s to receive this news immediately we arrived. We asked ourselves what
we should do without the President at our meetings? At this moment he
seemed more indispensable to us than ever before.

President Steyn was a statesman in the best sense of the word. He had
gained the respect and even the affection of us all. Of him, if of any
man, it may be said that he never swerved from his duty to his country.
No task was too great for him, no burden too heavy, if thereby he could
serve his people. Whatever hardships he had endured, he had never been
known to complain--he would endure anything for us. He had fought in our
cause until he could fight no longer, until sickness laid him low; and
he was worn out, and weak as a child. _Weak_, did I say? Yes! but only
in the body--his mind was still as strong, as brave, as clear as ever.

And thus it was that President Steyn was only able to be present on two
occasions at our meetings; for, on the 29th of May--before the National
Representatives had come to any decision--he went with Dr. Van der Merwe
to Krugersdorp.

As I write these lines--six months after the meetings at
Vereeniging--and think that during all the intervening time he has been
lying on a bed of sickness--I am cheered by the news which I received in
Holland that hopes are now entertained of his ultimate recovery.

The National Representatives began their important deliberations on the
morning of the 13th of May, 1902.

For three days we discussed the condition of our country, and then
proceeded with Lord Kitchener and Lord Milner to Pretoria. This
Commission was composed of Commandant-General L. Botha,
Commander-in-Chief C.R. de Wet, Vice-Commandant-General J.H. De la Rey,
Vice-Commander-in-Chief Judge J.B.M. Hertzog, and States-Procureur J.C.
Smuts.

The negotiations with the representatives of the British Government
continued from the 18th to the 29th of May; and upon their conclusion
the Commission communicated to the National Representatives the terms on
which England was prepared to conclude peace.

On May the 31st we decided to accept the proposals of the English
Government.[110] The Independence of the two Republics was at an end!

I will not attempt to describe the struggle it cost us to accept these
proposals. Suffice it to say that when it was over, it had left its mark
on every face.

There were sixty of us there, and each in turn must answer Yes or No. It
was an ultimatum--this proposal of England