that I am lacking in respect for
their judgment. By no means. I know that what has been said about the
wretched plight of the people is only too true; but they must not take
it amiss if I point out that the same condition of affairs was described
in the correspondence from the Transvaal which fell into the hands of
the English at Reitz. But, granting that the facts have been correctly
stated, even then the Orange Free State will refuse to give in. Let me
be candid with you, and say frankly that, in my opinion, this is
virtually the Transvaal's war. This, however, makes no difference to me.
For me the barrier of the Vaal River has never existed. I have always
endeavoured to maintain the Nauwere-Vereeniging,[112] and I feel
strongly the obligation which the union of the two States casts on each
one of us. They are two nations, but their cause is one.

"What, then, is the prevailing feeling in the Orange Free State? Of the
six thousand burghers who have been attending meetings, I myself have
been in command of five thousand, and I can confidently say that never
were five thousand men more unanimous in their opinion than were those I
led when they cried, as with one voice, 'Persevere; we have everything
to lose, but we have not yet lost it.' What, then, is the answer to be?
I am firmly persuaded that we have only one course before us. If we are
unable to obtain what we are asking for, then it only remains for us to
alleviate as best we may the lot of those who cannot help themselves. I
do not as yet clearly see how this is going to be done, but, at all
costs, let us continue fighting. What was our total strength when we
began this war? Sixty thousand men all told. Against this the English
had a standing army of seven hundred and fifty thousand troops. Of these
two hundred and fifty thousand, or one-third, are now in South Africa.
We know from experience that they are unable to send more than
one-third. And we? Have we not also one-third of our army left?

"I do not wish to imply that I am not prepared to concede something, but
nothing will induce me to consent to any part of the country in _our_
territory being given up. It will never do to have an English colony
planted in our midst, for England then would have far too firm a hold
upon our country.

"It is said, and with some truth, that the goldfields have been a curse
to us, but surely there is no reason why they should continue to be so.
I fail to see how, without re