ual situations of to-day with
those of a year ago, after the surrender of General Prinsloo. Then,
the Cape Colony was altogether quiet, and free from our commandos.
The Orange Free State was almost entirely in your hands, not only
as regards the principal townships, railway lines and villages, but
also the whole country, except where Commandant Hasebroek was, with
his commando. And in the South African Republic the situation was
very similar. That country was also mainly held by you, except in
the parts which General De la Rey and General Botha occupied with
their commandos, far up in the Boschveldt.

How do matters stand now?

The Cape Colony is, so to speak, overrun by our commandos, and they
are really in temporary possession of the greater part of Cape
Colony. They go about there as they choose, and many of our
nationality and others also are continuing to join us there, and
uniting forces with us against the cruel injustice that is being
done to the Republics.

In the Orange Free State I willingly acknowledge that your
Excellency is in possession of the Capital, the railways, and some
other towns not on the railways, but that is all that your
Excellency has got. The whole of the Orange Free State, except the
parts which I have just mentioned, is in our possession. In most of
the principal towns there are landdrosts[100] appointed by us; thus
in this State the keeping of order and the administration of
justice are managed by us, and not by your Excellency. In the
Transvaal it is just the same. There also justice and order are
managed by magistrates appointed by our Government.

May I be permitted to say that your Excellency's jurisdiction is
limited by the range of your Excellency's guns. If your Excellency
will look on the matter from a military point of view then it must
be acknowledged that notwithstanding the enormous forces that are
brought against us in the field, our cause, in the past year, has
made wonderful progress. Therefore we need be in no way
discouraged, and, if your Proclamation is based on the assumption
that we are so, then it has now even less justification than it had
a year ago. I am sorry that anything I say should appear boastful,
but the assertions in your Excellency's Proclamation compel me to
speak in th