only desire is to place ourselves
in the breach, if so we may save you.'"

General Botha then proceeded to discuss eventualities in the event of
independence being lost. Representative government, he said, might
perhaps still be retained, and the national language need not
necessarily be supplanted. Thus the nation would still retain its old
ideals and its old customs. General Roux had been pertinently asked
whether it were better to strive for the recuperation of the people now
or to wait until they were altogether overpowered and reduced to such
straits that it would require some thirty years before they could once
more call themselves a nation. He then went into the terms of the
proposal by the British Government, and repeated that there must be no
idea of unconditional surrender.

The General concluded in the following words:

"Although we do not _wish_ to accept terms, we have no right to refuse
them altogether. On the other hand we must not say to the English, 'Do
with us as you like.' For then our descendants would eternally reproach
us. We should have lost the privilege of looking after our own wives and
children. They would be handed over to strangers. No! we must secure by
some means or other that we ourselves shall be able to provide for them.
The fate of our country is in the hands of the men in this tent. It has
been bitter, indeed, for me to have to speak as I have done. But if I
have not spoken the truth, convince me of my error, and I will be the
first to own it. But do not condemn me, for I have had no other object
than to tell you what I believe to be the truth."

General De la Rey spoke.

"I will not detain you long," he began, "but there are a few points to
which I wish to draw attention. In regard to the districts under my
command, every one will understand that my burghers, after their recent
brilliant successes, are firmly resolved not to sacrifice their
independence. If I allude to the battles which I have just fought it is
with no thought of boasting, but only that you may picture to yourselves
the effect which they must have had upon the enemy; and that no one may
be angry with myself and my burghers for standing firm when our feet are
on such solid ground.

"But since my arrival at Vereeniging I have heard about our districts
where matters are in a far less favourable condition than in my own. So
far as I myself am concerned, I cannot think of laying down my arms. Yet
it appears to me t