No, all excuse is vain, they knew exactly what they were doing when they began their guilty plots to rob a nation of freedom and country; and they knew (unless they were idiots, and fit inmates for the lunatic asylum) what to expect. The only sensible thing the Reform Committee ever did was, when Jameson was a prisoner and the whole mess was spoiled, to accept defeat and lay down their arms. (I am not referring to the time when they concluded the armistice, while Jameson’s fate was undecided, but the following week, when they laid down their arms, as we shall see farther on).
But the great guilt of the Reform Committee lay in their ever having taken up arms, and in ever having plotted to light the torch of civil war, with no other object than to throw the South African Republic into the arms of Rhodes. As to the professed object of the revolution and the demands contained in the manifesto, we shall take occasion a little farther on to show how much--or how little--cause there was for the taking up of arms.
Pretoria, as became the capital of the State, followed in the footsteps of the Government, and kept calm and cool during all this bustle and uproar in Johannesburg. It is true there were a few hot-headed, ignorant young men (late arrivals mostly) who talked big amongst themselves, and said that the time had come for England to step in and again take possession of the Transvaal; but it was noticed that these young men either kept out of the way of, or were very quiet in the presence of, the Burghers or Afrikanders generally. But the majority of, in fact nearly all, the inhabitants of Pretoria were very orderly and quiet. There were those who in their inmost hearts wished for Jameson’s and Johannesburg’s success, and even said so at first; but as soon as information of Jameson’s defeat was received, even these became Government supporters and sympathisers--at least so they said (?). But from the first the leading inhabitants and public men gave the Government to understand that all their influence would be given to support law and order; and on the arrival of the news that the country was being invaded by Chartered troops, the inhabitants held a meeting, at the suggestion of a leading citizen, and resolved to form themselves into a vigilant corps, to protect life and keep order. This was done. Every man of whatsoever nationality became a member of the corps, and did duty night and day, patrolling the streets and vicinity of the town. All this was done under the orders and with the assistance of the authorities, thus showing the good understanding between the Government and the inhabitants of Pretoria.