On Monday Mr. Chamberlain, addressing the Liberal Unionist Association at
the Town Hall, Birmingham, dealt at length with South African affairs. The controversy with the Transvaal was not a mere squabble over the suzerainty, over the pecuniary interests of the Outlanders, or even over the franchise. It was the situation created by the policy of the Transvaal Government with which they had to deal. Mr. Chamberlain proceeded to trace the history of our relations with the Transvaal, and to show how we had four times been on the verge of war. In 1885,at the time of the Warren Expedi- tion; in 1894, when, during the late Administration, President Kruger attempted to forcibly enlist British subjects ; in 1895 over the drifts question ; and in 1897 overthe Alien Immigration Law. Next, Mr. Chamberlain dealt with the Raid, and declared that the Johannesburg people had as good a case for revolu- tion as any men ever had, and if the movement had been spontaneous they would have had the sympathy of all Englishmen. But as to the Raid, nothing could be said in its excuse. The Raid, however, had been sufficiently atoned for. Mr. Chamberlain next insisted that Sir Alfred Milner had been selected and sent out as the best man to deal with a difficult question, and that "now he is there in the midst of intrigue and hatred we intend to support him." Sir Alfred Milner had been abused in certain quarters for making the franchise the essential question ; but he was right, for it is by the franchise that the gradual redress of grievances can be obtained without appealing to any external power.
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