H. DE LA REY,
J. B. M. HERTZOG,
J. C. SMUTS.

Acting President S. W. BURGER said: If some point or other in the
documents that have just been read to you is not clear, one or other
of the members of the Commission will give the necessary explanations.
You will observe that the Commission tried to negotiate more or less
in the spirit of this meeting. The Representatives of the British
Government declared that they could not negotiate on any other basis
than the surrender of the independence. We have now before us a
document upon which the British Government thinks peace can be
concluded. The question before us now is: how must we set to work? I
think there are three courses open to us upon which we must decide
before Saturday evening. The three courses are:--

(1) To continue the struggle. Is this possible for us under the
circumstances in which we find ourselves; what are the prospects; and
what will the consequences be? This we must consider.

(2) Accept the proposal of the British Government and conclude peace
thereon.

(3) Surrender unconditionally.

On these questions the Meeting must now decide.

On the proposal of General S. P. du Toit, seconded by Commandant
Mentz, it was resolved that minutes of the discussions be kept as
briefly as possible, and also that all proposals and resolutions be
recorded.

Mr. J. DE CLERCQ (Middelburg): I would like to have some elucidation
of Clause 2. Whom does it include?

General SMUTS: The words are: "in the veld." It is thus plain that
other persons are not included in it.

Mr. DE CLERCQ: What, then, becomes of persons who have been banished?

General SMUTS: Clause 3 provides for persons who, according to the
British, have been banished.

Commandant JACOBSZ: Clause 2 deals with "burghers." I should like to
know whether officers are also included.

General SMUTS: "Burghers" includes officers also. "Rebels" is the term
in contra-distinction to "burghers."

General S. P. DU TOIT: In clause 4, I read: "The benefit of this
clause will not extend to certain acts." May I know what acts are here
referred to?

General BOTHA: As communicated by Lord Kitchener to the Commission,
three persons are excluded from the benefit of Clause 4 of the peace
proposals. They are namely: Mr. van Aswegen for the shooting of
Captain Mears; Mr. Cilliers for the shooting of Capt. Boyle; and a
certain Muller for the alleged murder of a certain Rademeyer in the
district of Vrede. Th