the President I would advise him no longer to sit on the boiler to prevent it from bursting.  Some safety-valves are required for the activities of the new population.  In their irritation they abuse the Government, often unjustly, in the press, and send petitions to the Queen, but that was only to be expected.  Let the Transvaal Legislature give them a liberal franchise and allow them local self-government for their towns and some portion of the discontent will be allayed.”

This, I beg to observe, is exactly what I said at the time when people in Europe who called themselves friends of the Boers yet are only Dr. Leyds’ friends or rather dupes urged upon Mr. Krueger the expediency of going on with his mistaken and retrograde policy, and continental diplomatists assured him that he might with impunity disregard the claims of the Uitlanders and England’s warnings.

Those who have never condescended to read the Blue Book or the short chapter in this pamphlet, in which an analysis of this Blue Book is given are never tired of referring to concessions and franchise schemes proffered by Mr. Krueger.

What does Sir Henry de Villiers say about it!

     “The franchise proposal made by the President seems to be simply
     ridiculous.”

To Mr. Krueger he sent the English Enactment of 1870 on Naturalisation, and urged him to have it adopted.  Is not this an answer to those who contended that England “would not be satisfied with what she offered the Transvaal?”

At the same time his lack of confidence in the Volksraad’s promises is shown here: 

     “I fear there would always still be a danger of the Volksraad
     revoking the gift before it has come into operation.”

His second letter is dated 31st of July, more than six weeks after the Bloemfontein Conference.  He writes to Mr. Fischer who acted as go-between the Cape Afrikanders and President Krueger.  Mr. Chamberlain had requested that a mixed Commission be appointed to enquire into the merits of the franchise law, passed in accordance with Mr. Krueger’s proposals.  Here is Sir Henry de Villiers’ judgment upon Mr. Krueger’s and Mr. Chamberlain’s proceedings.

“I am convinced Mr. Krueger’s friends must now regret they did not recommend to President Krueger three months ago, as I strongly urged, to offer voluntarily a liberal franchise bill with such safeguards as would prevent the old burghers from being swamped.

“Mr. Chamberlain’s speech was more moderate than I expected it would be, and as he holds out an olive branch in the form of a joint enquiry into the franchise proposals, would it not be well to meet him in this matter?  I know that it might be regarded as a partial surrender.”

The last sentence runs as follows: 

“I don’t think that President Krueger and his friends realise the gravity of the situation.  Even now the State Secretary is doing things which would be almost farcical if the times were not so serious.”

According to Sir Henry telegrams were suppressed by Dr. Reitz on the plea that “the Government should not disseminate lies by its own wires.”