▁real ise ▁his ▁amb ition ▁for ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁one ▁powerful ▁Bo er ▁republic , ▁P ret or ius ▁saw ▁the ▁Free ▁State ▁begin ▁to ▁grow ▁in ▁strength . ▁The ▁fert ile ▁district ▁of ▁Beth ul ie ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁Adam ▁K ok ' s ▁territory ▁was ▁acquired , ▁and ▁there ▁was ▁a ▁considerable ▁increase ▁in ▁the ▁Bo er ▁population . ▁The ▁burg h ers ▁generally , ▁however , ▁had ▁little ▁confidence ▁in ▁their ▁elected ▁r ul ers ▁and ▁little ▁desire ▁for ▁tax es ▁to ▁be ▁lev ied . ▁W ear ied ▁like ▁Mr ▁Bos hoff , ▁and ▁more ▁interested ▁in ▁affairs ▁in ▁the ▁Trans va al ▁than ▁in ▁those ▁of ▁the ▁Free ▁State , ▁P ret or ius ▁res igned ▁the ▁presiden cy ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 3 . ▁ ▁After ▁an ▁interval ▁of ▁seven ▁months , ▁Johannes ▁Brand , ▁an ▁advoc ate ▁at ▁the ▁Cape ▁bar , ▁was ▁elected ▁president . ▁He ▁assumed ▁office ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 8 6 4 . ▁His ▁election ▁proved ▁a ▁turning - point ▁in ▁the ▁history ▁of ▁the ▁country , ▁which , ▁under ▁his ▁guidance , ▁became ▁peace ful ▁and ▁prosper ous . ▁But ▁before ▁peace ▁could ▁be ▁established ▁an ▁end ▁had ▁to ▁be ▁made ▁of ▁the ▁difficulties ▁with ▁the ▁Bas oth os . ▁Mos ho es ho e ▁continued ▁to ▁men ace ▁the ▁Free ▁State ▁border . ▁Att empt s ▁at ▁accommod ation ▁made ▁by ▁the ▁governor ▁of ▁Cape ▁Col ony , ▁Sir ▁Philip ▁W ode house , ▁failed , ▁and ▁war ▁between