re looted by the enemy, who
leave them deprived of everything. My conscience will therefore not
allow me to say that we must continue the war, because that will mean
that the families will have to die of hunger. We men can make some
arrangement to help ourselves, for we can move about from one place to
another to look for food, and if it came to a push, we could take
provisions from the enemy; but the women and children are helpless
victims. According to the dictates of my conscience, therefore, I must
vote for the acceptance of these terms before us in order to save our
families, but I shall record my vote only under protest and with
notification that I give it thus for the said reasons.

On the motion of Field Cornet B. J. VAN HEERDEN, seconded by Field
Cornet B. J. ROOS, it was unanimously resolved to close the
discussion, after which the Meeting was closed with Prayer till the
following morning.

SATURDAY, MAY 31ST, 1902.

At 9.30 o'clock in the morning the Meeting was opened with Prayer.

The following two proposals were handed in:--

(1) By General NIEUWOUDT, seconded by General BRAND:--

"This Meeting of special Delegates from both the Republics having
considered the proposal by His Britannic Majesty's Government for the
restoration of peace, and considering--

"(_a_) The wishes and the instructions of the Burghers in the Field;

"(_b_) That they do not feel themselves justified to conclude a peace
on the basis laid down by His Majesty's Government before having been
placed in communication with the Delegates of the Republics at present
in Europe, Resolves--

"That they cannot accept the proposal of His Majesty's Government, and
instructs the Governments to communicate this Resolution to His
Britannic Majesty's Government through their Representatives here."

(2) By General P. R. VILJOEN, seconded by General H. A. ALBERTS:--

"That this Meeting resolves to accept the Proposal of the British
Government."

State Secretary F. W. REITZ now addressed the Meeting, and said: I
consider it a duty to myself, as State Secretary and as burgher, to my
nation, and to posterity, to say that if this Meeting decides to
conclude the war and to accept the British terms, they will have to
make provision for the signing thereof, because I shall affix my
signature to no document by which our independence is relinquished.
But I must also say that if this Meeting does not see its way clear to
go on with the war, they o