River, with the exception of the Griqua Chief, Captain Adam Kok; and Her Majesty's Government has no wish or intention to enter hereafter into any treaties which may be injurious or prejudicial to the interests of the Orange River Government. 3. With regard to the treaty existing between the British Government and the Chief, Captain Adam Kok, some modification of it is indispensable. Contrary to the provisions of that treaty, the sale of lands in the Inalienable Territory has been of frequent occurrence, and the principal object of the treaty thus disregarded. Her Majesty's Government therefore intends to remove all restrictions preventing Griquas from selling their lands, and measures are in progress for the purpose of affording every facility for such transactions, the Chief, Adam Kok, having, for himself, concurred in and sanctioned the same. And with regard to those further alterations arising out of the proposed revision of relations with Captain Adam Kok, in consequence of the aforesaid sales of lands having from time to time been effected in the Inalienable Territory contrary to the stipulations of the Maitland Treaty, it is the intention of Her Majesty's Special Commissioner, personally, without any unnecessary loss of time, to establish the affairs in Griqualand on a footing suitable to the just expectations of all parties. 4. After the withdrawal of Her Majesty's Government from the Orange River Territory the new Orange River Government shall not permit any vexatious proceedings towards those of Her Majesty's present subjects remaining within the Orange River Territory who may heretofore have been acting under the authority of Her Majesty's Government, for or on account of any acts lawfully done by them, that is, under the law as it existed during the occupation of the Orange River Territory by the British Government. Such persons shall be considered to be guaranteed in the possession of their estates by the new Orange River Government. Also, with regard to those of Her Majesty's present subjects who may prefer to return under the dominion and authority of Her Majesty to remaining where they now are, as subjects of the Orange River Government, such persons shall enjoy full right and facility for the transfer of their properties, should they desire to leave the country under the Orange River Government at any subsequent period within three years from the date of this convention. 5. Her Majesty's Government and the Orange River Government shall, within their respective territories, mutually use every exertion for the suppression of crime, and keeping the peace, by apprehending and delivering up all criminals who may have escaped or fled from justice either way across the Orange River, and the courts, as well the British as those of the Orange River Government, shall be mutually open and available to the inhabitants of both territories for all lawful processes. And all summonses for witnesses directed either way across the Orange River, shall be countersigned by the magistrates of both Governments respectively, to compel the attendance of such witnesses, when and where they may be required, thus affording to the community north of the Orange River every assistance from the British courts, and giving, on the other hand, assurance to such Colonial merchants and traders as have naturally entered into credit transactions in the Orange River Territory during its occupation by the British Government, and to whom, in many cases, debts may be owing, every facility for the recovery of just claims in the courts of the Orange River Government. And Her Majesty's Special Commissioner will recommend the adoption of the like reciprocal privileges by the Government of Natal in its relations with the Orange River Government. 6. Certificates issued by the proper authorities, as well in the Colonies and Possessions of Her Majesty as in the Orange River Territory, shall be held valid and sufficient to entitle heirs of lawful marriages, and legatees, to receive portions and legacies accruing to them respectively, either within the jurisdiction of the British or Orange River Government. 7. The Orange River Government shall, as hitherto, permit no slavery, or trade in slaves, in their territory north of the Orange River. 8. The Orange River Government shall have freedom to purchase their supplies of ammunition in any British Colony or Possession in South Africa, subject to the laws provided for the regulation of the sale and transit of ammunition in such Colonies and Possessions; and Her Majesty's Special Commissioner will recommend to the Colonial Government, that privileges of a liberal character, in connexion of import duties generally, be granted to the Orange River Government, as measures in regard to which it is entitled to be treated with every indulgence, in consideration of its peculiar position and distance from the seaports. 9. In order to promote mutual facilities and liberty to traders and travellers, as well in the British Possessions as in those of the Orange River Government and it being the earnest wish of Her Majesty's Government that a friendly intercourse between these territories should at all times subsist, and be promoted by every possible arrangement, a consul or agent of the British Government, whose especial attention shall be directed to the promotion of these desirable objects, will be stationed within the Colony near to the frontier, to whom access at all times may readily be had by the inhabitants on both sides of the Orange River, for advice and information, as circumstances may require. This done and signed at Bloemfontein, on the Twentythird day of February, One Thousand Eight hundred and Fifty-four. (Signed) (Signed) GEO. RUSSEL CLERK, JOSIAS PHILIP HOFFMAN, President. G. J. DU TOIT, Field-cornet. D. J. Kramfort. H. J. WEBER, Justice of the Peace P. A. HUMAN. J. P. SNYMAN, late Field-com- G. P. VISSER, Justice of the J. GROENENDAAL. J. J. RABIE, Field-cornet. C. P. Du TOIT. (Signed) H. L. Du TOIT. C. J. F. Du PLOOY. F. P. SENNEKAL, Field-cornet. P. M. BESTER, Justice of the W. A. VAN AARDT, Field- W. J. PRETORIUS. J. J. BORNMAN. A. H. STANDER. Parl. Papers, S. Africa, C.O. (42), 1884, p. 94. No. 159. THE CONSTITUTION OF THE ORANGE FREE STATE. [The Orange Free State Constitution was adopted on the 10th April 1854, within three weeks after the country became independent of Great Britain. Modifications were made in 1864 and 1865 and confirmed by a resolution of the Volksraad, dated 9th February 1866. These were declared to take effect after two months. It is the Constitution as it stood in 1866 that is given here. It was again revised and published in 1868. In the year 1892 a compilation of the Free State Laws was published by authority of the Volksraad. The Grondwet appearing therein differs from the one here published in only a few unimportant details, though, of course, a number of laws were passed in the meantime, which altered to some extent the manner of carrying out the provisions of the Constitution. Those articles of the 1866 Grondwet which are identical with corresponding articles published in 1892 are marked with an asterisk. The instrument was formally repealed by Proclamation No. 3 of 1902 (A), though impliedly it became void by the Proclamation of 24th May 1900, which annexed the country to the British Empire.] CONSTITUTIE VAN DEN ORANJEVRIJSTAAT. KWALIFICATIE VAN KIESGEREGTIGDEN. ART. I. De Burgers van den Oranjevrijstaat zullen bestaan: 1. uit alle blanke personen in den Staat geboren ; 2. uit alle blanke personen, die één jaar in den Staat hebben gewoond en vast eigendon op hunnen naam geregistreerd hebben ter waarde van minstens Rds. 2000; + 3. uit alle blanke personen, die drie achtereenvolgende jaren in den Staat hebben gewoond.2 De personen in No. 2 en 3 genoemd, zullen echter niet als burgers erkend worden, tenzij zij van het bestuur hunner laatste woonplaats voor hunne aankomst in den Staat aan den Staatspresident een schriftelijk bewijs van goed gedrag en eene schriftelijke belofte van trouw aan den Staat en gehoorzaamheid aan de wetten inleveren, waartegen hun door den Staatspresident een certificaat van burgerschap zal worden uitgereikt. ART. II. Alle burgers, zoodra zij den vollen ouderdom van 16 jaren bereikt hebben en alle, die op lateren leeftijd het burgerregt verkrijgen, zijn verplicht hunne namen te doen inschrijven bij den veldkornet, onder wien zij hunne woonplaats hebben, en zijn tot den vollen ouderdom van 60 jaren ouderworpen aan burgerdienst. CONSTITUTION OF THE ORANGE FREE STATE. [10 Ap. 1854, 1866, etc.] QUALIFICATION OF ELECTORS. ART. I. The Burghers of the Orange Free State shall be: I. All white persons born in the State; 2. All white persons who have resided in the State for one year and have immovable property registered in their names to the value of at least 2000 Rds. ;1 3. All white persons who have resided in the State for three successive years.2 The persons mentioned in sections 2 and 3 shall, however, not be acknowledged as burghers, unless they shall have submitted to the State President written proof of good behaviour granted by the Government of their most recent place of residence, and a written promise of fealty to the State and obedience to its laws; whereupon a certificate of burghership shall be issued to them by the State President. ART. II. All burghers, as soon as they shall have reached the age of 16 years, and all who at a more advanced age shall obtain burgher-right, shall be obliged to have their names enrolled by the Field-cornet in whose ward they reside, and shall be liable to render burgher service till they reach the age of 60 years. 1 The 1868 Constitution changed this sum to £150. The 1868 Constitution added this provision: "Civil and judicial officials who, before accepting their offices, have taken an oath of allegiance to the State and its laws." ART. III.* Alle burgers, die den ouderdom van 18 jaren bereikt hebben, zijn bevoegd tot het uitoefenen van het stemregt tot verkiezing van Veldkommandanten en Veldkornetten. ART. IV.* Bevoegd tot het kiezen van Leden van den Volksraad en van den Staatspresident zijn alle meerderjarige burgers: a. die in den Staat geboren zijn; b. die vast eigendom te hunnen naam geregistreerd hebben tot eene onbelastbare waarde van minstens £150; c. die huurders zijn van vast eigendom, hetwelk eene jaarlijksche huurwaarde heeft van minstens £36; d. die een vast jaarlijksch inkomen hebben van minstens £200; e. die eigenaren zijn van roerende goederen tot eene waarde van minstens £300, en minstens 3 jaren in den Staat hebben gewoond. PLIGTEN, MAGTEN, ENZ., VAN DEN VOLKSRAAD. ART. V.* Het Hoogste Wetgevende Gezag berust bij den Volksraad.1 ART. VI.* Deze Raad zal bestaan uit een lid van elk veldkornetschap der onderscheidene districten en uit een lid van elke hoofdplaats van een district. Deze Raad wordt gekozen bij meerderheid van stemmen door de stemgeregtigde inwoners van elke wijk en van elke hoofdplaats van een district. ART. VII. Die tot leden van den Volksraad verkiesbaar zijn, ART. III.* All burghers who have reached the age of 18 years shall be entitled to exercise the franchise at elections for Field-commandants and Field-cornets. ART. IV.* Entitled to vote for members of the Volksraad and for a State President are all burghers who are of age, and who: a. Have been born in the State; b. Have fixed property registered in their own names, unburdened to the value of at least £150; c. Are hirers of fixed property which has a yearly rent of at least £36; d. Have a fixed yearly income of at least £200; e. Are owners of movable property to the value of at least £300, and have resided in the State for at least 3 years. DUTIES, POWERS, ETC., OF THE VOLKSRAAD. ART. V.* The highest legislative power rests with the Volksraad.1 * ART. VI. The said Raad shall consist of one member for each field-cornetcy of the several districts and one member for each chief centre [town or village] of a district. This Raad shall be chosen by majority of votes by the inhabitants possessing the franchise in each ward and each chief centre of a district. ART. VII. In order to be eligible as members of the Volks1 A statute of 1885 gave the High Court the power to decide whether a law was against the Constitution. The 1868 Constitution substituted this article: "7. As a member of the Volksraad shall be eligible every burgher who has never been pronounced guilty of crime by a jury, who has not been declared bankrupt or insolvent, |