Early in his official career Dr. Leyds was guilty of an indiscretion such as few would have suspected him of.  Shortly after his appointment as Attorney-General he wrote to a friend in Holland, giving his opinion of the Members of the Executive.  His judgment was sound; except of one man.  Unfortunately for Dr. Leyds, he quarrelled with his correspondent; and the letter was of such a nature that, when published, it made extremely unpleasant reading.  Generals Joubert and Smit, who had been described with admirable truth and candour, were so enraged that they demanded the instant dismissal of the ‘conceited young popinjay’ who had dared to criticise his masters.  The President, however, who had been described as an ignorant, narrow-minded, pig-headed, and irascible old Boer whom—­with the others thrown in—­the writer could play with and twist round his finger as he chose, was not disturbed by the criticism.  In reply to appeals for forgiveness on the score of youth, and in spite of the opposition of his colleagues, President Kruger agreed to retain Dr. Leyds in office, remarking that he was a capable young fellow and would know better in course of time, and explaining to him personally that he would keep him there just as long as it suited his (the President’s) convenience.  The association has lasted for ten years, so it is to be presumed that Dr. Leyds has changed his opinion of President Kruger, and frankly realized his position.

During the early part of 1896, when the question of the release on bail of the reform prisoners seemed to be of some moment, a well-known Pretoria man, friendly to the Government, called upon President Kruger and urged the advisability of allowing the prisoners out on bail, and with considerable lack of tact explained that it was well known that the President’s humane nature inclined him to be lenient, but that the malign influence of others was believed to be swaying him in this matter.  The old President jumped up in a huff and said, ’Ja, ja, ja!  You always say it is somebody else!  First, it was Jorissen who did everything; then it was Nellmapius; and then it was Leyds.  Well, Jorissen is done for; Nellmapius is dead; Leyds is in Europe—­who is it now?’

The President’s opinion of himself may be commended as food for reflection to those who think they know everything about the inner workings of the Transvaal.

Dr. Leyds’ reputation, unfavourable as it had been, was not improved by the Selati Railway exposure.  Rightly or wrongly, in this matter, as in the jobs of the Netherlands Railway and several others of considerable magnitude, he has been held responsible in the public mind for the financial loss which the Republic sustained.  When he left, ostensibly on a recruiting trip, few—­very few—­believed that the illness was a physical one.  It is alleged that a gentleman on President Faure’s staff, on hearing that Dr. Leyds had gone to Berlin to consult a physician, inquired what the ailment was?  ‘Mal de gorge,’ was the reply.  ‘Ah,’ said the officer, ’mal de gorge—­diplomatique.’  And that was the opinion in the Transvaal, albeit differently expressed.