England could not thrust aside without open violation of pledged
faith, she did not hesitate. The diamonds of Kimberley in the Free
State flashed with a too seductive brilliancy, and the Gold Mines
of the Rand became the misfortune of the Transvaal."

I would here observe to Dr. Kuyper that England's friendly relations
with the Orange Free State, remained unbroken until October 9th, 1899,
when, led away by Krüger's promises, it committed the folly of engaging
in war with England.

As for the Transvaal, it was annexed by England in 1877, but not on
account of the Gold Mines, which were only discovered ten years' later.
Dr. Kuyper has a trick of neglecting dates, and arranging his facts
after the fashion of an advocate who supposes that those whom he is
addressing will be content with his assertions, and not trouble to
verify them. For his rhetoric, I shall substitute the actual facts.




CHAPTER III.

THE ANNEXATION OF THE TRANSVAAL AND THE CONVENTIONS OF 1881 AND 1884.[6]


1.--_The "Gold Mines" Argument._

When Dr. Kuyper asserts that "the gold mines of the Rand became the
misfortune of the Transvaal," it is clear, that in his endeavour to
convince his readers, he has no regard to the facts of the case, but