Editing Orange Free State (section)

===Conflict with the South African Republic===

[[File:Marthinus Wessel Pretorius 1855.jpg|thumb|200px|[[Marthinus Wessel Pretorius|Marthinus Pretorius]]]]

Distracted among themselves, with the formidable Basotho power on their southern and eastern flank, the troubles of the infant state were speedily added to by the action of the Transvaal Boers of the [[South African Republic]]. [[Marthinus Wessel Pretorius|Marthinus Pretorius]], who had succeeded to his father's position as commandant general of Potchefstroom, wished to bring about a confederation between the two Boer states. Peaceful overtures from Pretorius were declined, and some of his partisans in the Orange Free State were accused of treason in February 1857. Thereupon Pretorius, aided by [[Paul Kruger]], conducted a raid into the Orange Free State's territory. On learning of the invasion, President [[Jacobus Nicolaas Boshoff]] proclaimed martial law throughout the country. The majority of the burghers rallied to his support, and on 25 May, the two opposing forces faced one another on the banks of the Rhenoster. President Boshoff not only got together some 800 men within the Orange Free State, but he received offers of support from Commandant [[Stephanus Schoeman]], the Transvaal leader in the [[Zoutpansberg]] district and from Commandant Joubert of [[Lydenburg]]. Pretorius and Kruger, realising that they would have to sustain attack from both north and south, abandoned their enterprise. Their force, too, only amounted to some three hundred. Kruger came to Boshoff's camp with a flag of truce, the "army" of Pretorius returned north and on 2 June a treaty of peace was signed, each state acknowledging the absolute independence of the other.<ref name="eb1911-text"/>

The conduct of Pretorius was stigmatised as "blameworthy." Several of the malcontents in the Orange Free State who had joined Pretorius permanently settled in the Transvaal, and other Orange Free Staters who had been guilty of high treason were arrested and punished. This experience did not, however, heal the party strife within the Orange Free State. In consequence of the dissensions among the burghers, President Boshoff tendered his resignation in February 1858, but was for a time induced to remain in office. The difficulties of the state were at that time so great that the Volksraad in December 1858 passed a resolution in favour of confederation with the [[Cape Colony]]. This proposition received the strong support of Sir [[George Grey]], the then Governor of Cape Colony, but his view did not commend itself to the British government, and was not adopted.<ref name="eb1911-text"/>

In the same year, the disputes between the Basotho and the Boers culminated in open war. Both parties laid claims to land beyond the Warden line, and each party had taken possession of what it could, the Basotho being also expert cattle-lifters. In the war the advantage rested with the Basotho; thereupon the Orange Free State appealed to Sir George Grey, who induced Moshoeshoe to come to terms. On 15 October 1858, a treaty was signed defining the new boundary. The peace was nominal only, while the burghers were also involved in disputes with other tribes. Mr. Boshoff again tendered his resignation in February 1859 and retired to [[Colony of Natal|Natal]]. Many of the burghers would have at this time welcomed union with the [[South African Republic|Transvaal]], but learning from Sir George Grey that such a union would nullify the conventions of 1852 and 1854 and necessitate the reconsideration of Great Britain's policy towards the native tribes north of the Orange and Vaal rivers, the project was dropped. Commandant [[Marthinus Wessel Pretorius]] was, however, elected president in place of Boshoff. Though unable to effect a durable peace with the Basotho, or to realise his ambition for the creation of a single united Boer republic, Pretorius oversaw a period of increased strength and prosperity for the Orange Free State. The fertile district of [[Bethulie]] as well as Adam Kok's territory was acquired, and there was a considerable increase in the Boer population. The burghers generally, however, had little confidence in their elected rulers and little desire for taxes to be levied. Wearied like Boshoff, and disillusioned with the affairs of the Orange Free State, Pretorius resigned the presidency in 1863 and moved to the Transvaal.<ref name="eb1911-text"/>

After an interval of seven months, [[Johannes Brand]], an advocate at the Cape bar, was elected president. He assumed office in February 1864. His election proved a turning-point in the history of the country, which, under his guidance, became peaceful and prosperous. But before peace could be established an end had to be made of the difficulties with the Basothos. Moshoeshoe continued to menace the Free State border. Attempts at accommodation made by the Governor of Cape Colony, [[Philip Wodehouse (colonial administrator)|Sir Philip Wodehouse]], failed, and war between the Orange Free State and Moshoeshoe was renewed in 1865. The Boers gained considerable successes, and this induced Moshoeshoe to sue for peace. The terms exacted were, however, too harsh for a nation yet unbroken to accept permanently. A treaty was signed at [[Thaba Bosiu]] in April 1866, but war again broke out in 1867, and the Free State attracted to its side a large number of adventurers from all parts of South Africa. The burghers thus reinforced gained at length a decisive victory over their great antagonist, every stronghold in [[Basutoland]] save [[Thaba Bosiu]] being stormed. Moshoeshoe now turned to Sir Philip Wodehouse for preservation. His call was heeded, and in 1868 he and his country were taken under British protection. Thus the thirty years' strife between the Basothos and the Boers came to an end. The intervention of the Governor of Cape Colony led to the conclusion of the treaty of Aliwal North (12 February 1869), which defined the borders between the Orange Free State and Basutoland. The country lying to the north of the [[Orange River]] and west of the [[Caledon River]], formerly a part of [[Basutoland]], was ceded to the Orange Free State, and became known as the Conquered Territory.<ref name="eb1911-text"/>

A year after the addition of the Conquered Territory to the state another boundary dispute was settled by the arbitration of [[Robert William Keate]], lieutenant-governor of [[Colony of Natal|Natal]]. By the [[Sand River Convention]], independence had been granted to the Boers living "north of the Vaal", and the dispute turned on the question as to what stream constituted the true upper course of that river. Keate decided on 19 February 1870 against the Free State and fixed the [[Klip River (Gauteng)|Klip River]] as the dividing line, the Transvaal thus securing the [[Wakkerstroom]] and adjacent districts.<ref name="eb1911-text"/>