-frocked gentlemen." He
states that the Boers do their best "to keep them at a distance"; and he
cites, as a fact, which fills him with indignation and alarm:--
"A coloured bishop has been appointed president of a kind of negro
council in Africa."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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