e meeting as a section of the
public had done their best to prevent the irregularities, and that some
of them had been hurt in their endeavours to preserve order.

Instead of expressing their disapproval of such complaints, and
referring the petitioners to the local Courts, Her Majesty's Government
accepts those complaints, and gives them an official character by
forwarding them for the information of this Government, and by
publishing them in blue books for the information of the world.

Her Majesty's Government will readily acknowledge that there is no State
in the world with any sense of dignity, however weak and insignificant
it may be, which can regard such matters with an indifferent eye; and
when the relations of the two Governments are strained, then the
mainspring must be looked for in this action of its subjects, which is
not disapproved of by Her Majesty's Government, and not in imaginary or
trumped-up grievances.

The Edgar case is referred to by your Government as "the most striking
recent instance of arbitrary action by officials, and of the support of
such action by the Courts," and this case is quoted as a conclusive test
of the alleged judicial maladministration of this Republic; it will
therefore be of interest to pause for a moment and consider it. What are
the true facts?

A certain Foster, "an Englishman," was assaulted and felled to the
ground, without any lawful cause, by a man named Edgar during the night
of the 18th December, 1898; he lay on the ground as if dead, and
ultimately died in the hospital. Edgar escaped to his room, and some
police came on the scene, attracted by the screams of the bystanders.
Amongst the police was one named Jones. When they saw the man who had
been assaulted lying as if dead, they went to Edgar's apartments in
order to arrest him as a criminal (he had indeed rendered himself liable
for manslaughter, and apparently for murder). As he was caught in the
very act, the police officers were, according to the Laws not only of
this Republic, but of all South Africa and of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, justified in breaking open the door in order
to arrest the culprit. While doing so, Edgar, with a dangerous weapon,
struck Jones a severe blow. Under the stress of necessity the latter
shot Edgar, from the effects of which he died. The question is not if
Jones was justified in taking this extreme step, for the State Attorney
of the Republic had already g