Origin of the Anglo-Boer War Revealed | Page 2

fault consisted in asserting its love of freedom, and for thus
plunging the entire British nation into blackest guilt deserving universal
reprobation, a blot and stigma upon Her Majesty's reign.
In following the course of the arguments which have led to those
opposing verdicts, one is impressed with the paucity and the clashing
character of the information adduced. The marked reticence on the part
of the British Cabinet in regard to its diplomatic proceedings tends
further to mystify the inquirer, and leaves the bulk of the British nation
in a painful state of suspense without conclusive data for judging
whether the war is really justifiable or not.
Nor do the various pamphlets and Press articles furnish sufficient light
for exploring the maze and producing an approximate unanimity of
conviction.
It is hoped that the succeeding pages will be found to supplement the
material so essential for diagnosing those grave questions with some
degree of certainty, and to locate the guilt more precisely.
Since my youth I have passed nearly forty years in uninterrupted and

intimate intercourse with all classes of Boers, resulting in a sincere
attachment to that people, with no small appreciation of its many good
traits and character. Besides making myself familiar with the earlier
portion of that nation's history, I have had leisure and opportunities to
closely follow up its later interesting phases up to the present moment.
These presented a more perplexing aspect during the last decade,
adding a zest to my endeavours for unravelling them, and happening to
be a good deal in the know I felt that I might not remain quiet.
Being anything but anti-Boer, nor an Englishman, but a foreigner, born
of continental parents and brought up in Europe, these facts should
exempt me from a supposition of bias in exonerating England. It is with
real grief that I must record my convictions against the Boer nation as
solely and entirely guilty, but with this qualification, that its
responsibility is much attenuated by the fact, as I will endeavour to
show, that the bulk of that people has been unconsciously decoyed as
tools of a gigantic intrigue, a conspiracy which was originated some
thirty years ago by an infamous Hollander coterie, and operated since
by its product and engine, the now well-known "Afrikaner Bond
Association," with its significant motto of "Afrika voor
Afrikaners"[1]--its object being no less than the eviction of all that is
English from South Africa, and to substitute a federation of all South
African States into one free and independent Republic, the affiliation to
be with Holland instead, and Dutch the common and official language,
other nations, in return for afforded aid, to participate in the trade and
other advantages wrested from England.
I only regret that my ability falls so much short for the task of
demonstrating all this in an approved style--for doing justice to the
subject. Its investigation embraces a wider range of details to serve as
evidence than may, upon first thought, be held as relevant; but I believe
that a willing study will show their connection as serviceable for
arriving at an independent and unhesitating verdict.
A very strong and convincing case is indeed needed for remodelling
opinions where there is preconceived Boer partisanship, and where
party spirit or else foreign jealousy have already warped judgment and
established bias.
It would be no small relief to every honest-minded person, especially in
England, to be clear upon the subject that England is free of

guilt--equally so to the soldier who is called upon to fight her battles.
But other objects of no less importance are in view, viz., to open the
eyes of the misguided Boer people to the wicked artifices by which it
has been seduced from friendly relations with England into an
unjustifiable war, to deter the still wavering portion from joining the
ranks of sedition, and, lastly, the grounds for palliation being
recognised, to pave the way to an early termination of the war by
adjustments which could restore mutual goodwill and respect between
the contending parties, and so bring about a speedy return of South
African prosperity and progress.
The writer is fully prepared to give data and names of the incidents
adduced in this paper in support of their authenticity.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 1: Africa for white African citizens.]

CURSORY HISTORY OF THE BOER NATION
The two principal elements of the Boer nation were the settlers of the
Dutch trading company at the Cape of Good Hope, sturdy farmers and
tradesmen belonging to the proletarian class of Holland, and a
subsequent contingent of French Huguenot refugees and their families
who joined as colonists soon after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes.
I mention below the names still existing which form a large proportion
of the present Boer nation of Huguenot descent:--