Nor was the refusal to pay taxes, which they were powerless to enforce,
the only difficulty with which the Government had to contend. Want of
money is as bad and painful a thing to a State as to an individual, but
there are perhaps worse things than want of money, one of which is to be
deserted by your own friends and household. This was the position of the
Government of the Republic; no sooner was it involved in overwhelming
difficulties than its own subjects commenced to bait it, more especially
the English portion of its subjects. They complained to the English
authorities about the commandeering of members of their family or goods;
they petitioned the British Government to interfere, and generally made
themselves as unpleasant as possible to the local Authorities. Such a
course of action was perhaps natural, but it can hardly be said to be
either quite logical or just. The Transvaal Government had never asked
them to come and live in the country, and if they did so, it must be
remembered that many of the agitators had accumulated property, to leave
which would mean ruin; and they saw that, unless something was done, its
value would be destroyed.
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