The People Were Depressed With Their Troubles And
Weary Of Contention.
Burgers, the President, put in a formal
protest, and took up his abode in Cape Colony, where he had a
pension from the British Government.
A memorial against the measure
received the signatures of a majority of the Boer inhabitants, but
there was a fair minority who took the other view. Kruger himself
accepted a paid office under Government. There was every sign that
the people, if judiciously handled, would settle down under the
British flag. It is even asserted that they would themselves have
petitioned for annexation had it been longer withheld. With
immediate constitutional government it is possible that even the
most recalcitrant of them might have been induced to lodge their
protests in the ballot boxes rather than in the bodies of our
soldiers.
But the empire has always had poor luck in South Africa, and never
worse than on that occasion. Through no bad faith, but simply
through preoccupation and delay, the promises made were not
instantly fulfilled. Simple primitive men do not understand the
ways of our circumlocution offices, and they ascribe to duplicity
what is really red tape and stupidity. If the Transvaalers had
waited they would have had their Volksraad and all that they
wanted. But the British Government had some other local matters to
set right, the rooting out of Sekukuni and the breaking of the
Zulus, before they would fulfill their pledges. The delay was
keenly resented. And we were unfortunate in our choice of Governor.
The burghers are a homely folk, and they like an occasional cup of
coffee with the anxious man who tries to rule them.
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