tual state of affairs when they gave
those mandates. He himself had not known at that time in what a plight
the country was. He challenged each and all of the delegates to show
their burghers the proposal of the British Government, and then to see
if those burghers were not in favour of unconditional surrender. But if
the meeting insisted on the continuation of hostilities, the nation
would be driven into _hands-upping_; thus the war would end in dishonour
and disgrace.

Landdrost Bosman (Wakkerstroom) was glad that General De la Rey had
spoken out so boldly; it was every one's duty to do so. He himself also
was against the continuance of the war.

Although it had been said that the war had been begun in faith, it ought
not to be forgotten that it had also been begun with hope of
intervention, as was shown by the sending of the deputation to
Europe--that deputation which, as they had often heard, had done so much
good work. Another proof that there had then been hope of intervention
was that the burghers had ordered the delegates to keep them in
communication with the deputation. And that they had not relied
exclusively on faith at the beginning of the war was shown by the fact
that they had founded great hopes on what their brethren in Cape Colony
might accomplish. These hopes had now been dissipated by General Smuts,
who had just said that there was no chance of a general insurrection.

Again, could the war be continued when their commandos were so much
weakened, and when food was so scarce? It was nonsense to say that food
had been scarce a year ago; there had been a sufficiency then, and at
the present time there was not. One could ride from Vereeniging to Piet
Retief without seeing more than two or three herds of cattle. Moreover,
the women and children were in a most pitiable condition. One delegate
had spoken against any scheme which would be as it were a trampling on
the blood which had already been spilt--he shared that delegate's
sentiments; but he considered that to shed yet more blood in a cause
which was to all appearance hopeless would be still more reprehensible.
He should prefer not to enter into the religious aspect of the question.
It was difficult to fathom the purposes of God; perhaps it might be the
Divine will that they should lose their independence. All that they
could do was to follow the course which seemed to be good and right.
Were they, then, to surrender unconditionally? He would say no.