THE REVOLT OF THE EITLANDERS 
365 
would have had more serious consequences. I am not aware that 
any member, either American or English, demurred to the oath. 
The reform committee was a direct and inevitable consequence 
of the arming of the Uitlanders, coui^led with Jameson’s inva- 
sion. The Boers could not be expected to understand on the spur 
of the moment that Jameson had invaded the country in con- 
travention of a distinct agreement. The Uitlanders were there- 
fore from the Boer point of view engaged in an attempt to con- 
quer the countiy ; they were public enemies and subject to attack. 
Knowing this, and not knowing whether the Boers would exer- 
cise any forbearance, it seemed needful to the Uitlanders to 
organize themselves for self-defense. 
In the rank and file of the reform committee there were six 
Americans. Messrs T. Mein. Joseph Story Curtis, and Victor 
Clement are well known, both in the United States and in Africa, 
as mining experts and managers ; Mr Charles Butters is a metal- 
lurgist who has had remarkable success in improving the chem- 
ical treatment of gold ores; Mr H. J. King is a partner in the 
mine-owning firm of S. Neumann & Co., London, and Mr F. R. 
Lingham is a timber merchant. These men joined the com- 
mittee very rashly, it is true. They did not know to what ex- 
tent the Uitlander party had become implicated in treasonal)le 
procedures, nor did they stop to inquire. They assumed that 
nothing further was involved than organization for self-defense, 
and signed their names without adopting any of the precautions 
which they would have exercised in putting their signatures to 
any Imsiness documents of relativel}'’ trifling import. Of care- 
lessne.ss they certainly cannot he acciuitted, Imt I have not been 
able to ascertain, either from Uitlanders or Burghers, that there 
is the slightest shadow of implication in real treason resting on 
any one of these Americans. Many of the Englishmen asso- 
ciated with them were equally guiltle.ss. It is now easy for the 
dullest to see that the Americans would have l>een wiser to take 
no part in the Uitlanders’ revolt. In those Decemljer days, on tlie 
other hand, it was very diflicult to steer an even course over the 
boiling tide of events, avoiding the headland of Rashness and the 
maelstrom of Pusillanimity. If some of our men went ashore, 
they have taken their mishap like men ; there has been no at- 
tempt to shift the blame and no whining over the issue. 'I'heir 
conduct, at any rate, has been such as we expect, and have a 
right to expect of Americans. 
Every one knows that the revolt ended in a dismal liasco. The 
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