Johannesburgers themselves are brimful of
suggestions, but I think that, though some are partially right, I have
not come across any which seems to meet the complex case entirely. We
have the sentiments of the Colonies to consider as well as the
sentiments of the people of Great Britain, and the whole of Europe in
fact. Therefore forcible measures in cold blood are out of the
question, because from what I heard I doubt that the people of
Johannesburg themselves would be grateful if we resorted to them.

SALVATION LIES IN A UNITED JOHANNESBURG, PASSIVELY RESISTING TYRANNY.

I quite agree that it is the duty of Her Majesty's Government to
strengthen our forces in South Africa to show the Boers that we are
serious, and that power is at hand in case of necessity, but as long as
our forces remain inactive their effect will wear away, and the Boers
will soon fall back again to their sullen and vindictive attitude.
What, then, is to be done? Nothing, absolutely nothing, until the
Johannesburgers themselves prove to us that they are serious, united,
and firm, and make the first move. It will be said, however, that they
have no arms. No arms are needed of any kind, but the will to suffer
and the courage to endure. Their lives will be safe in any case, for
even Boers do not shoot unarmed and unresisting men, but if they all say
that the taxes are ruinous, that their property is confiscated by these
legal exactions--why pay the taxes, why continue to pay bribes to those
in authority for trifling relaxations, why assist in any way to
perpetuate the "corrupt and rotten" Government of which they complain so
bitterly? It amounts to this. The Boers have a right to administer
their country as they think best, but if their administration is unjust
and oppressive, surely the oppressed have the right of passive
resistance, for it is in human nature to resist injustice. The
consequence of passive resistance will be imprisonment. But when a
sparsely populated State is obliged to imprison some score of thousands
of non-taxpayers, and to feed them, bankruptcy is not far off. If any
die in prison from starvation, or blood is shed, or general confiscation
of property takes place, we then shall have a legitimate cause for
action. I do not say that this policy of waiting upon Johannesburg is a
noble one, but as we have been so indifferent to the obligations of the
Convention, as we have closed every sense to our countrymen's
complain