The Volksraad of the Transvaal have not rejected the Con-
vention, but they have decided to demand some modifications, of which two are of great importance. The first is that the Queen's Government shall not conduct, but only control, busi- ness with foreign nations. This is in theory wholly inconsiitent with the Queen's supremacy, for although a very similar privi- lege is allowed to Bavaria in the German Empire, and in- formally to Canada in the management of her relations with the United States, Germany is a Federal Empire, not a simple monarchy ; and Canada has no legal power of action. In practice, the demand is intended to allow Boers to make war and peace with native tribes and the Portuguese as they please, —that is, to bring on again the situation for which annexation was the remedy. It is inadmissible ; while the second demand, that the Queen's Government shall not interfere to protect the natives, is monstrous. That Government does so interfere, even with France, to protect the Indian coolies. The Boers make so little secret of their policy that they specially object to the clause securing to natives the right to hold land, the very first right of a citizen, and granted throughout the .British dominion, even when, as in India, we refuse all political liberties. They intend, in fact, without legalising slavery, to establish serfage, and see clearly that the British Government would interfere. That de- mand also is inadmissible. It would, we believe, be the truest policy for the Government to adhere to the Convention as it stands as a binding document, to retain the Transvaal until it is ratified, and if the Boers attack, to fight them again,—this time with a clear conscience.
