ed, including rebellion and violence, and blindly
obey their call, considering their cause analogous to that of the Jews
of old, who were enjoined to spoil the Egyptians and then to pass over
and conquer their land of promise. No papal bull of indulgence ever
freed people's consciences more than the Boer people now feel in regard
to the warfare in which they are engaged.

RESUME

The Boers in the Cape Colonies have been prospering in a marked degree
since the British accession in 1814, enjoying ideal liberty and good
government upon perfect equality with the English colonists.

The people of the Orange Free State fared equally well under best
relations with the British Government up to the outbreak of the present
war.

In the Transvaal the Boers were more handicapped, being furthest removed
from profitable Cape connections, and having to cope with powerful
hostile tribes within their border. The most redoubtable, under
Secoecoenie, was subdued during the British occupation in 1878. Then
followed the short war of 1880, with the voluntary retrocession and
peace of January, 1881. All appeared to progress remarkably well for
about ten years after, until the irrational treatment by the Boers of
British subjects in the Transvaal furnished the first cause of
friction, and engendered at last the Johannesburg crisis with the
Jameson incursion, followed by four years' vain attempts on the part of
England to bring about satisfactory and peaceful relations.

The Afrikaner Bond had been inaugurated some thirty years ago, under the
mask of a constitutional organization, professing loyalty to England;
that body had succeeded in hiding its object, which was no less than the
expulsion from South Africa of all that is English, and which object was
brutally avowed since the outbreak of the war by declarations in the
Press and by incendiary speeches of Colonial Bond leaders and members of
the Cape Parliament.

The British Government did not view very seriously the information it
received regarding the Bond menace until the definite action of the
Transvaal Government partially opened its eyes prior to the Johannesburg
revolt. The hope was, however, still clung to in an undefined way that
patience and forbearance would yet overcome Boer prejudice and disperse
racial antipathies, and with characteristic self-confidence as well,
things were allowed to drift rather out of hand.

The two Republics had been _de facto_ allied some