two
Governments, however, knew how to manipulate matters. The closer union
scheme was carried through before the Jameson incursion, and soon after
that event an offensive and defensive alliance completed the federation.
The Afrikaner Bond then had advanced another important stage.

Mr. John G. Fraser's persistent objections to federation, upon the
ground that the Transvaal stood under British suzerainty, had given that
question a prominence operating against the Afrikaner Bond project,
viz., that of gaining a strong Power as ally to its cause. It was felt
that no Power could, with decency, enter into a connection with that
State while such a claim was maintained. To overcome that obstacle the
Transvaal Government proceeded to raise a controversy with England,
taking up the position of repudiating the claim of suzerainty, and
averring the complete independence of the State, subject only to the one
clause _re_ treaties with foreign nations. Another object would be
gained, viz., of diverting England from Bond aims by that and similar
controversies. To make a show of sincerity about it all, the opinions
(foregathered, of course) of certain eminent jurists in England and
Holland were obtained, who refuted the claim in elaborate disquisitions
and with that readiness of apparent conviction so peculiar to some
advocates' affected faith in their clients' cause. Thus England was
decoyed into a protracted tournament of words and phrases without any
practical result, but gratifying and inspiring no doubt to certain
well-paid _soi-disant_ champions of the principle defined as the
"_perfection of justice_," who revel in a display of forensic erudition,
which, however, only illustrates to the unedified lay mind how speech is
adaptable to veil inward conviction, and how a mass of rhetoric can be
employed to justify the breach of simple and well-understood
engagements.

It continues to be clumsily insisted upon in official and paid Press
organs how the need of providing Transvaal armaments became realized
only with that Anglo-capitalistic plot of 1895-96 against Boer
independence, and that, in fact, Dr. Jameson was worthy of the Boer
nation's lasting gratitude for opening their eyes to their helplessly
unarmed and unprepared condition up to that time. In those papers it is
declared with unblushing inexactness how the Transvaal at that epoch
possessed only two hundred and fifty inefficient and ill-equipped
artillerists, with only a few