(2).  That the British Government invites the South African Republic to a joint enquiry, and, when this invitation, which had never been withdrawn, is accepted, the acceptance is refused with every mark of contempt.

Is there any instance in the history of civilised diplomacy of such trickery and such callous jugglery with the highest interests of South Africa?

Can anyone wonder that South Africa has lost all confidence in British statesmanship?

The British name has been sullied in this part of the world by many perfidious actions, but of a truth I cannot instance any more despicable and repellent incidents than those which have marked the course of events during the last few months.

And the consequence of this trickery will be written with the blood and the tears of thousands of innocent people.

FOOTNOTES: 

[Footnote 33:  Dispatches of 12th August, 1896; 21st August, 1896; 17th February, 1897.  C. 8423 and C. 8721.]

[Footnote 34:  Dispatches of the 6th March, 1897.  C. 8423.]

[Footnote 35:  Dispatch, 7th May, 1897.  No. 3, C. 8721.]

[Footnote 36:  Dispatch, October, 1897.  No. 7, C. 8721.]

[Footnote 37:  Dispatch, 16th April, 1898.  No. 4, C. 9507.]

[Footnote 38:  Dispatch.  C. 9507.  Page 33.]

[Footnote 39:  Dispatch, 17th March, 1899.  C. 9507.]

[Footnote 40:  17th August, 1899.]

[Footnote 41:  Dispatch, 10th May, 1899.  No. 83, C. 9345.]

[Footnote 42:  Dispatch of the Transvaal Government, 26th September, 1899.  Appendix C.]

[Footnote 43:  Dispatch, 10th May, 1899.  Blue Book, C. 9345.  Page 229.]

[Footnote 44:  Dispatch.  Appendix C.]

[Footnote 45:  Dispatch, 10th May, 1899.  C. 9345.  Page 229.]

[Footnote 46:  Appendix C.]

[Footnote 47:  Dispatch, 10th May, 1899.  Blue Book, C. 9345.  Page 229.]

[Footnote 48:  Appendix C.]

[Footnote 49:  Life of Prince Consort, Vol.  III., page 510.]

[Footnote 50:  Blue Book, C. 9404.]

[Footnote 51:  Blue Book, C. 9530.]

[Footnote 52:  Blue Book, C. 9507.  Page 6.]

CONCLUSION.

I have now reviewed all the facts connected with the history of our oppression and persecution during the past hundred years.  The allegations I have made are not invented, but are based upon the statements of the most reliable witnesses, nearly all of them of British nationality; they are facts that have been declared incontestable before the tribunal of history.  As far as the more recent occurrences since 1898 are concerned, I may state that I have had personal knowledge of all the negociations and questions at issue above referred to, and I can only declare that I have confined myself to facts; these will stand out in a much clearer light when the curtain is raised and the events of the last two years in this sorely afflicted part of the world are revealed.