Oranje by birth, enjoyed the privilege of depriving the country of its principal trea- Nr. 12213. sure, while he never showed any loyalty but loyalty to a foreign Government. Freistaat. Besides that, the necessary result of compliance with those claims would be 11.9kt, 1899. that the independence of the country as a self-governing, independent sovereign people would be irrevocably lost. For many years past British troops have been placed in great numbers on the borders of our sister Republic in order to compel it by terrorism to comply with claims which should be made on the same, and to excite a treasonable rising, and the crafty plans of those whose love of gold is the motive power of their shameful undertakings. These plans have now reached their zenith in the public violations to which the present British Government has now proceeded. While we candidly acknowledge the honourable character of thousands of Englishmen who abhor such deeds of robbery and wrong, we cannot do otherwise than execrate the shameless breach of treaties, the hypocritical pretexts for contraventions of law, the violations of international law and justice, and the numerous wrongful deeds of the British statesmen who now threaten the South African Republic with war. On their heads be the liability for bloodshed, and may a righteous Providence bring retribution on such as deserve it. || Burghers of the Orange Free State, stand up as one man against the oppressor and the violator of right. In carrying on the conflict wich we are now compelled to undertake, let the deeds of none of you be such as to disgrace a Christian and a burgher and the Free State. Let us look forward with confidence to a successful issue of the struggle, trusting to that Higher Power without Whose assistance human weapons avail nothing. To the God of our fathers we humbly commend the justice of our cause. May He defend the right and may He bless our weapons! Under His banner we proceed to battle for freedom and for fatherland. This given under my hand and the Great Seal of the Free State, this 11th day of October, 1899. M. T. Steyn, State President. Nr. 12214. GROSSBRITANNIEN. neurs von Natal. - Proklamation des Gouver 15. Oktober 1899. Nr. 12214. Grofs 15. Okt. 1899. Proclamation by His Excellency the Honourable Sir Walter Francis HelyHutchinson, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint britannien, Michael and Saint George, Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over the Colony of Natal, Vice-Admiral of the same, and Supreme Chief over the Native Population. Whereas the Colony of Natal has been invaded by the armed forces of the South African Republic, and of the Orange Free State, which have made war against Her Majesty, to the injury of Her Majesty's subjects in Natal: || britannien. Nr. 12214. And whereas there is reason to believe that divers persons in this Colony Grofs- have joined the forces of the South African Republic, and the Orange Free 15. Okt.1899. State, or have aided them or given information to them, and otherwise have adhered to Her Majesty's enemies and rebelled against Her Majesty, and have sought to stir up rebellion and disaffection against Her Majesty: || And whereas it is necessary to take prompt measures for the preservation of good order and for the suppression of rebellion and for the protection of Her Majesty's subjects in this Colony, aud particularly in the Magisterial Divisions of Newcastle, Dundee, Klip River, Umsinga, and Upper Tugela: || Now, therefore, I do hereby proclaim and make known that the Magisterial Divisions of Newcastle, Dundee, Klip River, Umsinga, and Upper Tugela are placed and shall be under Material Law until this Proclamation be revoked. God save the Queen! Given under my hand and the Public Seal of the Colony, at Government Colonial Secretary. Nr. 12215. britannien. Nr. 12215. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Erlasse des Gouverneurs von Natal über Ausdehnung des Kriegsrechts. 12./13. Oktober 1899. Pursuant to Section 189 of the Army Act, 1881, Clause 2, I do hereby Grofs- declare that by reason of the imminence of active service it is necessary for 12./13. Okt. the public service that the forces in the Colony of Natal should be temporarily subject to the Army Act, 1881, as if they were on active service, up to and including the 11th day of January, 1900. 1999. Government House, Natal, 12th October, 1899. Walther Hely-Hutchinson, Governor. Notice is hereby given that I have, in terms of Section 20 of the Volunteer Act, 1895, placed the Volunteer Force of the Colony of Natal under the command of the General Officer Commanding Her Majesty's Forces in Natal, and that, so far as the said Act has not provided for the government and discipline of such Force, the Army Act, 1881, and any other Act for the time being amending the same, shall apply to the said Volunteer Force, but subject nevertheless to such exceptions and modifications, not being inconsistent with the provisions of the said Volunteer Act of the Colony of Natal, as may specified in the General Orders of the General Officer Commanding Her Majesty's Forces within the Colony of Natal. Government House, Natal, 13th October, 1899. Walter Hely-Hutchinson, Governor. Nr. 12216. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Proklamation des Gouverneurs von Natal. Ausdehnung des Kriegsrechts. Proclamation. Grofs By His Excellency the Honourable Sir Walter Francis Hely-Hutchinson, Nr. 12216. Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and britannien. Saint George, Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over the Colony of 23. Okt. 1899. Natal, Vice-Admiral of the same, and Supreme Chief over the Native Popu lation. Whereas by my Proclamation, dated the 15th day of October, 1899, I made known that the Colony of Natal had been invaded by the armed forces of the South African Republic and the Orange Free State, and that there was reason to believe that divers persons within this Colony had joined the forces of the South African Republic and Orange Free Staate, or had aided them, or given information to them, and otherwise had adhered to Her Majesty's enemies, and had rebelled against Her Majesty and had sought to stir up rebellion and disaffection against Her Majesty, and that it was necessary to take prompt measures for the preservation of good order, and for the suppression of rebellion, and for the protection of Her Majesty's subjects in this Colony, and particularly in the Magisterial Divisions of Newcastle, Dundee, Klip River, Umsinga, and Upper Tugela, and did proclaim that the said Magisterial Divisions were placed, and should be under Martial Law till (such time as) the said Proclamation should be revoked: || And whereas by my further Proclamation, dated the said 15th day of October, 1899, I did exhort all persons whomsoever to observe their duty and loyalty towards Her Majesty the Queen and Her Government; and to abstain from all treasonable or seditious acts or words, and from disturbing in any manner the peace and good order of this Colony, or any part thereof, and warned all Her Majesty's subjects not to enlist or engage themselves in the military service of either of the said Republics in the prosecution of hostilities, and not to carry or any trade with or to supply any goods, wares, or merchandize to either of the said Republics or any subject thereof in the said Republics: || And whereas I have reason to believe that persons resident in other parts of the Colony, as well as persons resident in the said Magisterial Divisions, have failed to observe their duty and loyalty to Her Majesty the Queen, and have been guilty of treasonable and seditious acts and words, and have disturbed the peace and good order of the Colony, and supplied information to Her Majesty's enemies, and have otherwise aided and abetted them, and have endeavoured to intimidate certain of Her Majesty's subjects, and to restrain them from the performance of their duty to Her Majesty, and have carried on, or attempted to carry on business or correspondence with the said Republics or the subjects thereof: | And whereas I have been advised and am of opinion that, for the preservation of good order and for the protection of Her Ma Staatsarchiv LXIV. 17 Gross britannien. Nr. 12216. jesty's interests and the interests of Her Majesty's loyal and faithful subjects in Natal, it is necessary that the whole Colony, including the Province of 23. Okt. 1899. Zululand, should be placed under Martial Law: || Now, therefore, by virtue of the powers vested in me as Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over the Colony of Natal, I do hereby proclaim and make known that the Colony of Natal, including the Province of Zululand, is placed and shall be under Martial Law from the date hereof until this Proclamation shall be revoked or amended. || Provided, however, that all cases and legal proceedings, civil, criminal, and mixed, pending at the date hereof in the Supreme Court, Native High Court, Magistrates' Courts, or the Courts of this Colony outside of the Magisterial Divisions of Newcastle, Dundee, Klip River, Umsinga, and Upper Tugela, may be proceeded with and prosecuted to sentence, judgment, and execution in ordinary course, unless the respective Courts shall otherwise order, and in the event of failure or inability of the said Courts to exercise jurisdiction, then the said proceedings shall be suspended till this Proclamation shall be revoked, withdrawn, or amended by me. Nr. 12217. Mitte God Save the Queen. Given under my hand and the Public Seal of the Colony, at Government House, Pietermaritzburg, Natal, this Twenty-third day of October, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Ninety-nine. P. J. Blignaut, Esq., Government Secretary, Bloemfontein, Orange Free Südafrikan. Strate, Honoured Friend, Free Staters, and Brother Afrikanders,-The cataRepublik. strophe with which we have so long been threatened has at last overtaken Oktober1899. us, and our country is to be bathed in blood. And why? Let the murderers, the peace and treaty-breakers, who are attacking us, answer the question. With their usual unblushing effrontery they will now declare that not they, but we, are the aggressors. We the aggressors? Who is it that has answered all our attempts for a peaceful settlement with contempt and even threats? Who is it that for months past has been mobilising troops on our border, from all parts of the world, to enforce their (friendly) advice? || Who is it that has for years past accused us of being oppressors and tyrants? || Who is it that, while hypocritically declaring that they did not wish to impair our independence, yet continually attempted to interfere in the internal affairs of our country? That also entrapped us, and even their own representative, in a mean and despicable manner in making certain proposals which they would be willing "to consider on their merits" even while they were ready as soon as these proposals (made undeniably at their own suggestion) were for Südafrikan. mulated to reject them as an insult to the British nation, put forward with Nr. 12217. the object of making mischief? | Who is it that, under the pretext of obtai- Republik. ning the redress of the supposed Uitlander grievances, have ranged themselves Mitte with the capitalists and rebels with the object of possessing themselves of Oktober1899 Naboth's vineyard? || Who is it that have supported and aided that traitorous and rebellious organisation, so-called the "League," notwithstanding the warnings of their own Acting High Commissioner, Sir William Butler, an honourable, famous, and highly respected General, and of Mr. Schreiner, the Premier of the only South African Colony of any standing? Who is it that openly accepted a false petition, filled with thousands of forged signatures and others obtained by fraud, without even attempting to prove any of those signatures? Who is it that not only left the instigators of the shameful Jameson Raid practically unpunished, but even condoned the Raid and allowed the prime movers, with the aid of Her Majesty's High Commissioner and Her Majesty's Colonial Secretary, to insult, defraud, and libel the Afrikander nation in every possible way backed by all the influence which Mammon can subvert and control, to the undying disgrace of our times. Who are these people? || Is it Sir Alfred Milner, Her Majesty's High Commissioner in South Africa? || Is it Mr. Joseph Chamberlain, the Colonial Secretary? || Is it Lord Salisbury and the rest of the British Cabinet? || Is it Her Majesty the Queen of England? || Is it the British nation? || Alas! we had hoped to be able to answer the last two questions in the negative, but we cannot! || The British Cabinetthe British nation-the noble, peace-loving and aged Sovereign, honoured and respected by us all till now, they have all either condoned the injustice which is being done to us, or they have allowed themselves to be misled by a man like Chamberlain in a manner that a just God will not allow to pass unpunished. || If nations will be punished like individuals for condoning an offence, as well as for committing one, then this Prime Minister, this nation, this Sovereign, will not be able to defend themselves at the bar of the Great Judge for their unrighteous and unjust deeds. || The nation that has encouraged race hatred, their Prime Minister and their anointed Queen who have allowed such a disgrace, have made themselves equally guilty with the evil-doers, and if it should now happen in South Africa as was the case in North America a hundred years ago, that "Ichabod" become the password of the British Empire, on whom will the blame rest? || "If the blind lead the blind they will both fall into the pit," and whe shall be able, who knows how soon, to declare of our enemies, that "whom God wishes to destroy He will first make insane." || The statemen of England, the warriors, the Press-ay, even the preachers have so often declared to us and the whole world that the British Empire is a mighty Empire; but we know that whoever may be mighty, the Lord our God is Almighty. || Brothers Afrikanders! the great day is at hand. The God of our fathers will be with us in our struggles: the Lord, Whose arm has not been shortened so that He cannot help those who call to Him |