rty, but very
little provision is made for the poor man. And the burghers whom I
represent are not rich. They are not landowners. Three million pounds
are indeed offered, but how much is that among so many? Nor is it
stipulated that the Government notes which have been issued must be
paid, so that the poor will get very little. I cannot therefore vote
for the acceptance of the proposals before us.

As regards our prospects, I wish to bring to your recollection the
address which the Commandant General delivered to the burghers at the
Warmbaths towards the end of 1900. The situation was very gloomy then.
He said: "We have nothing more to lose and everything to gain. Let us
thus go on." No ground for perseverance were then given or asked. And
to say now that we are not going a step further without grounds and
facts before us is in conflict with what we have hitherto done. We
have seen how in the past relief was always at hand. When Pretoria
fell the outlook was darker than now, but there was then a spirit
which animated the people. There was faith and a trust that we must
persevere. And there is no one now who has been put to shame because
he maintained the struggle. I can state no definite grounds upon which
we can build, but when I consider the past, I can say to my burghers
that we can still continue the struggle, and we will do that too.
There is nothing more for us to lose, whereas we have the opportunity
of persevering with our arms in our hands till better days dawn.

General DE LA REY: I must remark that I never misled anyone at any
meeting. Every document that was handed to me by the Government I
caused to be read out at every meeting, and on that the people had to
decide. The last speaker asks whether the responsibility rests on him
to-day to decide on the question of independence. My answer is: "Yes,
and not only on him, but on every one of you." The responsibility
rests upon you generally. You do not represent a certain village or
district, but the whole country, and it is the duty of everyone to
decide according to the general condition of circumstances all over
the country.

Mr. NAUDE: I am not indifferent in this matter, and I do not wish to
shirk my responsibility; on the contrary, I will gladly bear it. But I
am not here in the same position as a member of the Volksraad, who is
entrusted to deal with all matters. I have a definite commission to
submit the views of my burghers, and do not feel myself jus