A Womans Part in a Revolution | Page 8

Dr. Jameson is greatly dejected, and never speaks to a
soul.
JANUARY 5.--This beautiful Sunday, quiet and serene, dawns upon us
free of the sounds of the past week. No cries of newspaper boys nor
hurry of wheels. A couple of bands of recruits drilled for a while
sedately on Government Square, and then marched away. It is
wonderful to an American woman, who still retains a vivid recollection
of Presidential Elections, to see two warring factions at the most critical
point of dispute mutually agree to put down arms and wait over the
Sabbath, and more wonderful yet seems the self-restraint of going
without the daily paper. The George Washington Corps attended a
special service. The hymns were warlike and the sermon strong and
anything but pacific.
JANUARY 6.--The Government issues an ultimatum: Johannesburg

must lay down its arms.
The letter of invitation signed by Messrs. Charles Leonard, Francis
Rhodes, Lionel Phillips, John Hays Hammond and George Farrar,
inviting Dr. Jameson to come to the succour of Johannesburg under
certain contingencies, was printed in this morning's paper. It was
picked up on the battlefield, in a leathern pouch, supposed to be Dr.
Jameson's saddle-bag. _Why in the name of all that is discreet and
honourable didn't he eat it!_
Two messengers from the High Commissioner, Sir Jacobus de Wet, the
British Agent, and Sir Sydney Shippard, were received by the Reform
Committee this morning. De Wet told them that Johannesburg must lay
down its arms to save Jameson and his officers' lives; that unless they
complied with this appeal, which he made on behalf of the High
Commissioner, who was in Pretoria ready to open negotiations,
Johannesburg would be responsible for the sacrifice of Jameson and his
fellow prisoners. It would be impossible for the Government to conduct
negotiations with the High Commissioner for redress of grievances
until arms were laid down. He urged them to comply with this appeal to
prevent bloodshed, and promised that they could depend upon the
protection of the High Commissioner, and that not 'a hair of their heads
would be touched.' After much discussion, the Committee agreed to lay
down their arms.
Betty and Mrs. Clement were busy all the morning giving out books
and flowers which had been generously sent by various ladies and
commercial firms for distribution among the women and children at the
Wanderers' and Tattersall's. Betty says the women were most grateful.
They are busy, hard-working women, and the enforced leisure is very
trying to them. She spoke with the manager of Tattersall's; he thanked
her for her gifts, remarking, with some weariness in his tone: 'You don't
know, Miss, how hard it is to keep the women amused and
contented--and several of them have been confined!' as if that, too,
were a proof of insubordination.
My husband tells me that the Committee is to hold a meeting at
midnight, and another at six to-morrow morning. He says that Lionel

Phillips nearly fainted from exhaustion to-day. Mr. Phillips is
consistent and brave, and George Farrar, too, is proving himself a hero.
Dear old Colonel, with the kind thoughtfulness so characteristic of him,
never fails to ask how we are bearing the trial.
JANUARY 7.--Sir Jacobus de Wet and Sir Sydney Shippard addressed
the populace from the Band Club balcony, exhorting them to accept the
ultimatum.
LATER.--I have had such a reassuring conversation with Sir Sydney
Shippard this evening. He is a most intelligent man, and speaks with
such fluent decisiveness that all he says carries conviction. I am told
that Sir Jacobus's speech was a rambling, poor affair and weak; the
crowd showed a restlessness that at one time threatened to become
dangerous. He was fortunately pulled down by his coat-tails before the
crowd lost self-control.
Sir Sydney's speech, on the contrary, was strong and full of feeling. He
told the people that he sympathised deeply with them in their struggle
for what he believed to be their just rights, but that being an English
Government official he could take no part. He reminded them that
Jameson was lying in prison, his life and the lives of his followers in
great jeopardy. The Government had made one condition for his safety:
the giving up of their arms. 'Deliver them up to your High
Commissioner, and not only Jameson and his men will be safe, but also
the welfare of those concerned in this movement--I mean the leaders.'
He continued: 'I, whose heart and soul are with you, say again that you
should follow the advice of the High Commissioner, and I beg you to
go home and to your ordinary avocations; deliver up your arms to your
High Commissioner, and if you do that you will have no occasion to
repent it.'
JANUARY 8.--Arms are being delivered up. About 1,800 guns