see what other course is open to us.

"There is one fact which we cannot allow ourselves to forget. There are
ten districts in the Transvaal which must be abandoned. In the Free
State, too, there are districts in a similar plight. It is the opinion
of lawyers that so long as the inhabitants remain in a district their
property cannot lawfully be confiscated; but if the district be
abandoned, then confiscations can take place.

"It is criminal to say, 'Come what may, we will fight till everything is
lost and all of us are dead!'"

The following resolution was then proposed by General Kemp, and seconded
by Mr. J. Nand:

"_This meeting decides, in order to expedite the work in hand, to depart
from the original programme; and to constitute a Commission, to be
composed of the Hon. Jacob Smits and the Hon. Judge Hertzog, and to give
this Commission authority to draw up, conjointly with the two State
Presidents, a draft proposal, to be laid before the delegates to-morrow
morning._"

This resolution was put to the meeting, and accepted by the delegates.
The meeting then adjourned.

* * * * *

At half-past seven in the evening the delegates reassembled.

General Cilliers (Lichtenburg and Marico) was the first to make a
report. "In my division," he said, "things are in a very favourable
condition. Yet we are bound to take the other divisions into
consideration. My burghers said to me, 'Stand firm for independence!'
But when they gave me the order they did not know about the condition of
the other districts. Will those other districts--such of them, I mean,
as are in a worse predicament than ourselves--be able to co-operate with
us in continuing the war? Some of them have already answered my question
in the negative. Must we then not ask ourselves, What will be the best
for the nation as a whole? Shall we say continue the war, or shall we
approach the enemy and make a proposal?

"But are we really justified in prolonging the struggle, and making
still further sacrifices? Some will answer, 'Yes, for we have a God in
whom we have trusted from the beginning; shall we not continue to trust
in Him who has worked such wonders for us already?' But I have heard a
brother say, 'God's hand is against us.' It was bitter to hear these
words from him, and for myself I will have none of them. My vote is
given here and now for a continuance of the war.

"But we must hear what the rest of the delegates h