Completely out-manoeuvred by the astute old President, the leaders of the reform movement used all their influence in the direction of peace, thinking that a general amnesty would follow; but the moment that they and their people were helpless the detectives and armed burghers occupied the town, and sixty of their number were hurried to Pretoria Gaol.
To the raiders themselves the President behaved with great generosity.
Perhaps he could not find it in his heart to be harsh to the men who had managed to put him in the right and won for him the sympathy of the world.

His own illiberal and oppressive treatment of the newcomers was forgotten in the face of this illegal inroad of filibusters.

The true issues were so obscured by this intrusion that it has taken years to clear them, and perhaps they will never be wholly cleared.

It was forgotten that it was the bad government of the country which was the real cause of the unfortunate raid.

From then onwards the government might grow worse and worse, but it was always possible to point to the raid as justifying everything.