ould not be
denied that some of the commandos were no longer able to continue
fighting. That being the case, even if there were a majority in favour
of prolonging the struggle, that majority would have to yield to the
wishes of the minority, and for this reason: if the war were to be
continued in conformity with the wishes of the majority, and if the
minority were to be compelled to surrender (and nobody would be
surprised at this), then the majority would find themselves too weak to
go on fighting. Thus there were clear reasons why the war must be ended.
Moreover, its continuation would involve not only the _national_ but
also the _moral_ death of the Republics. But it was still to be proved
that a continuation of the war was even possible; for himself he feared
that it was not so, and if fight he must he could only fight without
hope and without heart. If he were now to go back to his burghers, and
they were to ask him why he persisted in the war, and he was compelled
to reply that he was doing so on the strength of opinions expressed in
newspapers, and on the encouragement given to the cause of the Republics
in their pages, he would be told that he was building on sand. Again, he
feared that if the war were to be continued, detached parties would be
formed which would try to obtain terms from the English for themselves.
And should the commandos in time become so weak as to be forced to
surrender unconditionally, what then would be the fate of the officers?
Would they not lose everything, and be banished into the bargain? Let no
one think, however, that he was trying merely to do what was best for
himself. No. There was now a chance for negotiating; should the meeting
let slip that chance, unconditional surrender would most certainly
result, and that would be disastrous to all. He hoped that he would not
be misunderstood; if the meeting decided to go on with the war, he, for
one, would not lay down his arms. No, he would actively prosecute the
war, and operate in conjunction with the other generals. But what would
be the use of it: he sided with those who held that the struggle could
no longer be carried on.

Commandant Rheeder (Rouxville) wished to reply to those who demanded
reasons for the continuation of the war. One reason, he said, was to be
found in the fact that England would not allow them to have any
communication with the deputation in Europe; that meant that something
advantageous to us was being held back