ain
after special consultation with Lord Kimberley. With characteristic
tenacity and that aversion ever to yield even the smallest point, which
comes to a man saturated with the habit of a lifetime of debate, Mr.
Gladstone wrote to Mr. Chamberlain (June 8, 1881): "I have read with
pleasure what you say of the Transvaal. Yet I am not prepared, for myself,
to concede that we made a mistake in not advising a revocation of the
annexation when we came in."

At this instant a letter reached Mr. Gladstone from Kruger and Joubert
(May 10, 1880), telling him that there was a firm belief among their
people that truth prevailed. "They were confident that one day or another,
by the mercy of the Lord, the reins of the imperial government would be
entrusted again to men who look out for the honour and glory of England,
not by acts of injustice and crushing force, but by the way of justice and
good faith. And, indeed, this belief has proven to be a good belief." It
would have been well for the Boers and well for us, if that had indeed
been so. Unluckily the reply sent in Mr. Gladstone's name (June 15),
informed them that obligations had now been contracted, especially towards
the natives, that could not be set aside, but that consistently with the
maintenance of the Queen's sovereignty over the Transvaal, ministers
desired that the white inhabitants should enjoy the fullest liberty to
manage their local affairs. "We believe that this liberty may be most
easily and promptly conceded to the Transvaal, as a member of a South
African confederation." Solemn and deliberate as this sounds, no step
whatever was effectively taken towards conferring this full liberty, or
any liberty at all.

It is worth while, on this material point, to look back. The original
proclamation had promised the people the fullest legislative privileges
compatible with the circumstances of the country and the intelligence of
the people. Then, at a later date (April 1877), Sir Bartle Frere met a
great assemblage of Boers, and told them that they should receive, as soon
as circumstances rendered it practicable, as large a measure of
self-government as was enjoyed by any colony in South Africa.(17) The
secretary of state had also spoken to the same effect. During the short
period in which Sir Bartle Frere was connected with the administration of
the Transvaal, he earnestly pressed upon the government the necessity for
redeeming the promises made at the time of annexati