er shape than
we ever thought. For each one of us death would have been a sweeter
and a more welcome end than the step which we shall now have to take.
But we bow to God's will. The future is dark, but we shall not
relinquish courage and our hope and our faith in God. No one will ever
convince me that the unparalleled sacrifices laid on the altar of
Freedom by the Africander people will be vain and futile. The war of
freedom of South Africa has been fought, not only for the Boers, but
for the entire people of South Africa. The result of that struggle we
leave in God's hand. Perhaps it is His will to lead the people of
South Africa through defeat and humiliation, yea, even through the
valley of the shadow of death, to a better future and a brighter day.

Commandant A. J. BESTER (Bloemfontein) said: I have been delegated by
a commando of 800 men, and although General de Wet clearly explained
our position to them, these 800 men declared that they would not
submit to England. My commando has been taking part in the war since
the commencement, and we have sacrificed everything already that was
dear to us, all for our national existence and independence. Eight
months ago my commando was in very bad circumstances. We were badly
supplied with horses and clothing, but now we are furnished with all
we want, almost as well as when we commenced the war. Every burgher
has at least two horses, and some have five, and they are all full of
courage. Where they get the courage from is a riddle to me, because
dark days have passed over them.

Arguments with reference to our circumstances are piled up, but I must
point out that we did not commence with arguments. In 1880 the South
African Republic dared to rise against the powerful England. The view
then taken was that the Africander, who had settled here, and who had
shed his blood for his country, had a just claim to this country, and
by the London Convention the enemy had acknowledged that right, that
claim. Now the enemy has broken that Convention, and we took up arms
in the hope that right would triumph. The war was forced upon the
South African Republic and her confederate, the Orange Free State, and
why? For the sake of the franchise? No, but for the gold of
Johannesburg. That is what England wished to have, just as formerly
she wanted the diamond fields of Kimberley and scooped them in.

We commenced the war knowing that London alone had about 5,600,000
inhabitants, and we barel