. But alas! reports which we received from there
left us no room for hope.

No room for hope! that was the message of Vereeniging--a message which
struck a chill in every heart. One after another we painted the
destitution, the misery of our districts, and each picture was more
gloomy than the last. At length the moment of decision came, and what
course remained open to us? This only--to resign ourselves to our fate,
intolerable though it appeared, to accept the British proposal, and to
lay down our arms.

Most bitter of all was the thought that we must abandon our brethren in
Cape Colony and in Natal, who had thrown in their lot with ours. And
many a sleepless night has this caused me. But we could not help
ourselves. There was nothing else to do.

And as things have turned out, may we not hope that the Cape and Natal
Governments, following in the wake of the British Nation, will soon
understand that the wiser course is to forgive and forget, and to grant
as comprehensive an amnesty as possible? It is surely not unjust to
expect this of these Governments, when one remembers that whatever the
Colonists may have done, must be ascribed to the tie that binds them to
us--the closest of all ties--that of blood.

It is now for the two Governments to strive to realize the situation,
and then, by granting a general amnesty, to promote, as far as in them
lies, the true progress of South Africa.

* * * * *

On the evening of the 31st of May, 1902, the members of the Government
of both Republics met Lord Kitchener and Lord Milner, in the former's
house, at Pretoria.

It was there that the Treaty of Peace--the British Proposal which the
National Representatives had accepted--was now to be signed.

It was a never-to-be-forgotten evening. In the space of a few short
minutes that was done which could never be undone. A decision arrived at
in a meeting could always be taken into reconsideration, but a document
solemnly signed, as on that night, by two parties, bound them both for
ever.

Every one of us who put his name to that document knew that he was in
honour bound to act in accordance with it. It was a bitter moment, but
not so bitter as when, earlier on the same day, the National
Representatives had come to the decision that the fatal step must be
taken.

On the 2nd June, 1902, the Representatives left Vereeniging, and
returned every man to his own commando. It was now their sad duty to