of the 7th instant, through Reuter's Agency, but the disorganised state of the Nr. 12028. cable service prevented this, and on hearing from you of the delay I telegraphed it to you on the afternoon of the 8th. 79. In the present despatch I have confined myself in the main to a bare narrative of the proceedings. It is impossible for me, under the present pressure of work, which more than ever taxes the physical powers of myself and my staff, even to dictate an adequate commentary on the proceedings. There are, however, two points to which I would even now call special attention. || 80. First. I did my best, in the long memorandum quoted above in full, to point out within a reasonable compass some of the main flaws in the President's scheme. Apart from the-in my view-unacceptable principle of the two stages of citizenship, the scheme was unworkable by reason of the many difficulties which it put in the way of a man seeking to take advantage of it. But the list of these difficulties is by no means exhausted in my memorandum. Since the scheme has become public many others have been pointed out, even by neutral critics, and I think I may say that by this time it is condemned throughout South Africa as totally unworkable. || 81. I do not suppose for a moment that the President himself, who probably did not go very carefully into the details of the proposal, had any idea that the scheme which he put forward as a liberal concession to the demands of the Uitlanders was, in fact, so beset with impossible conditions that very few of them would be able, and, indeed, in all probability very few of them would attempt, to avail themselves of it. But whoever did think out the details of the plan must have known this perfectly well. I cannot but feel that if this plan had been accepted the discovery of its unworkableness in practice hereafter would have led to even greater discontent, to even more bitter and strained feelings between the Government of the South African Republic and its Uitlander population, than those which unfortunately exist at present. 82. Secondly, with regard to my general policy at the Conference, id est, that of concentrating all my energy upon the question of franchise, or, more properly speaking, of the admission of the Uitlanders to citizenship, I am quite conscious that it is open to criticism. I might have stayed at Bloemfontein 14 days or longer discussing Dynamite, the Edgar case, the Amphitheatre meeting, the Aliens' Law, the Press Law, Police incompetence, the illicit liquor traffic, education, the crusade against the English language, the dependent condition of the Courts, the uncertainty of the laws-liable as they are to be altered at any moment by the resolution of a single Chamber. But my view was this: I had to pursue one of two policies; either (1) to seek in a spirit of broad compromise to obtain for the Uitlanders such a position as would enable them gradually to remedy their principal grievances themselves; or (2) to insist on a series of specific reforms which should relieve the Uitlanders from at least the more serious of these grievances. Of the two possibilities, No. 1 was, in my opinion, far the better, and No. 2 only to be Grofsbritannien. 14.Juni 1899. Grofs britannien. Nr. 12028. resorted to in case of the failure of No. 1. But to introduce No. 2 prematurely, would make the successful pursuance of No. 1 impossible. It was, of 14.Juni 1899. course, necessary to indicate, and indicate clearly, as I repeatedly did, the existence of grievances; but to propose to deal with them in detail, that is to say, to propose to interfere, here, there, and everywhere, in the internal affairs. of the Republic, would have been totally inconsistent with that line of firm but friendly pressure for the admission of the Uitlanders to citizenship (id est, to a position in which they could remedy grievances for themselves), which, in the first instance, at any rate, it seemed best to pursue. But policy No. 1 having broken down, it seemed to me unadvisable at the Conference itself to embark on policy No. 2. For one thing, I was imperfectly instructed as to your view with regard to it. I knew full well that my franchise proposals would have your entire approval, and that of the British public. But what we should press for in respect of particular grievances, if franchise failed, I was not equally certain, and I did not wish to commit myself too rashly to particular demands. Moreover, I thought it would be premature to conclude that franchise on the broad lines proposed by me was unobtainable. It was evidently impossible to get more out of President Kruger at Bloemfontein, especially as the Free State authorities were inclined to regard his proposals as adequate (though how they could come to such an opinion is beyond my understanding) and there was, therefore, no hope of any pressure being brought to bear on him at that time to make further concessions. But I thought that, when the two policies were known throughout South Africa, and when it was seen that Her Majesty's Government took a strong line, my proposal might yet receive such an amount of support as would compel President Kruger to accept my solution on the question of franchise, and thereby to obviate the necessity of our pressing him about a whole series of internal reforms. 83. At the moment of writing it seems to me as if this anticipation were likely to be fulfilled. Not only is the British community in South Africa unanimously in favour of my scheme, but there is evidence that, outside the Republics, a good many of the Dutch take the same view. It would not surprise me if, within the next few days, a very decided expression of opinion on their part was to be heard. I do not mean to say that they will take my side as against President Kruger, but what they probably will do, is to suggest modifications of President Kruger's scheme so far reaching as to convert it virtually into something much more like mine. In that case there is still a possibility, though not perhaps any great likelihood, that the President may give in. Even if he does not, I do not see that we shall be in any worse position for dealing with him on the other line, because, at the Conference at Bloemfontein, I confined myself entirely to the attitude of friendly suggestion, and, avoiding as far as possible all appearance of desire on the part of Her Majesty's Government to interfere in his internal affairs, used all my influence to induce him to agree to a compromise which would render Nr. 12028. such interference unnecessary. Grofsbritannien. 84. I forward, as enclosures to the present despatch: I. The English 14.Juni 1899. notes of the proceedings. These do not profess to be a verbatim report, but give a very full account of what passed. They are not finally settled beyond the first day, as I am waiting to receive any comments that the Government of the South African Republic may desire to make on the notes of the last four days. I do not anticipate that many corrections of importance will be made, but I will inform you of any amendments as soon as possible. || II. Copies of the connter petition and of the declarations put in by the President. || III. Copies of the six documents referred to in paragraph 78 of this despatch. I have, &c., A. Milner. Governor and High Commissioner. Nr. 12029*). GROSSBRITANNIEN. Der Gouverneur der Kap kolonie an den Präsidenten der Südafrikanischen 1. Juni 1899. Grofs There are two things I have to consider. I have got to consider the Nr. 12029. prejudices of the old burghers. I know that even if I were to convince the britannien. President himself he might have difficulty in convincing other people; there- 1. Juni 1899. fore I must in proposing anything, propose something which it can be made absolutely clear to the old burghers will not swamp them. On the other hand, I have to consider that it is perfectly useless to propose something which will give no satisfaction whatever to the reasonable desires of the new population, which may be rejected at once as totally insufficient, the whole object of the proposal being to give them such an amount of satisfaction as will bring them on to the side of the State, to throw in their lot with it, and to work in future with the old burghers as one people. || Bearing these things in mind, what I suggest is this: that every foreigner who can prove satisfactorily that he has been resident in the country for five years, and that he desires to make it his permanent place of residence, that he is prepared to take the oath to obey the laws, to undertake all the obligations of citizenship, and to defend the independence of the country, should be allowed to become a citizen on taking that oath. This should be confined to persons possessing a certain amount of property, or a certain amount of yearly wages, and who have good characters. In order to make that proposal of any real use for the new citizens' who mostly live in one district in the Republic, and a district which only returns *) Vgl..Seite 266. Gross Nr. 12029. 1 member in 28 to the First Raad and 1 in 28 to the Second Raad, I probritannien, pose that there should be a certain number of new consituencies created, the 1. Juni 1899. number of which is a detail upon the discussion of which I will not now enter. But what is vital from my point of view is that the number of these districts should not be so small as to leave the representatives of the new population in a contemptible minority. Nr. 12030. Republik. Nr. 12030. SÜDAFRIKANISCHE REPUBLIK. Der Präsident an den Gouverneur der Kapkolonie. Antwort auf das Vorige. 2. Juni 1899. As the purpose I had in view at this Conference principally consists in Südafrikan. the removal of existing grounds of disagreement and further to provide for 2. Juni 1899. the friendly regulation of the way of settling future disputes by means of arbitration, the following proposals with regard to the franchise must be considered as conditional and dependent on the satisfactory settlement of the first mentioned points, and on the request that my request to incorporate Swaziland in the South African Republic shall be submitted by the High Commissioner to Her Majesty's Government. || Subject to the foregoing I undertake to submit without delay to the approval of the Volksraad and the people the following proposals about the franchise: I. Every person who fixes his residence in the South African Republic has to get himself registered on the Field-cornets books within fourteen days after his arrival according to the existing law; will be able after complying with the conditions mentioned under "A.," and after the lapse of two years to get himself naturalised; and will five years after naturalisation on complying with the conditions mentioned under "B," obtain the full franchise. A. 1. Six months' notice of intention to apply for naturalisation; || 2. Two years' continued registration; || 3. Residence in the South African Republic during that period; || 4. No dishonouring sentence; || 5. Proof of obedience to the laws; no act against Government or independence; || 6. Proof of full State citizenship and franchise or title thereto in former country; || 7. Possession of unmortgaged fixed property to the value of £ 150 approximately, or occupation of house to the rental of £50 per annum, or yearly income of at least £200. || Nothing, however, shall prevent the Government from granting naturalisation to persons who have not satisfied this condition; 8. Taking of an oath similar to that of the Orange Free State. B 1. Continuous registration five years after naturalisation; || 2. Continuous residence during that period; || 3. No dishonouring sentence; || 4. Proof of obedience to the laws, &c.; || 5. Proof that applicant still complies with the Nr. 12030. condition A (7); manner: Südafrikan. II. Furthermore, the full franchise shall be obtained in the following 2. Juni 1899. (a.) Those who have fixed their residence in the South African Republic before the taking effect of Act 4, 1890, and who get themselves naturalised within six months after the taking effect of this Act on complying with the conditions under 1A, shall obtain the full franchise two years after such naturalisation on proof of compliance with the conditions mentioned under 1 B (altering the five into two years). || Those who do not get themselves naturalised within six months under Article 1, || (b.) Those who have been resident in the South African Republic for two years or more can get themselves immediately naturalised on compliance with the conditions under 1 A, and shall five years after naturalisation obtain the full franchise on compliance with the conditions under 1 B. || (c.) Those who have been already naturalised shall five years after naturalisation obtain the full franchise on compliance with the conditions under 1B. Annexure:-All white persons who .... shall have taken an oath or made a declaration of allegiance to this State by which oath or declaration the person to be naturalised shall be considered and taken as having renounced and waived all burgher-rights enjoyed in and all burgher duties and subjection due to any other sovereign or State, and which declaration shall read as follows: I swear (or declare solemnly that the taking of an oath is not permitted by my religious conviction) and promise solemnly in all uprightness and in terms of the Constitution with which I declare myself to be acquainted, that I shall be faithful to this State, shall respect and support its independence, shall subject myself to the constitution, the laws and the lawful authorities of the land, and shall in all respects conduct myself as becomes a faithful burgher of this State; so truly help me God (or that I promise solemnly). Nr. 12031. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Der Gouverneur der Kapkolonie an den Präsidenten der Südafrikan. Republik. Die angebotenen Zugeständnisse genügen nicht. 3. Juni 1899. Grofs I have considered the Memorandum submitted by His Honour the Presi- Nr. 12031. dent yesterday, and desire to record the following observations upon it. The britannien. scheme proposed is a considerable advance upon the existing provisions as to 3. Juni 1899. franchise, which, I assume, it is intended wholly to supersede. || The points of importance are: |