find out what course God
wishes us to pursue in this matter. We do not know whether it is God's
decree that we must retain our independence or not. It may be God's
will that we should give it up. What we know for certain is that God
desires us to do right. Everyone who does right is on the right road.
There is no doubt about that. I am convinced that if I vote for the
continuance of the struggle under the existing circumstances, and in
that way cause more suffering, then I am not on the right road, and
thus not on God's way. On the other hand, when I see no hope or
prospect of prosecuting the war with good results, and I vote for
giving up the struggle, then I am on the right road, and thus also on
God's road.

There is another course open to us--namely, unconditional
surrender--but I cannot vote for that. If we do that, then one of the
first things that the enemy will do after the restoration of peace
will be to represent to our people that their leaders did not do what
they could have done, and I am of opinion that thereby mistrust and
suspicion will be raised in the minds of many of our burghers.
Therefore, after all that we have suffered and done, I think that,
however hard it may be, we can now do nothing else but choose what is
best and most acceptable to us. Our feelings and love for our country
and people rise up against that, but if we allow ourselves to be led
by our feelings, and by our love, without using our reason, we shall
find ourselves on the wrong road. Everything will work together for
our good.

I conclude by warning all that we can only too easily mistake a
will-o'-the-wisp for a star, and that we should thus decide very
honestly and carefully.

Commandant H. S. GROBLER (Bethel): There are three courses open to us,
and if ever an important choice had to be made, it is now. As far as I
am concerned, I must say that it is in my opinion impossible for us to
continue the war. My district must be abandoned, and if I, as an
officer, cannot state other reasons to my burghers upon which we can
go on, how can I expect them to continue? There are about 12 districts
in the South African Republic which must be evacuated if the war is to
go on. That means that we shall have to resort to our furthermost
boundaries and leave the enemy in possession of the heart of our
country. But by fleeing about we shall not be able to retain our
independence. We must fight for that. It is asked what prospects we
had when w