hy, if we have kept up the struggle for two years and
a half, can we not still continue to do so?

"Because, in the meantime, we have become weaker and weaker, and if we
persist the end must be fatal. What grounds have we for expecting that
we may yet be victorious? Each man we lose renders us weaker; every
hundred men we lose means a similar gain to the enemy. England's
numerical strength does not diminish; on the contrary, there are even
more troops in the country at this moment than when Lord Roberts had the
command. England also has used our own men against us, and has not been
ashamed of arming the Kaffirs; the enemy are learning from our own men
in what way they should fight--he must be blind indeed who cannot see
these facts.

"I do not think we can appropriately call this altogether a 'war of
faith.' Undoubtedly we began this war strong in the faith of God, but
there were also two or three other things to rely upon. We had
considerable confidence in our own weapons; we under-estimated the
enemy; the fighting spirit had seized upon our people; and the thought
of victory had banished that of the possibility of defeat.

"The question still remains, What are we to do? I have no great opinion
of the document which lies before us: to me it holds out no inducement
to stop the war. If I feel compelled to treat for peace it is not on
account of any advantages that this proposal offers me: it is the weight
of my own responsibility which drives me to it.

"If I think that by holding out I should dig the nation's grave, nothing
must induce me to continue the struggle.

"Therefore I consider it my duty, as leader of our nation, to do my
utmost that not one man more shall be killed, that not one woman more
shall die.

"The sacrifice must be made; is not this also a trial of our faith? What
shall we gain by going on? Nothing! It is obvious that further
surrenders will take place--here of a few, there of many--and our
weakness will increase.

"We shall also be obliged to abandon large areas of the country. Will
this make us stronger? Rather, will it not enable the enemy to
concentrate still more? And the abandoned tracts--to whom will they
belong? To the enemy!

"In all probability this is our last meeting. I do not believe that we
shall be given another chance to negotiate: we shall be deemed too
insignificant. If we reject this proposal, what prospects have we in the
future? If we accept it, we can, like a child, in