ught not to accept any terms from the enemy,
but should simply say: "Here we are, here are our people. We cannot
continue the war any further; take us." I do not wish to hurt
anybody's feelings. On the contrary, I have the greatest respect for
the feelings of those brave men here who have fought so well and so
faithfully for their country and people, but I consider that it would
be wrong of us to make terms with England.

The CHAIRMAN remarked that the State Secretary was out of order.

General P. R. VILJOEN said: I have prayed that God may grant that I
shall not trample on the precious blood that has been shed, on the
blood of my own son, but after all that I have heard here I have
become convinced that we must terminate this war. I have tabled a
proposal from which the future generations can see that we are obliged
and forced to sacrifice our independence. I only trust that we shall
be unanimous in our resolution.

[Illustration: _Facsimile of the original proposal by Commandant H. P.
J. Pretorius, seconded by General Chris. Botha, to accept the British
Peace Proposals._]

General DE WET said: The time is too short to admit of further
discussion on these proposals, and we must arrive at a decision. I
propose that we appoint a committee, consisting of Advocates Smuts and
Hertzog, to draft a proposal embodying the views of this Meeting. I do
not say what the proposal must embrace. Let us then adjourn for an
hour, and let the Delegates of the South African Republic and of the
Orange Free State meet each other separately, in order to try to come
to unanimity. We must arrive at a unanimous decision, because
that will be of incalculable value to us for the future.

General BOTHA: I think we must adopt General de Wet's suggestion. We
have fought and suffered together; let us now decide together. In this
matter we can and must devise means to be unanimous.

General DE WET'S proposal was unanimously adopted by the Meeting, and
the Orange Free State Delegates withdrew to the tent of General de
Wet, while those of the South African Republic remained in the tent in
which the meeting was held.

Fully an hour later all the Delegates met again, and the following
resolution drafted by Generals HERTZOG and SMUTS was read:--

"This Meeting of Representatives of the people of both the South
African Republic and the Orange Free State, held at Vereeniging from
May 15 to 31, 1902, has with regret taken cognisance of the proposal