Through South Africa: His Visit to Rhodesia, the Transvaal, Cape Colony, NatalStanley, Henry M. (Henry Morton)
History
Through South Africa: His Visit to Rhodesia, the Transvaal, Cape Colony, Natal
Stanley, Henry M. (Henry Morton)
South Africa -- Description and travel
certain British individuals who happened to misconduct themselves were
liable to receive excessive punishments, or if for writing a market note
in English a 5 pound fine was to be imposed, or if for grumbling an
Englishman was to be expelled from the country, or if for considering
himself as being a little better than a Kaffir he should be compelled to
wear a badge that marked him as inferior to a Boer. I think it may be
taken for granted also that no British Commissioner would have attached
his name to a Convention had he guessed that the Laws of the Republic
might mean any odd or fantastic whim that might enter into the head of a
choleric, obstinate old man like the present President for instance.
UITLANDERS' RIGHTS SECURED BY A SOLEMN CONVENTION.
Far from deserving the title of great which some English visitors have
bestowed upon Mr Kruger, it seems to be that the most fitting title
would be "little." The gifts the gods have given his State he
resolutely refuses. His sole purpose and object seems to be to make the
South African Republic the China of South Africa. He declines to admit
men who are in every way qualified to the burghership, though every
other new country is competing for such men. The Americans welcomed
every able-bodied incomer as a fresh ally, and valued each workman as
being worth 200 pounds to the State. Thirty years ago citizenship
depended upon nativity, and could never be abandoned. The idea was a
relic of the Middle Ages, and was traceable to tribal superstition of
prehistoric times, but as nearly every country in the civilised world
has consented to admit people of all races to citizenship after a
probationary period of from three to five years, the South African
Republic only marks its own retrogression to barbarism by extending the
term to fifteen years. Mr Kruger, instead of granting to foreigners
common rights which were sealed to them by a Solemn Convention, for
which let it be always remembered the independence of the State was
assured, prefers to keep 80,000 uitlanders outside the pale of
citizenship, to irritate them by onerous laws passed by an oligarchy of
twenty-four men, and to grind them with taxes. If he made them burghers
his country would be the premier State in South Africa, and he might
then do almost what he liked, except invade his neighbours' territories.
The worst that could befall a Boer is that some candidate might be
thwarted in his hopes of the Presidency, but the inviolability of the
Republic and its Independence would be placed beyond danger.
WHAT KRUGER'S POLICY WILL LEAD TO.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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