elegram. While the
people of Great Britain were animated by no vindictive feeling against
"those who had been or were in arms against Her Majesty's forces,
whether enemies or rebels"--did, in fact, desire that all racial
animosity should disappear in South Africa at the earliest possible
moment after the war was over--the "sentiments of both sides" must be
taken into consideration. The consequences which would ensue from "the
rankling sense of injustice" that would arise if the rebels were
actually placed in a better position after the struggle was over than
those who had risked life and property in the determination to remain
"loyal to their Queen and flag," would be no less serious than the bad
results to be anticipated from any display of a revengeful policy on
the part of the loyalists. He continued:

"Clemency to rebels is a policy which has the hearty sympathy of
Her Majesty's Government, but justice to loyalists is an
obligation of duty and honour. The question is, how can these two
policies be harmonised? It is clear that, in the interest of
future peace, it is necessary to show that rebellion cannot be
indulged in with impunity, and above all that, if unsuccessful,
it is not a profitable business for the rebel. Otherwise the
State would be offering a premium to rebellion. The present
moment, therefore, while the war is still proceeding, and while
efforts may still be made to tempt British subjects into
rebellious courses, is in any case not appropriate for announcing
that such action may be indulged in with absolute impunity. And
if, as has been suggested, a great many of the Queen's rebellious
subjects are the mere tools of those who have deceived them, it
is important that these should be made aware individually that,
whatever their leaders may tell them, rebellion is a punishable
offence.

[Sidenote: Clemency and justice.]

"Up to this time very lenient treatment has been meted out to
rebels. Although, according to the law of the Cape Colony, and
under martial law, the punishment of death might have been
inflicted, in no case has any rebel suffered the capital penalty,
and the vast majority have been permitted for the present to
return to their homes and to resume their occupations. There are
many degrees in the crime of rebellion. Her Majesty's Government
desire that in any case m