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STEYN, MARTINUS THEUNIS (1857– )

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Originally appearing in Volume V25, Page 915 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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STEYN, MARTINUS THEUNIS (1857– ) , last See also:president of the See also:Orange See also:Free See also:State, was See also:born at See also:Winburg in that state on the 2nd of See also:October 1857. He was a student in See also:Holland and later in See also:England at the Inner See also:Temple, and was called to the See also:English See also:bar in See also:November 1882. After his return to See also:South See also:Africa he practised as a See also:barrister at See also:Bloemfontein, and in 1889 was appointed state See also:attorney of the Free State. A few months afterwards he became second See also:puisne See also:judge, and in 1893 first puisne judge of the high See also:court. His decisions won him a reputation for ability and See also:sound See also:judgment. In 1895, upon the resignation of President F. W. Reitz, Steyn was the See also:candidate of the See also:pan-Dutch party for the vacant See also:post. The See also:election resulted (See also:February 1896) in a decisive victory for Steyn. As president he linked the fortunes of his state with those of the See also:Transvaal, a policy which led to the extinction of the See also:republic. After the occupation of Bloemfontein by See also:Lord See also:Roberts Steyn wandered about South Africa, carrying on a semblance of See also:government, and on occasion taking See also:charge of military operations. More than once he narrowly escaped See also:capture.

Regarded as one of the most irreconcilable of the See also:

Boer leaders, he took See also:part, however, in the preliminary See also:peace negotiations at See also:Klerksdorp in See also:April 1902, but was prevented by illness from See also:signing the See also:instrument of surrender at See also:Pretoria on the 31st of May. At that date he was suffering from locomotor ataxy, brought on by his See also:constant exertions; and in the See also:July following he sailed for See also:Europe, where he remained until the autumn of 1904. He then took the See also:oath of See also:allegiance to the See also:British See also:crown, and returning to South Africa partially restored to See also:health resumed an active participation in politics. In 1908–1909 he was See also:vice-president of the Closer See also:Union See also:Convention, where he was distinguished for his statesmanlike and conciliatory attitude, while maintaining the rights of the Dutch community.

End of Article: STEYN, MARTINUS THEUNIS (1857– )

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