the struggle there, but you must not take it amiss in me if
I point out that that unfortunate correspondence between our two
Governments which fell into the hands of the British at Reitz, painted
the conditions in more or less the same colours as those in which they
are now represented. That was a year ago. I wish, however, to accept
what has been said as true. Still the Free State does not wish to give
up the war. I wish to speak openly, and let no one consider it as a
reproach when I say that this is really a Transvaal war. I say this in
a friendly and brotherly spirit, because, for me, the waters of the
Vaal River never existed. I always was an advocate of closer union.
There are unfaithful burghers amongst us, too, unfaithful to the
Compact between the two Republics, but I cling to that Compact, and
say that the entire war is our common cause.

What is now the mood prevailing amongst the burghers of the Orange
Free State? The meetings held there were attended by 6,000 burghers. I
myself was present at various meetings at which altogether 5,000
attended, while General Hertzog met the remaining 1,000. At these
meetings a voice as of thunder was given for the independence. The
resolution was: "Continue. We have always been prepared to sacrifice
everything for our independence, and are still prepared to do so." Not
a single man spoke differently. There is thus only one course open to
me. We must see what can be done for those parts of the country which
are helpless. I do not wish to be the man to say what must be done,
but I shall do everything I can to help. It would be very hard for me
if we have to adopt the suggestion of General Botha to send men into
the enemy's lines with their families. But we must continue the war.
Let us consider what our numbers were when we commenced. Let us assume
that there were 60,000 burghers able to bear arms. We knew that
England had an army of about 750,000 men. Of this she has sent about
250,000 here, namely, one-third. And experience teaches that she
cannot send out much more than a third. Have we not also still got
about a third of our fighting force?

I am also prepared to give up something for the sake of retaining our
independence, but with reference to the suggestion of offering the
Gold Fields, I agree with General de la Rey on that point. We can have
no other Government, no English Colony, in the midst of our country.
That will cause friction. It is said that the Gold Fields