The principal criminals, leaders, instigators, or perpetrators were the same to whom was tendered the olive-branch brought from Pretoria by Messrs. Malan and Marais, acting envoys by the unanimous vote of the Executive; and three of these same principal criminals, leaders, instigators, or perpetrators were received seven days since, as representatives of the Reform Committee, in a conciliatory spirit by the Government’s Special Commission, and told that their demands would be earnestly considered.  During the intervening seven days Dr. Jameson had been conquered at Doornkop and made a prisoner of the State.  The Reform Committee, in obedience to Sir Jacobus de Wet’s long and prolix solicitation, and the strong appeal of Sir Sydney Shippard, assuring them that Jameson’s life was in imminent danger, and the Government had made Johannesburg’s disarmament the one condition of his safety, laid down their arms to preserve the life of a man already protected by the terms of his own surrender.  ‘Placing themselves,’ cables the High Commissioner to Mr. Chamberlain, ’and their interests unreservedly in my hands, in the fullest confidence that I will see justice done them.’  The sixty-four Reformers were then promptly driven into jail, and their property placed under an interdict.

Six months later, the four principal leaders were tried and sentenced to be hanged by their necks until they were dead, by a judge brought from a neighbouring Republic, the Orange Free State, for that purpose.

FOOTNOTES: 

[Footnote 3:  This list was used as a roll-call a week later in the arrest of the Sixty-four members.]

[Footnote 4:  Abbreviated term for South African police.]

[Footnote 5:  The following cablegram will show that there were very substantial grounds for the rumour:—­

’Sir Hercules Robinson (Pretoria) to Mr. Chamberlain.—­8th January—­No. 3.  Since my telegram No. 1 of this morning matters have not been going so smoothly.  When the Executive Council met I received a message that only 1,814 rifles and three Maxim guns had been surrendered, which the Government of the South African Republic did not consider a fulfilment of the ultimatum, and orders would be immediately issued to a Commando to attack Johannesburg.  I at once replied that the ultimatum required the surrender of guns and ammunition for which no permit of importation had been obtained, and that onus rested with the Transvaal Government to show that guns and ammunition were concealed for which no permit had been issued.  If before this was done any hostile step were taken against Johannesburg I should consider it a violation of the undertaking for which I had made myself personally responsible to the people of Johannesburg, and I should leave the issue in the hands of Her Majesty’s Government ...’]

IV