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This postcard was signed on 25 February 1907 from the office of the Het Volk Party in Pretoria,
acknowledging constituents’ well wishes of his victory in the 1907 Transvaal election. In full (translated): ‘Sincere thanks for your esteemed congratulations following the success of Het Volk in the parliamentary elections, as well as in connection with my election.’
The signed postcard is accompanied by a printed circular, dated 15 March 1906, announcing the collaboration of the Het Volk Party with the Die Volkstem newspaper. Members of the Het Volk Party are urged to subscribe to the newspaper and to send in their notices and reports for publication, in anticipation and support of the upcoming election. In part (translated): ‘I also wish to cordially but strongly urge all managers of branches and district committees as well as each member of the Association who may happen to see this letter to become subscribers to ‘De Volksstem’ as soon as possible. Matters of great importance are afoot in our country, and it is very necessary for every member of ‘Het Volk’ individually to be kept abreast of matters regularly and well.’
In 1904, Louis Botha established the Het Volk Party together with General Schalk Burger, General
Koos de la Rey and General Jan Smuts. In 1906, the Liberal Party Government in Britain decided to grant responsible government to the Transvaal, followed by the Orange River Colony in 1907. Botha swept to power in the elections and became Prime Minister of the Transvaal on 4 March 1907. Botha was a firm proponent of Union and he played an important role in winning the support of the Transvaal, where there was hostility to the idea of Union in some quarters. He attempted to win the support of Boer/Afrikaner groups by appealing to their cultural aspirations, while at the same time winning the backing of English-speakers by stressing loyalty to Britain. When the Union of South Africa was formed in 1910, Botha was asked by the Governor-General, Lord Gladstone, to
become Prime Minister and form a government.
acknowledging constituents’ well wishes of his victory in the 1907 Transvaal election. In full (translated): ‘Sincere thanks for your esteemed congratulations following the success of Het Volk in the parliamentary elections, as well as in connection with my election.’
The signed postcard is accompanied by a printed circular, dated 15 March 1906, announcing the collaboration of the Het Volk Party with the Die Volkstem newspaper. Members of the Het Volk Party are urged to subscribe to the newspaper and to send in their notices and reports for publication, in anticipation and support of the upcoming election. In part (translated): ‘I also wish to cordially but strongly urge all managers of branches and district committees as well as each member of the Association who may happen to see this letter to become subscribers to ‘De Volksstem’ as soon as possible. Matters of great importance are afoot in our country, and it is very necessary for every member of ‘Het Volk’ individually to be kept abreast of matters regularly and well.’
In 1904, Louis Botha established the Het Volk Party together with General Schalk Burger, General
Koos de la Rey and General Jan Smuts. In 1906, the Liberal Party Government in Britain decided to grant responsible government to the Transvaal, followed by the Orange River Colony in 1907. Botha swept to power in the elections and became Prime Minister of the Transvaal on 4 March 1907. Botha was a firm proponent of Union and he played an important role in winning the support of the Transvaal, where there was hostility to the idea of Union in some quarters. He attempted to win the support of Boer/Afrikaner groups by appealing to their cultural aspirations, while at the same time winning the backing of English-speakers by stressing loyalty to Britain. When the Union of South Africa was formed in 1910, Botha was asked by the Governor-General, Lord Gladstone, to
become Prime Minister and form a government.
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