it the fault of the
Colonists that they were placed in such an awkward position?

Martial Law and the way it was administered has been one of the leading
causes of the colonial rebellion. As long as the Colonists were
permitted to express their sentiments or political views through the
medium of congresses, conferences, public meetings, resolutions and
petitions, they cherished the hope that the Home Government would
eventually listen to their pleas. But when Martial Law was declared, the
constitution of the Cape Colony was virtually suspended, and the
Colonists were deprived of most, if not all, of their
liberties--liberties of speech, of the Press and of conscience. Under
Martial Law none, not even the most loyal, were allowed to write or say
anything which did not harmonize exactly with the views and actions of
the Imperial Government as represented in South Africa. Now, when men
may neither speak nor write, they are apt to act. The Colonists, being
compelled by this most wonderful of all laws--if law it be at
all--acted. For this law justified all things, as far as the war party
was concerned, while it condemned the rest indiscriminately. It gave
armed men unlimited power over the unarmed. It allowed the strong to
crush the weak, the rich to rob the poor, and the scoundrel to lodge in
gaol the man of honour and reputation. Nothing so exasperated the
Colonists as the odious manner in which the Martial Law regulations were
carried out, and nothing made greater rebels than the harshness of these
regulations.

As the situation in the Cape Colony became more and more serious, the
most arbitrary and despotic methods were adopted to quell the rebellion
by trying to intimidate the Colonists. The policy of the gallows was
unscrupulously brought into practice, and the barbarous method of
compelling the Dutch residents to attend the execution of their
fellow-Dutch was enforced. At Burghersdorp, Cradock, Middelburg, and
various other places several rebels were executed. The chief Dutch
residents were compelled not only to listen to the public promulgation
of these death sentences, but had also to be present at the execution.
On July 10, 1901, the execution of one Marais took place at Middelburg.
At 9 A.M. he was executed in the presence of the leading residents.
Among these was Mr. De Waal, M.L.A., who entered the precincts of the
gaol attired in deep mourning. The scene proved too much for him; he
broke down completely befor