stay about Chicago moving on tireless wing over the storm swept waters of the lake. Every spring the other species, the Bonapartes and the terns, pass north in thousands, using Lake Michigan's shore as a guide to their nesting grounds. The thousands will soon become hundreds and the hundreds tens, unless woman can be made more tender hearted. Tender hearted she is, to be sure, in almost everything save this matter of a bird for the bonnet. Fashion decrees that she shall wear feathers, and feathers she will have even though their possession means the yearly slaughter of the innocents. Our walk through the fields is drawing to a close. It may be best to give a summary of the birds that we have seen and that may be seen by anyone who, with opera glass in hand, walks afield during the first half of July: Hawks and owls, each of several kinds, the kingfisher, the downy, the hairy, the red-headed and yellowwinged woodpeckers, the night hawk, the whip-poor-will, the chimney swift, the ruby-throated hummingbird, five kinds of flycatchers, the crow, the bluejay, the orchard oriole, the different species of black birds, native American sparrows innumerable, the goldfinch, the rose-breasted grosbeak, the indigo bird, the scarlet tanager, five species of swallows, three kinds of vireos, a host of warblers, the thrushes, the robin and the bluebird. The shadows are lengthening. Our day's outing is drawing to a close. We turn our steps homeward with the dewy breath of the evening in our nostrils. Suddenly from a copse there comes a bell-like note. It is by far the sweetest that we have heard through all the long hours of the day. It is the wood thrush, "the gold-tongued bird. of the shade." His song is rapturous and in this hour of calm it seems instinct with holiness. The other birds are suddenly silent. They seem to know the master's instrument is in tune. The thrush song ceases. A vesper sparrow takes heart and pipes up. Then from the woodland there comes the wailing note of the whip-poorwill. The day's service of song is ended. But hold a moment. No service is complete without the benediction and from above comes the one sweet note of the bluebird, which seems to say, "Blessed be ye all." The End of the Boer War. BY EUGENE PARSONS. N the article on the BOER WAR, PP. 13741376, an account was given of the progress of peace negotiations in April. The Boer leaders held conferences and talked over conditions, then they returned to their commandos and discussed with the fighting burghers the "question of the terms of surrender." While there was no talk of unconditional surrender, it was made known to the Boers that the two republics must yield the claim of independence. This the leaders could not do, they said; the matter must be submitted to a referendum of the burghers in the field, who would decide for the Boer people at large whether to give up their nationality or not. Then the Boer leaders were to return to Pretoria and communicate the decision to Lord Kitchener. May 15 was set as a day for the Boer delegates to assemble at Vereeniging in the Transvaal. The next two weeks were consumed with negotiations as to details, after the point of the independence of the republics was conceded. In order to hasten a decision the British Ministry insisted that the terms must be accepted or rejected by midnight, May 31. This ultimatum had the desired effect, for the peace pact was signed that evening and the Boer war was ended Paul Kruger was not consulted. Dr. Leyds and the Boer envoys in Europe had no voice in the fina! settlement. The men who had done the fighting did the negotiat- Following are the terms agreed upon and finally signed by Lord Milner in behalf of the British government, and by Acting President Schalk Burger, General Reitz and TWO-FREE TRANSPORT HOME TO BURGHERS. All burghers outside the limits of the Transvaal and Orange River Colony, and all prisoners of war at present outside South Africa, who are burghers, will, on duly de- claring their acceptance of the position of subjects of his Majesty, be brought back to their homes as soon as means of transport can be provided and means of subsistence THREE-PERSONAL LIBERTY GUARANTEED. The burghers so returning will not be FOUR-LIMITS OF SUCCEEDING TRIALS. No proceeding, civil or criminal, will be taken against any burghers surrendering, FIVE-PERMITTING TEACHING AND USE OF The Dutch language shall be taught in the public schools of the Transvaal and Orange River Colony, where the parents desire it and will be allowed in the courts The manner and details of this surrender will be arranged between Lord Kitchener and Commander-General Botha, assisted by Possession of rifles will be allowed in the SEVEN-PLANS FOR SELF-GOVERNMENT. vaal and Orange River Colony will, at the earliest possible date, be succeeded by a civil government, and, so soon as circumstances permit, representative institutions, leading The question of granting the franchise to NINE-NO SPECIAL TAX TO BE LEVIED. No special tax will be imposed on landed TEN-FINANCIAL PROVISIONS. As soon as the conditions permit it, a commission, on which the local inhabitants will be represented, will be appointed in each district of the Transvaal and Orange River Colony, under the presidency of a magistrate or other official, for the purpose of assisting in the restoration of the people to their homes and supplying those who, owing to war losses, are unable to provide for themselves with food and shelter, and the necessary amount of seed, stock and implements, etc.. indispensable to the resumption of their normal occupations. His Majesty's government will place at the disposal of these commissioners the sum of 3,000,000 pounds and will allow all the notes issued under the law of 1900 of the South African Republic and all receipts given up to officers in the field of the late republics, or under their orders, to be presented to a judicial commission, which will be appointed by the government, and if such notes and receipts are found by this commission to have been duly issued in return for valuable considerations, they will be received by the first-named commissions as evidence of war losses suffered by the persons to whom they were originally given. In addition to the above-named free grant of 3,000,000 pounds, His Majesty's government will be prepared to make advances, on loan, for the same purposes, free of interest for two years, and afterward repayable, over a period of years, with 3 per cent. interest. No foreigner nor rebe! will be entitled to benefit under this clause. In behalf of the British Government : HIS EXCELLENCY, LORD MILNER, (Lord High Commissioner). In behalf of the Transvaal Republic: GENERAL Reitz, GENERAL LOUIS BOTHA, (Acting President). Secretary. Commander-in-Chief. (Vice General Steyn, President). GENERAL BREMNER. JUDGE HERTZOG. GENERAL DE LA REY. negotiations between Kitchener and Botha in March, 1901. A London dispatch, dated May 12, 1902, says that the British govern It has been stated that the terms were subtantially the same as those offered in the ment referred the Boer leaders to "the Mid delburg conference for the maximum of However, a close comparison of the two concessions that could be granted them." documents shows that this is not strictly true; examination reveals important differences in the spirit and the wording of the terms. The peace pact signed May 31, 1902, contains provisions not in the terms rejected by Botha in March, 1901; these are in the nature of safeguards and favors. The financial provisions of the peace pact are much more generous. In a word, the terms that the Boers finally obtained are lighter and more honorable. These differences may be briefly noted, for they demonstrate that the continued resistance of the burghers was not in vain. The modification of the British demands was partly due, it may be assumed, to the victories of De Wet and De la Rey. The second clause, that concerning the return of prisoners, is practically the same in both documents. The third clause, which must be considered important, is not in the Middelburg terms (published in the Parliamentary paper issued March 22, 1901). The fourth clause is more explicit than the earlier statement: "His Majesty's Government will at once grant an amnesty in the Transvaal and Orange River Colonies for all bona fide acts of war committed during the recent hostilities." (A separate agreement contains an explanation of the status of British subjects in Natal and Cape Colony who joined the Boers.) The fifth clause is slightly different from the earlier provision: "Both the English and public schools where parents of the children Dutch languages will be used and taught in desire it, and allowed in Courts of Law." The sixth clause, though shorter than the former statement, is substantially the same. The seventh clause is more concise than the former statement, and is in some respects more positive and definite. In the former, the hope of ultimate self-government was held out; now it is explicitly promised. The Middelburg paragraph is quoted in full, for the purpose of contrast. "At the earliest practicable date military administration will cease and will be replaced by civil administration in the form of Crown Colony Government. There will therefore be, in the first instance, in each of the new Colonies a Governor and an Executive Council, consisting of a certain number of official members, to whom a nominated unofficial element will be added. But it is the desire of His Majesty's Government, as soon as circumstances permit, to introduce a representative element and ultimately to concede to the new colonies the privilege of selfgovernment. Moreover, on the cessation of hostilities a High Court will be established in each of the new colonies to administer the law of the land, and this Court will be independent of the Executive." It is noteworthy that in the treaty just signed no mention is made of Crown Colony Government. Just what "civil government" means is left in the vague. Probably the Transvaal and the Orange River Colony will for a time occupy an intermediate position between a crown colony and a selfgoverning colony like Canada. Orange River Colonies for goods requisitioned from them by the late Republican Governments, or, subsequent to annexation, by Commandants in the field being in a position to enforce such requisitions. But such claims will have to be established to the satisfaction of a Judge or Judicial Commission appointed by the Government to investigate and assess them, and if exceeding in the aggregate £1,000,000, they will be liable to reduction pro rata. The eighth clause, respecting the Kaffir vote, is shorter than the original provision: "As regards the extension of the franchise to Kaffirs in the Transvaal and Orange River Colony, it is not the intention of His Majesty's Government to give such franchise before representative government is granted to these Colonies, and if then given it will be so limited as to secure the just predominance of the white races. The legal position of colored persons will, however, be similar to that which they hold in Cape Colony." "I beg to inform your Honor that the new Government will take into immediate consideration the possibility of assisting by loan the occupants of farms who will take the oath of allegiance to repair any injury sustained by destruction of buildings or loss of stock during the war, and that no special tax will be imposed on farmers to defray the expense of the war." The ninth clause is wanting in the Middelburg document. Its insertion in the peace. pact means much to the Boers. Tennyson, in his poem on "England America, 1782," praises the American colonials "who wrenched their rights" from the mother country. The burghers have in like manner "wrenched" these concessions from the British by their prolonged and desperate resistance. They have won for themselves pretty nearly all they asked for except independence absolute or in some modified form. With respect to Cape rebels the case is different, as Mr. A. J. Balfour explained in a speech in the House of Commons on June 2. The dispatch from Lord Kitchener dealing with this matter is as follows: The tenth clause, relating to financial provisions, is very different from the concession previously made, which allowed a grant of only £1,000,000 to the burghers, while now they can draw on British funds to an indefinite amount. The aid afforded is more ample, and there are no humiliating expressions used, such as "an act of grace.' The assurance that "His Majesty's Government will be prepared to make advances on loan" is quite different from considering "the possibility of assisting by loan," etc. The two paragraphs of the Middelburg conference are as follows: "As regards the debts of the late Republican Governments, His Majesty's Government cannot undertake any liability. It is, however, prepared, as an act of grace, to set aside a sum not exceeding £1,000,000 to repay inhabitants of the Transvaal and "'His Majesty's Government must place on record that the treatment of the Cape and Natal colonists who have been in rebellion, and who now surrender, will, if they return to their colonies, be determined by. the colonial courts and in accordance with the laws of the colonies, and any British subjects who have joined the enemy will be liable to trial under the law of that part of the British Empire to which they belong. "His Majesty's Government are informed by the Cape Government that their views regarding the terms to be granted to British subjects in Cape Colony, now in the field, or who have been surrendered or been captured since April 12, 1901, are as follows: With regard to the rank and file they should all, after surrender and giving up their arms, sign a document before the resident magistrate of the district in which they surrender, acknowledging themselves guilty of high treason, and the punishment to be accorded them, provided they are not guilty of murder or acts contrary to the usages of civilized warfare, shall be that they are not entitled, for life, to be registered as voters, or vote in any parliamentary or provincial council or municipal election. "With reference to justices of the peace, field cornets and all others who hold official positions under the government of Cape Colony, or who have been occupying a position of authority, or who have held commands in the rebel or burgher forces, they shall be tried for high treason before the ordinary courts of the country, or such special courts as may hereafter be constituted, their punishment to be left to the discretion of such court, with the proviso that in no case shall the penalty of death be inflicted. "The Natal Government are of the opinion that rebels should be dealt with according to the law of the country."" "These arrangements," concluded Mr. Balfour, "the government have approved." The condition of Cape rebels, as set forth in the Middelburg terms would, in all probability, be the same as is now determined. The language used in March, 1901, is as follows: "British subjects belonging to Natal and Cape Colony, while they will not be compelled to return to those colonies, will, if they do so, be liable to be dealt with by the law of those Colonies specially passed to meet the circumstances arising out of the present war. As you are doubtless aware, the special law in the Cape Colony has greatly mitigated the ordinary penalties for high treason in the present case." It is said that to King Edward belongs the credit for bringing peace. So strong was his desire to have the war over before his coronation, that he "compelled his Ministers to offer concessions to the Boers." The victors could certainly afford to be generous-the gold mines are indemnity enough. Instead of exacting payment from the burghers, they are actually paying the Boers to cease fighting. They are glad to have the strife ended and to begin a new era of reconstruction. Will the victors show tact and patience, or will they repeat the blunders of the past in dealing with the subject race? The future is full of possibilities and perils. British sovereignty in South Africa was the main thing, the root of the contention. This the British fought for and won. The Boers threw down the gauntlet of war and lost. "Never again," has been the watchword of the British Ministers. They were determined to do the work so thoroughly, that it would not have to be done over. a The Boers hoped for intervention or for war involving British interests in some other quarter of the world. These hopes proved to be illusory. Except the United States and Holland, not a nation lifted a finger to save the Boer republics. Our tender of friendly offices was rejected, as was that of Holland. Equally illusory was the hope that Great Britain might have another war on her hands. British policy was so shaped as to avoid conflict with Russia, France and Germany. These nations had reasons of their own for not wishing war at this time-they were not ready for it. So the burghers had to fight their battles alone, and they grew tired of the unequal struggle. Their slender means availed not |