December 17 , 1890. OMAHA ILLUSTRATED m } J2.
Basis of Boer Contention
The following is the address delivered
Monday last by Hon. E. J. Cornish at the
meeting called In sympathy with the Boers :
"As I have never expressed myself on the
Brltlsh-Boer controversy , 1 appreciate the
compliment involved in being Invited to ad
dress this meeting the committee assuming
/ that I would bo found on the side they con-
fcelvo \ to bo the cause cf freedom. I do my
self and you an injustice , however , in ap
pearing before you , because I must confess
that I am not sufficiently Informed as to the
facts to discus * the subject properly.
"Tho existence In the Transvaal of gold
and diamond mines of inestimable value
casts a suspicion on all reported causes of
the war. Nothing is more universally taught
g In history than that greed Is ever accom-
f panted by cant , hypocrisy and fraud. The
real motives are disguised , facts discolored
and force Justified by a specious , fictitious
plea. To give an Instance fioni our own his
tory : Our minister to Texas In 1843 , when
advocating the annexation cf that territory
ae necessary to the existence and extension
of slavery , closed his letter with the words :
'Say nothing about slavery. Do not offend
> our fanatical brethren of tiio north. Talk
about civil and political and religious liberty.
This will bo found the safest Issue to go
before the world with. '
"Similar deceit was practiced by the Eng
lish in the revolutionary war. There has
never been a war of conquest that was uoc
justified by the pretext that It was to spread
the gospel or in some other way to benefit
the people to bo conquered. The tendency to
hide selfish motives behind neighboring
virtues induced Dr. Johnson to define
'patriotism as the last refuge of a scoundrel'
and Roscoe Conkllng to say that 'Dr. John
son was not familiar with the then unde
veloped resources of the word "reform. " '
Sentiment Divided.
"Those who , like'yself , have been wont to
look upon England e the most liberal and
progressive of Eli pean powers , whoso
policy of the open door and unrestricted
trade is opening the ports of the world to
commerce , steam , electricity , education and
Christianity the true civilizing agencies or
the world should pause in their approval of
her course when they find the present war
oppcsed by such men as Herbert Spencer ,
James Bryce , William Harcourt , Sir JSdward
Clarke and our own Carnegie.
"Every land has its jingoes. Love seems
most sincere when it blinds one to deformi
ties. Patriotism seems most worthy when
it excuses error. 'Our country , right or
wrong , ' is a saying seldom used except to
justify wrong. Few have the courage and
exai.ted patriotism to say , 'Our country
when right , to be kept right ; when wrong ,
to be put right. ' But the men I have named ,
though intensely English , are of such exalted
character and ability and Influence that they
belong to no nation , but to the world , and
their disapproval is of weight and challenges
consideration of the merits of the war.
"This country has ever stood for the Idea
that the standard by which the conduct ot
nations is to be measured is to be found la
the conscience of civilized man and not in
the ability to enforce submission by the
sword. With us the God of Battles is not
always the God of Justice. This presupposes
certain abstract ideas of right and wrong.
We have established theeo In our Declaration
of Independence. Lincoln called them the
'definitions and axioms of free society. '
They are : All men are equal In respect of
their rights ; every man born Into this earth
has a right to live upon this earth in the
land of his fathers ; a people cut off from
other people by racial characteristics and
well-defined natural boundaries have a right
to a government of their own that derives
Its just powers f re in the consent of the gov
erned.
The Stiiniliiril of .IiinUcf.
"Thcso ideas form our standard of justice.
The declaration of them revolutionized the
thought of the world. Governments formerly
had been leaders deified by their subjects ;
then by those descended from such gods or
Jove-descended , as they were called ; then
by God's anointed , sovereignty always reel
ing In the ruler. Even the Magna Charta
\\as a grant of certain privileges by the
crown , the source of power , to the people ,
the crown reserving all powers not granted.
With us , however , the sovereign people , the
source of power , granted to the government
created by them certain powers the people
reserving all powers not granted.
"Measured by our standard , therefore , the
little republic has a right to exist and have
its rights respected by all the powers.
"These principles , however , must not bo
carried to illogical conclusions. The Pilgrim
fathers could not rightfully have laid claim
to all the land between the Atlantic and
Pacific not occupied by them and tell all
others to keep off. Neither could they
rightfully arrogate to themselves aiid their
posterity the power to govern for all time
the people who came after them. Reason
able restrictions upon naturalisation to in
sure good faith are proper. The applicant
should unreservedly renounce allegiance tj
his foimcr sovereign. But after inviting Im
migration to develop our resources and add
to our wealth , to then Impose unreasonable
restrictions such as the twenty-one years
residence proposed by the know-nothing
xparty in 1850 , is to deny equality of rights ,
impose taxation without representation and
violate our fundamental principles of right.
"It is said the Boers have done
these things. It is also eald they offered
to remedy the evil. I know not the
facts. But If Great Britain felt called upon
to interfere , the only civilized method to de-
termiuo the dispute was by arbitration.
There Is not a government upon earth that
could continue its existence if it persisted
In a policy c ndemned by a tribunal of ar
bitration supported by the conscience of the
civilized worlu.
AVlty AViiH Arbitration IlcfiiHcd ?
"It Is said the Uoers asked for arbitra
tion , thereby showing proper respect for the
opinions of mankind and appealing to reason.
It was denied. If a man is enough of a
man to fight with ho is enough of a man
to reason with. If to conquer a nation Is
worthy the sacrifice of blood and treasure ,
the shocking of humanity , the staining of the
last pages cf the century's history , surely
such a natkn is worthy to be mot before
a court of arbitration. Before such a
tribunal England should have first obtained
the approval of her course which would have
assured an easy victory , or falling in that
have grandly yielded , proving herself as
great In her moral as in her conceded phys
ical power , and settling an example that
would have benefited the world to the re
motest times.
"The lltlle band of men , at one time flee
ing from place to place , finally finding an
asylum on the barren plains of Africa , where
they could worship God in their own man
ner , establish a government , republican in
form , of their own choosing and work out
their national destiny in their own way ,
now , with no remoter land to fly to , with
their appeal for arbitration denied , with a
courage resembling martyrdom , taking up
arms against powerful , world-devouring
England , in a contest that must end in the
Uss of their lives and property , the destruc-
DOANE COLLEGE 1899 FOOT BALL TEAM.
lion of their homes , the overthrow of their
government and annihilation of their na
tional existence , presents altogether a scene
that forces the pity and admiration of man
kind. Surely if they have committed wrongs
bitterly do they suffer. It seems that Eng
land might say to the Boers , as Uncle Toby
said to the fly , 'Go , little fly , there is room
enough in this world for both you and me. '
Duty of AmerleuiiN.
"But what Is our duty in the premises ?
When our people were inclined to assist
France in return for the assistance re
ceived from her , George Washington , lo
whom honesly of purpose gave an insight
into the future , advised noninterference in
European affairs. His words were words of
wisdom from which wo have not departed
and by which wo have oft been blest. Wo
want no alliance with , we want no alliance
against , England. A common language , lit
erature and ( In many respects ) Ideals must
make the two nations co-workers in the up
building of the world.
"The field of labor of this great republic
Is not the batllefleld. We will conquer Eng
land , wo will conquer Ihe governmenls of
Europe , but we will conquer them by our
example. We will teach them that peace Is
more profitable than war ; that love beget
ting love is more civilizing than force begetting -
getting hatred ; that being Just is a stronger
defense than fortifications ; that men , broth
ers all , were Inspired by the same breath ,
respond equally to the same Influences and
Improve equally as responsibilities are
placed upon them ; that that society is hap
piest and best and most progressive where
distinctions between men are destroyed , bar-
ilers to the rise of worth obliterated and
the Injury of the humblest member con
sidered the serious concern of all.
, TROOPS GOING ABOARD BRAEMAR CASTLE Photo by E. Mllner , London ,
When these truths once enter the hearts of
European citizens tyranny In government
will bo overthrown forever.
"This meeting is an object lesson to our
selves. Mark it ! Before mo Is an audience
containing many who were formerly subjects
of Great Britain. One would expect that.thcy
had met to extend sympathy to their mother
country In its recent reverses ; to do It honor ,
to extol its virtues , Its solidity , its power
upon land and sea , Its system of colonizing ,
Its common law adopted by ourselves , its
Jury system , its free press , free speech , free
public meetings , its Magna Charta and Bill
of Rights , its representative government , its
reforms of the last fifty years extending the
right of franchise , Its protection of its citi
zens. Its law that a man's house is his cas
tle , its Chatham , Burke , Fox , Erskino , Glad
stone. Instead of this you are met to ex
press sympathy for Its foe In arms. If
Great Britain , experienced and wise in gov
erning subject people , baa been unahlo lo
obtain the affection and esteem of Us nearest
and most closely related subjects ; if they
have become more rebellious as they have
become more intelligent , Is it not proof con
clusive that one people cannot successfully
govern another people ; that a race separated
from other races by natural boundaries has
national aspirations that cannot bo sup
pressed ; that what has the appearance of
power is In fact a source of weakness ? May
wo profit by this lesson ! "
Female Distiller
Mrs. II. Henley of Tullahoma , Tonn. , suc
cessfully operates a distillery on the Cum
berland plateau near her homo which has a
capacity of 4,000 gallons a month.
Black Cat for Luck
Detroit Free Press "A black cat la
awfully good luck , " said the young lady In
euch a charming way that she could not bo
gainsaid. And she was BUI Ions in It , loo.
So the caller merely nodded assent and ro-
maikcd , "Is that so ? I hadn't known It. "
"Yes , " she said , "there was a cat urnuiid
hero for a long time that was just as black
as jet , without a white spot on it. And
every once in a while It would get Into the
house and run around through the rooms.
After every time that the cat came In hero
something lucky happened. Yes , sir , It was
very funny , but It was BO. Wo had the best
luck you over saw. But finally the poor
thing was killed. I felt sorry about it. "
"Yes ? " remarked the caller. "And what
happened after It died ? Anything disas
trous ? "
"Oh , no ; It just died , that was all ; but
it was awfully good luck. We've had good
luck over since it came around first. "
Dress Reform iii Samoa
A writer from Samoa thinks there Is a
gicat opening for dress reform among the
natlvo girls , besides a chance to b oin busi
ness.
The Samoan girls are very proud and
vain , but on great occasions persist in wearIng -
Ing men's clothes and on other occasions
merely kilt skirts and necklaces of sharks'
teeth. Ordinarily , children wear no gar
ments at all , The Samoan girls refuse to
wear shoes and Blockings , as being useless
and uncomfortable burdens.
BRAEMAR CASTLE WITH TROOPS ON HOARD FOR CAPE AT SOUTHAMPTON-
Photo by B , Mllnor , London.