The Transvaal from Within: A Private Record of Public AffairsFitzpatrick, Percy
History
The Transvaal from Within: A Private Record of Public Affairs
Fitzpatrick, Percy
Jameson's Raid, 1895-1896; Transvaal (South Africa) -- Politics and government -- 1880-1910
It is impossible to say with whom the idea of the movement, including
the arrangement with Dr. Jameson, originated. Perhaps it germinated
when Dr. Jameson read the life of Clive! Probably it was the result
of discussion, and no one man's idea. At any rate arms and ammunition
were purchased, and arrangements were made by which they should be
smuggled into the country concealed in machinery or gold-mining
appliances. During the month of November Messrs. Leonard and Phillips
went to Capetown to see Mr. Rhodes, in order to assure themselves
finally as to the course which was to be pursued. The position of Mr.
Rhodes in the matter was recognised by them to be a difficult one.
Whilst as the managing director of the Consolidated Goldfields he
had as much right as any other man interested in the Transvaal
would have to concern himself in a movement of this nature, his right
to act in his capacity of managing director of the Chartered Company
would depend entirely on the nature of the part which he professed
to play; but his position as Prime Minister of the Colony made the
already difficult position much more complicated. Realizing this,
Messrs. Leonard and Phillips acting on behalf of the others
determined to have a perfectly clear understanding and to ascertain
from Mr. Rhodes definitely what were his objects in associating
himself with the movement. The matter was discussed at Mr. Rhodes'
house, and the report given by the two deputies to their colleagues
on their return was that Mr. Rhodes frankly admitted that he had two
objects in view: one was to obtain an amelioration of the conditions
such as he was entitled to claim as representing an enormous amount
of capital invested in the Transvaal; the other object is best
described by Mr. Leonard. 'We read to him,' said that gentleman when
reporting to his comrades the result of his visit, 'the draft of our
declaration of rights. He was leaning against the mantelpiece smoking
a cigarette, and when it came to that part of the document in which
we refer to Free Trade in South African products he turned round
suddenly, and said: "That is what I want. That is all I ask of you.
The rest will come in time. We must have a beginning, and that will
be the beginning. If you people get your rights, the Customs Union,
Railway Convention, and other things will all come in time." He then
added that we must take our own time about this movement, and that he
would keep Jameson on the frontier as long as it was necessary as a
moral support, and also to come to our assistance should we get
ourselves into a tight place. We asked him how he hoped to recoup
himself for his share of the expense in keeping Jameson's force on
the border, which should be borne by us jointly. He said that seeing
the extent of his interests in the country, he would be amply repaid
by the improvement in the conditions which it was intended to
effect.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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