▁State ▁and ▁the ▁Cape ▁Col ony ▁attended . ▁Natal ▁at ▁this ▁time ▁had ▁not ▁seen ▁its ▁way ▁to ▁entering ▁the ▁Custom s ▁Union , ▁but ▁did ▁so ▁at ▁a ▁later ▁date . ▁ ▁Ren ew al ▁of ▁host ilities ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 8 8 9 ▁Francis ▁William ▁Re itz ▁was ▁elected ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁Free ▁State . ▁Re itz ▁had ▁no ▁sooner ▁got ▁into ▁office ▁than ▁a ▁meeting ▁was ▁arranged ▁with ▁Paul ▁Kru ger , ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁Republic , ▁at ▁which ▁various ▁terms ▁were ▁discussed ▁and ▁decided ▁upon ▁regarding ▁an ▁agreement ▁dealing ▁with ▁the ▁rail ways , ▁terms ▁of ▁a ▁treat y ▁of ▁am ity ▁and ▁commerce , ▁and ▁what ▁was ▁called ▁a ▁political ▁treat y . ▁The ▁political ▁treat y ▁referred ▁in ▁general ▁terms ▁to ▁a ▁federal ▁union ▁between ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁Republic ▁and ▁the ▁Orange ▁Free ▁State , ▁and ▁bound ▁each ▁of ▁them ▁to ▁help ▁the ▁other , ▁whenever ▁the ▁independence ▁of ▁either ▁should ▁be ▁ass a iled ▁or ▁threatened ▁from ▁without , ▁unless ▁the ▁state ▁so ▁called ▁upon ▁for ▁assistance ▁should ▁be ▁able ▁to ▁show ▁the ▁in just ice ▁of ▁the ▁cause ▁of ▁quar rel ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁other ▁state ▁had ▁engaged . ▁While ▁thus ▁committed ▁to ▁an ▁al liance ▁with ▁its ▁northern ▁neighbour ▁no ▁change ▁was ▁made ▁in ▁internal ▁administration . ▁The ▁Free ▁State , ▁in ▁fact , ▁from ▁its ▁ge ographical ▁position ▁re aped ▁the ▁benefits ▁without ▁inc urr ing ▁the ▁anx iet ies ▁consequ ent ▁on ▁the ▁settlement ▁of ▁a ▁large ▁U it