[Martinus Theunis]. Dutch South African politician, last president of the Orange Free State, born at Winburg in that state on the 2nd of October 1857. He was a student in Holland and later in England at the Inner Temple, and was called to the English bar in November 1882. After his return to South Africa he practised as a barrister at Bloemfontein, and in 1889 was appointed state attorney of the Free State. A few months afterwards he became second puisne judge, and in 1893 first puisne judge of the high court. His decisions won him a reputation for ability and sound judgment. In 1895, upon the resignation of President F. W. Reitz, Steyn was the candidate of the pan-Dutch party for the vacant post. The election resulted (Feb. 1896) in a decisive victory for Steyn. As president he linked the fortunes of his state with those of the Transvaal, a policy which led to the extinction of the republic. After the occupation of Bloemfontein by Lord Roberts Steyn wandered about South Africa, carrying on a semblance of government, and on occasion taking charge of military operations. More than once he narrowly escaped capture. Regarded as one of the most irreconcilable of the Boer leaders, he took part, however, in the preliminary peace negotiations at Klerksdorp in April 1902, but was prevented by illness from signing the instrument of surrender at Pretoria on the 31st of May. At that date he was suffering from locomotor ataxy, brought on by his constant exertions; and in the July following he sailed for Europe, where he remained until the autumn of 1904. He then took the oath of allegiance to the British crown, and returning to South Africa partially restored to health resumed an active participation in politics. In 1908–1909 he was vice-president of the Closer Union Convention, where he was distinguished for his statesmanlike and conciliatory attitude, while maintaining the rights of the Dutch community. After the prominent share which he took in the work of the South African National Convention in 1909–10 ex-President Steyn retired into private life at his farm, Onze Rust (Our Rest), near Bloemfontein. From this retirement he never emerged till his death on the 28th of November 1916, except to address occasional meetings of the Dutch people of South Africa on topics of national interest. Yet this almost complete retirement from public activities did nothing to lessen his influence with his own people. It cannot be said that this influence was exercised to promote racial peace in South Africa. When the dissension between Gen. Botha, the first Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa, and General Hertzog began to shake the frame of the Ministry, ex-President Steyn might have had a decisive influence in composing that difference, which was ultimately to break Gen. Botha’s Cabinet and to lead to long dissension among the Dutch-speaking people of South Africa. His weight, however, was thrown without reserve on the Hertzog side. The ideas of ex-President Steyn were the ideas of Kruger. He held with tenacity the creed of the Boer who regarded himself as the holder of South Africa by a species of divine right, who resented the intrusion of the British element, and was determined to treat that element as intruders and “foreign adventurers.” Beyond doubt they were sincere, if narrow. He held, as Kruger had held, and as General Hertzog held, that the intrusion of the British element involved a descent into the muddy waters of commercialism, the strife of contending ideas and embroilment in the tangles of world-politics.
