The Boer section in the Cape Colonies represents nearly one-half of the
white population there. Their representatives in the administration were
ever profuse and assertive in professions of loyalty to the Queen and to
the English Government, and any aspersions to the contrary were always
indignantly and stoutly repelled. The Afrikaner Bond was averred to
include nothing to clash with loyal sentiments, no severance from
England, but, on the contrary, that its principal objects were to
strengthen the lines of amity and joint solidarity in view of a general
federation of South Africa upon Imperial bases. In support of such
sentiments one of the first acts of the Bond party when recently come
into power was a vote of £30,000 per year towards British naval outlays,
and in grateful recognition of naval protection; it was at the same time
mooted, in fact almost pledged, that the Transvaal would similarly offer
£12,000 as well.

The sequel has proven these to be Athenian gifts, for no sooner had the
Republican commandoes invaded the Cape Colonies in November last than
those identical men enthusiastically welcomed the Queen's enemies as
their friends and deliverers from hateful English dominion. There they
stood--self-avowed and unmasked traitors. Members of the Legislative
Assembly met those Boer invaders with addresses and speeches, assuring
them of their own and of every other true Afrikaner's aid and fidelity
in their common cause. "The star of liberty," they said, "had arisen at
last--it had been the nation's desire and prayers during the past
fifteen years." "He could thank God with tears of joy for having granted
those prayers." Such were the words of Mr. van der Walt, M.L.A., uttered
at Colesberg. Mr. de Wet, M.L.A., Mr. van den Heever, M.L.A., and other
colonial notables were spokesmen in similar terms of enthusiasm on other
occasions as the invasion advanced. All this is sadly notorious, but
still it seems a hard task to convince people who prefer to remain blind