Nr. 11449. Südafrikan. Translation. | Your cable of the 24th re interview Mr. Chamberlain, Republik. Jooste, and Meintjis. The Government would deplore it if any misunder27. März 1896. standing has arisen through the representation of zealous friends, if anything has been said to the effect that President would accept the invitation without coming to an understanding beforehand about the points of discussion then those who said it, whoever they may be and whatever their objects may have been, were certainly not aware of the circumstances of the case. Read our telegram of the 8th February: the President expresses clearly from the beginning his willingness to come, but as clearly notifies that the Volksraad must decide as to his leave and his instructions, so that naturally an understanding must first be arrived at concerning the points under discussion. It was then clearly stated that the President hoped the question of Article 4 could be discussed. Then read our letter of the 25th February to the High Commissioner; this letter agrees entirely with the telegram. If the President had accepted the invitation without clearly understanding what points were to be discussed he would have had the whole burgher population against him. From the first moment the President had and has the same opinion, so that the imputation that the President's opinion has been altered or influenced by the Hollanders is entirely false. The Africanders are by no means of one opinion in this question, but they would unite in opposing the departure of the President in order, for example, to conclude a new convention or a treaty of commerce and other matters unless it was known beforehand that that convention or that treaty would yield greater advantages than that of 1884. Is not a preliminary understanding beforehand better than a disappointment when the President arrives in England? Mr. Chamberlain himself says as much in his letter, that the President must not suffer such a disappointment. When his Honour discovered that Article 4 could not be discussed, he urged that it might be discussed and adduced reasons for so doing. With respect to the representations made by the British Government in regard to the grievances of the Uitlanders he stated clearly that although he could not permit any interference in the internal concerns of which the grievances question forms a part, yet he would gladly receive any hints or representations given privately in a friendly spirit. In his proclamation of the 30th December the President promises to bring all the representations of the Uitlanders without delay before the Volksraad. Measures have already been taken, and others are still under consideration, to meet the wants of the Uitlander population; but if, as stated in your telegram, these matters are to be submitted to the approval or disapproval of England, the Government might be expected to consider whether if this principle was once adopted it Südafrikan. ought not to submit such measures to any other foreign Government which Nr. 11449 might have subjects included amongst the Uitlanders. There is no secret and nothing new in the arming of the burghers; the law has always prescribed 27. März 1896. this, and the Government feels some surprise that this should excite any comment after the bitter lesson which this Government has just experienced, when plans were actually laid for the besieging of Pretoria. The Government thinks this ought to be sufficient to convince anyone that it ought to be on its guard. In addition to this the Government is still constantly receiving reports of a hostile spirit from the North. This Government is most grateful to Her Majesty's Government for what it is prepared to do in the interest of this Republic, and it highly appreciates the sentiments which from time to time Mr. Chamberlain has given public expression to, and this Government would hail with pleasure a settlement of matters by the visit of the President, but it sees clearly the urgent necessity of first coming to some sort of understanding in order to avoid later more serious misunderstandings, The feeling of a section of the Uitlanders is still continually being excited and stirred up, and it would be idle for this Government to deny that this condition of things is being brought about by influences and occurrences outside the boundaries of this Republic. The Government regret exceedingly to understand from you that there are further matters still pending which might cause dissension. It does not know what these are, but has always shown a ready spirit, as far as possible, to remove any difficulty. The Government in view of the above explication cannot understand how Mr. Chamberlain should feel aggrieved as to the manner in which this Government has acted in regard to the visit of the President. Had a special session of the Volksraad been called upon the communications which have already passed, this Government feels sure that the consent of the Volksraad should have been refused, and it was in the hope of a more favourable tone in the negotiations that the Government has refrained from publishing the correspondence and determined to wait for the ordinary session of the Volksraad. If the Volksraad gives its consent the President is quite willing to hasten his departure. This Government is actuated by the best intentions, and in spite of the newspapers still hopes that a satisfactory settlement will be arrived at. See our letter of the 17th March. The Government is alive to the position and has gone to work in a perfectly straightforward manner, and if the journey of the President should fall through it will certainly not be through any unwillingness from this side. Nr. 11450. Südafrikan. Republik. Nr. 11450. SÜDAFRIKAN. REPUBLIK. Der Präsident an den englischen Gouverneur in Kapstadt. Krüger lehnt die sofortige Berufung eines Volksrats ab.*) Department of Foreign Affairs, Government Office, Pretoria, March 17, 1896. Your Excellency, || I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Excellency's Despatch of the 6th March, No. 3, enclosing a telegraphic reply 17. März 1896. from the Right Honourable the Secretary of State to my Despatch of the 25th February last. || In reply to your Excellency's telegram of the 29th February last, I informed your Excellency, per mine of the 3rd March, that should the reply of the Secretary of State be of such a nature as to be regarded by me as satisfactory, to that end I would immediately proceed to call a special session of the Volksraad, in order to obtain its decision with reference to the instructions and permission to be given. || It grieves me more than I can express to be obliged to declare that the reply now received has caused me deep disappointment, and that by reason of the contents thereof it is not possible for me to proceed to convene a special session of the Volksraad at once, for the purpose above-mentioned. || I must state, to my deep regret, that I do not feel at liberty to take that course, and that I cannot take the responsibility upon myself, since I am firmly convinced that the people of the Republic would without a doubt disapprove of such an unusual step, when the reply of Her Majesty's Government differs in so many essential respects from what I have submitted. I need hardly point out that this difference, apart from matters of less importance, seems to confine itself chiefly to the question of a discussion or treatment of internal affairs of the Republic, which Her Majesty's Government appears to desire, but to which I may not give my consent as head of an independent State. || I have already said that I would appreciate the giving of private hints in the interest of, and in confirmation of, the independence of the country; but I neither can, nor may I, lend a helping hand to giving an opening by another way to the discussion of internal affairs, which would involve the acknowledgment of the principle that the right exists to do so. || There is further a very important difference between the view of Her Majesty's Government and mine with reference to the question of clause 4 of the Convention of 1884, which Her Majesty's Government wish should form part of a new convention or treaty. I spoke of the substitution of the Convention by a treaty of peace, amity, and commerce, on the basis of the most-favoured-nation, while in the telegraphical communication under reply, mention is made of a new convention or a treaty for commercial and other purposes. || There are other matters which will immediately appear from a comparison of my former communication with the reply thereto. While, for instance, the question of a *) Dieses Schreiben erhielt Chamberlain am 13. April. Ein Auszug daraus war ihm bereits am 21. März (Nr. 11442) übersendet worden. Red. Südafrikan. guarantee against violation of the territory of the Republic is offered by the Nr. 11450. Secretary of State in a most extended sense, this Government would regard Repablik. a guarantee from the British side, such as was asked in my despatch of the 17. März 1896. 25th February last, as sufficient with regard to British territory. || Having regard to the points for discussion proposed by me which this Government from its standpoint thinks to be able to bring forward with succes, it is not clear to me, unless further explained, what is meant by the giving of concessions on this side. || You will permit me to remark further with reference to the point of compensation, that I can in no wise agree with the comparison made by the Honourable the Secretary of State, between the inroad of Dr. Jameson, and the part which may have been taken by subjects of the Republic (it would have been more correct to say by persons from various parts of South Africa) in earlier days in the Goschen, Stellaland, and Zululand questions. Their actions would, under no circumstances, have been construed as a breach of the Convention, as the actions of Dr. Jameson, cum suis, in every respect were. The main question now is, what steps can still be taken to make an amicable discussion of affairs in England possible. Although, as I have said, I do not feel at liberty to convene a special session of the Volksraad for the purpose, I shall submit the correspondence interchanged with Her Majesty's Government to the representatives of the country, and I may add here that the formal convening for the ordinary session according to law will still take place in the course of the present week. || Nothing would be more agreeable to me than that Her Majesty's Government should inform me of its further views before that session commences, so that I may be in a position to submit to the honourable Volksraad all the points which may be adduced for my proceeding to England or otherwise in an exhaustive manner. With renewed expression of my especial respect, Your Excellency's servant, S. J. P. Kruger, State President. Nr. 11451. GROSSBRITANNIEN. - Der Gouverneur in Kapstadt an den Kolonialminister. Krüger lehnt den Besuch in England für jetzt ab. Received 2.30 a. m., April 25, 1896. - Grossbritannien. Telegram. || 24th April, No. 4. I have received this morning President Nr. 11451. Kruger's reply, of which following is summary: He acknowledges receipt. of your telegram of 26th March, and with reference to your regretting that 25. Apr. 1896. he has not yet given definite reply to invitation of 28th January, refers to his telegram of 8th February and letter of 25th February, in which he stated. that he was prepared to go to England as soon as certain points were agreed upon as a basis for discussion. He observes you speak of private information comcated to you before sending invitation, but he does not know who britannien. Nr. 11451. supplied this information or the nature of it, but if it was to the effect that Gross- he contemplated an unconditional visit to England it was incorrect. The 25. Apr.1896. position taken up by him has always been consistent [?], that, in the event of a satisfactory basis for discussion being arrived at, he hoped Volksraad would give him leave. He regrets that no satisfactory basis has yet been arrived at, but does not see that any blame is attributable to his Government in this respect. He observes, further, that from the first his Government has clearly placed on record that no interference with the internal affairs of the South African Republic can be allowed. He says you have admitted the justness of this position, yet, while agreeing that no such interference is sought or claimed, the intimation is nevertheless made that Her Majesty's Government request that particular internal measures may be taken. || The remedying of admitted grievances is spoken of, and he cannot pass without notice the expression "admitted." He regrets that, having intimated to Her Majesty's Government a desire for the reconsideration of London Convention in consequence of raid by Jameson and other British subjects, the position should be taken up that the discussion of so-styled admitted grievances should be a sine qua non in the event of the discussion of London Convention being agreed to. As before observed, his Government is at all times prepared to receive in a friendly spirit any private suggestions which Her Majesty's Government may wish to make with regard to interests of British subjects in Transvaal, and to give such suggestions due consideration. Although his Government has never acknowledged existence of what are designated admitted grievances, and deny that on that account a right to rebellion exists, it does not affect to be perfect, and has repeatedly declared its readiness to listen to complaints brought forward constitutionally, as evidenced by the Government Proclamation of 30th December. But the decision as to what measures are best calculated to promote peace and prosperity of inhabitants, and the determination whether legitimate causes of discontent exist, rest solely with the Executive and Legislature of the country. | Referring to your request for a definite reply to the invitation, he feels confident you will recognise and appreciate the difficulty of his position, and it appears to him to be the wiser course not to press the question of his proceeding to England any further at present, but to leave it an open matter, more especially in view of the approaching Session of Volksraad of South Afrian Republic in May. The desirability of his presence, at least for a portion of the Session, at Pretoria, who important measures will have to be considered by the Legislature, is apparent, and it is his confident hope that by patience and tact on both sides the peaceful and satisfactory solution of matters will be attained. || His Government notices that you speak of the measures proposed to be taken to remedy the acknowledged Uitlander grievances as a quid pro quo for a guarantee to South African Republic against any attack upon its independence, either from any part of British dominions or from territory of foreign power. |