endowed it, has grown more and more reactionary; and this state of
reaction has been marked by a series of broken pledges.

I now proceed to give an account of the varying phases of the Franchise
Question, since the beginning of the Conference at Bloemfontein.


3.--_The Bloemfontein Conference._

The Conference at Bloemfontein opened on the 31st of May and closed on
the 5th of June, 1889. Mr. Chamberlain's Despatch, of the 10th of May,
to Sir Alfred Milner, suggests that he should adopt "a spirit of
conciliation in order to arrive at an acceptable arrangement which
might be presented to the Uitlander population, as a reasonable
concession to their just demands."

The position assumed by the English Government was a very simple one; it
had declined to interfere to a large degree, and it desired to interfere
still less, in the disputes between the Uitlanders and Boers. It was of
opinion that the only way of putting an end to them was the granting of
the franchise, so as to enable them to attend to their own interests.
The English Government, far from desiring to increase its intervention
in the actions of the Transvaal Government, desired to say to the
Uitlanders: "You have your electoral rights; make use of them in your
own defence."

As was easy to foresee, President Krüger, in accordance with his custom
began on a number of side issues, instead of going straight to the
point, thus employing the method, known to most of us who have had
dealings with mistrustful and ignorant peasants. He raised among others