reference to
our independence. Naturally, I do not feel myself bound by those
instructions, because I am here to make the best of the circumstances
for my people, and I am sure that I have the confidence of my
burghers.

The other evening it was asked whether we are justified in continuing
the struggle. I then answered: Yes, if we considered the justness of
our cause, we are indeed justified. But when we consider our cause
further and take our general position into consideration, then the
question arises whether we are not perpetrating a murder on our people
if we continue the war. The position in both the Republics has been
made clear to us, and that condition is very pitiful. As far as my
district and burghers are concerned, we with some other districts are
still in a position to continue the war, but must I not consider the
situation in other districts? And shall we accuse those men who have
up till now stood faithfully with us of cowardice because they cannot
go on any longer? No, we may not do that. I, of course, long for peace
with the retention of our independence, but we cannot get that, and
nobody can get that for us. We have delegated a Commission who enjoy
our fullest confidence, and they have tried to get all that they
possibly could from the British Government, and there lie the terms
now upon which we can conclude peace. Who of us is in a position
to-night to say we can continue the struggle and thereby obtain
something better for our people than these terms now before us? It is
thought that the Deputation are doing good work because the enemy will
not allow us to get into communication with them, but the last we
heard from our Deputation was to the effect that our salvation lay in
our having to fight to the utmost, and till our last cartridge has
been fired. If, now, we were to go so far as to sacrifice the last man
and to fire our last cartridge, what have we then? Is such a message
from the Deputation encouraging to you? To me it is by no means
encouraging.

Further, some argue about Faith, and it is said that we commenced the
war in faith. To that I wish to say that we must not believe one thing
and not the other. We must not believe that if we persevere we shall
obtain the victory. We must also believe that it is possibly God's
will that we must for a time bow to the power of the enemy. Our
Commission to the Representatives of the British Government have done
their best to obtain as much as possibl