e for the people, and I see no
other way than to accept the proposal before us. It is indeed true
that the voices of our families call to us: "Do not give up the
struggle on our account." But they also say: "Do not go on if the
future becomes dark to you." If my burghers had known what I know now
they would have given me a different instruction. Must we demand more
sacrifices from the burghers and families if we see no light for the
future? However hard it may be, we cannot fight against
impossibilities. We must only consider what is best for our people and
take care that we give no one the opportunity to say: "You could have
saved us, but you have left us in the lurch." Just because our cause
is dark and difficult, we must use our minds and keep only the welfare
of our people in view. I can only agree to accept the proposals that
lie before us.

Chief Commandant DE WET then said: I feel myself compelled to express
my feelings too. The last speaker declared that the last word we had
from our Deputation was that we must fight till the last man was dead
and the last cartridge fired. I must say that I never heard of such a
message. What I know is that the Deputation let us know last year that
they saw no hope of intervention, but that we should hold out till the
last means of resistance had been exhausted. But I did not understand
from that that we must continue till the last man was dead and the
last cartridge fired.

I wish to express my feelings briefly but candidly, and I must go back
to the beginning of the war. I must say that when we began the war I
had not so much hope of intervention as now. In saying this, I do not
wish to intimate that I now have hope of intervention, but that we did
not then know whether we had the slightest sympathy in England or in
Europe. And now we have found out that we have indeed sympathy, and
although no one intervenes on our behalf, our cause is nevertheless
strongly supported, so that even English newspapers give reports of
"pro-Boer" meetings over the whole world. This information we obtain
from Europe through a man sent hither by the Deputation, and I have no
reason to say or to think that our informant is not trust-worthy. He
brought the last letter from the Deputation, and thus certainly enjoys
their confidence. This man is acquainted with public feeling in Europe
towards the two Republics, and informs us that our cause is daily
gaining ground in Europe and even in England. The