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 was assumed that, on receiving the emphatic messages sent through
Major Heany and Captain Holden, Dr. Jameson would realize the
seriousness of the position, and would, in fact, abide by the
arrangements made with him. Nor was this all. It was also clear that
the telegram of Mr. Rhodes to which it was inferred reference was
made in the concluding words of Messrs. Hamilton's and Leonard's
wire--'Jameson has been advised accordingly'--could not have reached
Dr. Jameson at the time his telegram to his brother was despatched.
It was part of the instructions to Messrs. Hamilton and Leonard that
any communications which they might desire to make to Dr. Jameson
should pass through Mr. Cecil Rhodes in order to ensure due regard
being paid to them. There was therefore no doubt in the minds of the
Johannesburg men that during Saturday afternoon--that is to say, more
than twenty-four hours before he proposed moving--he must have
received a wire forbidding him to move.
The facts here given were sufficient to warrant the belief that all
that was necessary had been done to prevent any movement. But more
reassuring than all precautions was the conviction that Dr. Jameson,
no matter how much he might 'bluff' in order to force immediate
action, would never be guilty of so gross a breach of faith as to
start in defiance of the wishes of the Johannesburg people. Extreme
dissatisfaction of course prevailed in the minds of a good many when
they learned of the efforts made by him to force their hands, and
this feeling was intensified by the report brought in by Dr. Wolff,
who had just returned from seeing Dr. Jameson at Pitsani. Dr. Wolff
had arrived at Pitsani on the previous Tuesday, and was then greeted
by Dr. Jameson with the remark that he had 'as nearly as possible
started for Pretoria last night.' It was felt that this might appear
to be a very fine and dashing thing for a party of men well armed and
trained and able to take care of themselves, but that it betrayed
great indifference to his pledges, as well as to the fate of his
associates, who as he knew perfectly well had not even the arms to
defend themselves from the consequences of any precipitate action on
his part, and who had moreover the responsibility for the control and
protection of unarmed Johannesburg.
The feeling among the Reformers on Sunday, the 29th, was one of
considerable relief at having found out in time the intention of
their reckless colleague, and at having taken the necessary steps to
control him. Secure in the belief that the messages from Capetown had
duly reached Dr. Jameson, and that either Major Heany or Captain
Holden had by that time also reached him, and that in the future the
management of their affairs would be left in their own hands, they
continued during Sunday and Monday, the 29th and 30th, to arrange
plans on the basis before indicated, awaiting in the meantime further
communications from Messrs. Hamilton and Leonard.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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