In regard to the question of the terms to be
granted to the Boers, Lord Salisbury's words were, in our opinion, satisfac- , tory. Our position was, of course, unchanged. It was the position we had always occupied. " We • desire nothing better than to bring back these territories to the blessings which the British Empire has shown, generation after genera- tion, that it is capable of bestowing on the Colonies that belong to the Empire. We desire nothing better than that the territories in which war is now raging should enjoy at once, if there were peace, freedom and civil rights, and that within the earliest possible opportunity that the circumstances' and conditions of the time will permit they should enjoy those other blessings of self-government which so many- of the. King's self-governing Colonies enjoy in many parts of the world." That is the sound- policy. South Africa must as soon as possible take her place among the free nations in a free Empire. The Pro-Boers, of course, profess to believe that the Government have no such intention, but mean to set up a permanent tyranny in South Africa. At the same time they talk as if the Boers were at this moment willing to accept the position described by Lord Salisbury. We very much doubt it. The Boers are still haunted by the idea that we mean to adopt the policy of what they call equalising them with the natives,--i.e., giving the' natives proper security against cruelty and oppression. This is the most vital in- spiration of the cry for independence.
