ing our civilisation,
record our solemn conviction that the highest interest of South
Africa demand (1) A termination of the war now raging, with its
untold misery and horror, as well as the burning of houses, the
devastation of the country, the extermination of a white
nationality, and the treatment to which women and children are
subjected, which was bound to leave a lasting legacy of
bitterness and hatred, while seriously endangering the future
relationship between the forces of civilisation and barbarism in
South Africa; and (2) the retention by the Republics of their
independence, whereby alone the peace of South Africa can be
maintained.

"2. That this meeting desires a full recognition of the right of
the people of this Colony to settle and manage its own affairs,
and expresses its grave disapproval of the policy pursued and
adopted in this matter by the Governor and High Commissioner, Sir
Alfred Milner.

"3. That this Congress solemnly pledges itself to labour in a
constitutional way unceasingly for the attainment of the objects
contained in the above resolutions, and resolves to send a
deputation to His Excellency Sir Alfred Milner to bring these
resolutions officially to the notice of Her Majesty's
Government."

These resolutions having been read, Mr. de Villiers proceeds to make
two points. First, there will be no lasting peace in South Africa
until the independence of the Republics is restored; unless this is
done, race feeling will go on prevailing "for generations." And,
second, it is the "devastation of property" and "the treatment of the
women and children" by the British that has roused the colonial Dutch
to assemble at the Congress. Mr. Pretorius, the member of the
Legislative Council, then drives home both of these points by a short
but emphatic speech, delivered in Dutch, in which he asserts that one
of the consequences of the war will be a "never-ending irreconcilable
racial hatred" between the British and Dutch inhabitants.[230] Lord
Milner then rises from his chair and replies to the deputation:

[Footnote 230: It is scarcely necessary to point out that
this prophecy of continued racial hatred has been completely
falsified by events. The writer went out to South Africa a
second time in January, 1904, when two years had not passed
since the