tainablebythosewhohadlivedfourteenyearsinthecountry.TheUitlanders,whowereincreasingrapidlyinnumbersandweresufferingfromtheformidablelistofgrievancesalreadyenumerated,perceivedthattheirwrongsweresonumerousthatitwashopelesstohavethemsetrightseriatim,andthatonlybyobtainingtheleverageofthefranchisecouldtheyhopetomovetheheavyburdenwhichweighedthemdown.In1893apetitionof13,000Uitlanders,couchedinmostrespectfulterms,wassubmittedtotheRaad,butmetwithcontemptuousneglect.Undeterred,however,bythisfailure,theNationalReformUnion,anassociationwhichorganisedtheagitation,camebacktotheattackin1894.Theydrewupapetitionwhichwassignedby35,000adultmaleUitlanders,agreaternumberthanthetotalBoermalepopulationofthecountry.AsmallliberalbodyintheRaadsupportedthismemorialandendeavouredinvaintoobtainsomejusticeforthenewcomers.Mr.Jeppewasthemouthpieceofthisselectband.'Theyownhalfthesoil,theypayatleastthreequartersofthetaxes,'saidhe.'Theyaremenwhoincapital,energy,andeducationareatleastourequals.
Whatwillbecomeofusorourchildrenonthatdaywhenwemayfindourselvesinaminorityofoneintwentywithoutasinglefriendamongtheothernineteen,amongthosewhowillthentellusthattheywishedtobebrothers,butthatwebyourownacthavemadethemstrangerstotherepublic?'Suchreasonableandliberalsentimentswerecombatedbymemberswhoassertedthatthesignaturescouldnotbelongtolaw-abidingcitizens,sincetheywereactuallyagitatingagainstthelawofthefranchise,andotherswhoseintolerancewasexpressedbythedefianceofthememberalreadyquoted,whochallengedtheUitlanderstocomeoutandfight.Thechampionsofexclusivenessandracialhatredwontheday.Thememorialwasrejectedbysixteenvotestoeight,andthefranchiselawwas,ontheinitiativeofthePresident,actuallymademorestringentthanever,beingframedinsuchawaythatduringthefourteenyearsofprobationtheapplicantshouldgiveuphispreviousnationality,sothatforthatperiodhewouldreallybelongtonocountryatall.NohopeswereheldoutthatanypossibleattitudeuponthepartoftheUitlanderswouldsoftenthedeterminationofthePresidentandhisburghers.OnewhoremonstratedwasledoutsidetheStatebuildingsbythePresident,whopointedupatthenationalflag.'Youseethatflag?'saidhe.'IfIgrantthefranchise,Imayaswellpullitdown.'Hisanimosityagainsttheimmigrantswasbitter.'Burghers,friends,thieves,murderers,newcomers,andothers,'istheconciliatoryopeningofoneofhispublicaddresses.ThoughJohannesburgisonlythirty-twomilesfromPretoria,andthoughtheStateofwhichhewastheheaddependedforitsrevenueuponthegoldfields,hepaiditonlythreevisitsinnineyears.
Thissettledanimositywasdeplorable,butnotunnatural.Amanimbuedwiththeideaofachosenpeople,andunreadinanybooksavetheonewhichcultivatesthisveryidea,couldnotbeexpectedtohavelearnedthehistoricallessonsoftheadvantages