▁of ▁the ▁Volks ra ad . ▁Executive ▁authority ▁was ▁entr usted ▁to ▁a ▁president ▁elected ▁by ▁the ▁burg h ers ▁from ▁a ▁list ▁submitted ▁by ▁the ▁Volks ra ad . ▁The ▁president ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁assist ed ▁by ▁an ▁executive ▁council , ▁was ▁to ▁hold ▁office ▁for ▁five ▁years ▁and ▁was ▁el ig ible ▁for ▁re - e lection . ▁The ▁constitution ▁was ▁subsequently ▁modified ▁but ▁remained ▁of ▁a ▁liberal ▁character . ▁A ▁residence ▁of ▁five ▁years ▁in ▁the ▁country ▁was ▁required ▁before ▁al iens ▁could ▁become ▁natural ised . ▁The ▁first ▁president ▁was ▁Jos ias ▁Philip ▁Hoff man , ▁but ▁he ▁was ▁accused ▁of ▁being ▁too ▁comp lais ant ▁towards ▁Mos ho es ho e ▁and ▁res igned , ▁being ▁succeeded ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 5 ▁by ▁Jacob us ▁Nicola as ▁Bos hoff , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁vo ort re kk ers , ▁who ▁had ▁previously ▁taken ▁an ▁active ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁affairs ▁of ▁the ▁Natal ia ▁Republic . ▁ ▁Conf lict ▁with ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁Republic ▁ ▁Dist ract ed ▁among ▁themselves , ▁with ▁the ▁form id able ▁Bas oth o ▁power ▁on ▁their ▁southern ▁and ▁eastern ▁fl ank , ▁the ▁troubles ▁of ▁the ▁infant ▁state ▁were ▁speed ily ▁added ▁to ▁by ▁the ▁action ▁of ▁the ▁Trans va al ▁Bo ers ▁of ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁Republic . ▁Mar th inus ▁P ret or ius , ▁who ▁had ▁succeeded ▁to ▁his ▁father ' s ▁position ▁as ▁command ant ▁general ▁of ▁Pot che f st room , ▁wished ▁to ▁bring ▁about ▁a