"I feel deeply for our women and children; I am giving earnest consideration to their miserable plight. But their sufferings are among what we may call the necessary circ.u.mstances of the war. I have nothing to do with the circ.u.mstances. For me, this is a war of religion, and thus I can only consider the great principles involved. Circ.u.mstances are to me but as obstacles to be cleared out of the road.
"If we own ourselves defeated--if we surrender to the foe--we can expect little mercy from him. We shall at all events have dug the grave of our national independence, and, as things are, what difference is there between this and digging our own graves?"
Mr. Birkenstock said that the question about the goldfields must be carefully considered. This source of income must not be given up.
The meeting was then closed with prayer.
[Footnote 112: Closer Union.]
SAt.u.r.dAY, MAY 17TH, 1902.
The Chairman first called upon Chief Commandant de Wet to offer up prayer.
A private report from Mr. J. Schmorderer, who had brought the missive from the deputation in Europe, was then read.
The first delegate to speak was Landdrost Bosman (Wakkerstroom), who said:
"My opinion is that the best way of ascertaining the probable future course of events is to see what has already happened in the past. A year ago there were six hundred burghers in my district, and each man had a horse; now there are not more than half that number, and many of them have to go on foot. Last year we had from three to four thousand bags of maize ready to hand; this year there are not more than as many hundred, and how to get at them is more than I can tell. If such has been the history of the past year, in what sort of condition shall we be at the end of the present one?
"The great difficulty with regard to our families is not how to clothe them, but how to feed them. I know of a woman who has lived for weeks on nothing but fruit. I myself have had to satisfy my hunger with mealies for days together, although I have no wish to complain about it. Even the scanty food we can get has to be obtained from the Kaffirs by persuasion. Moreover, the Kaffirs side with the English, who in their counter-marches are clearing all the food out of the country.
"The men in my district told me that if I came back and reported that the war was to be continued, they would be obliged--for the sake of their wives and children--to go straight to the nearest English camp and lay down their arms. As to the women it is true that they are at present full of hope and courage, but if they knew how matters stood in the veldt, they would think very differently. Even now there are many of them who say that the war ought to be put a stop to, if only for their sakes.
"The Kaffirs are another great source of trouble; in this problem they are a factor which cannot be neglected.
"There is no hope of intervention, nor can we expect anything from the English nation. Facts that have come to my knowledge prove to me that England has become more and more determined to fight to the bitter end.
"I do not see what we can possibly gain by continuing the war. Our own people are helping the English, and every day the enemy are improving their position. What advantage can there then be in persisting in the struggle? We have now a chance of negotiating, and we should seize that chance. For we have the opportunity given us of obtaining some help for our ruined compatriots, who would be entirely unable to make a fresh start without a.s.sistance.
"As to the religious side of this matter, I am not ashamed to say that I believe I am serving G.o.d in the course which I am taking. We must not attempt to obtain the impossible against all reason. If we make any such attempt, the results will probably be exactly opposite to what we wish.
I have the greatest doubt whether it really is in order to give glory to G.o.d that the nation wishes to retain its independence. On the contrary I believe that the motive is obstinacy, a vice to which human nature is always p.r.o.ne.
"It has been said that it would be shameful to disregard the blood already spilt; but surely one ought also to consider the blood that might yet be shed in a useless struggle."
The proposal of the Commission was now read, and after some discussion accepted. It ran as follows:
The meeting of national representatives from both Republics--after having considered the correspondence exchanged, and the negotiations conducted, between the Governments of the two Republics and His Excellency Lord Kitchener, on behalf of the British Government; and after having heard the reports of the deputies from the different parts of both Republics; and after having received the latest reports from the representatives of the two Republics in Europe; and having taken into consideration the fact that the British Government has refused to accept the proposal of our Governments made on the same basis; and notwithstanding the above-mentioned refusal of the British Government--still wishes to give expression to the ardent desire of the two Republics to retain their independence, for which already so much material and personal sacrifice has been made, and decides in the name of the people of both Republics to empower both Governments as follows:--To conclude a peace on the following basis, to wit: the retention of a limited independence offering an addition to what has already been offered by the two Governments in their negotiations, dated the 15th of April, 1902.
(_a_) To give up all foreign relations and emba.s.sies.
(_b_) To accept the Protectorate of Great Britain.
(_c_) To surrender parts of the territory of the South African Republic.
(_d_) To conclude a defensive alliance with Great Britain in regard to South Africa.
During the discussion it was clearly explained that the territory which it was suggested should be ceded was the already mentioned goldfields and Swaziland. The question was put whether the South African Republics would have to pay for the damage done during the war. "By all means let us pay," said Mr. De Clercq. "If I could only buy back the independence of the Orange Free State, I would gladly give all I possess."
Several other Transvaal delegates expressed themselves in the same sense, and said that they fully appreciated the sacrifices which the Orange Free State had made. General Froneman thanked them in the name of the Free State.
He felt that the two Republics no longer thought of themselves as having conflicting interests. In the fire of this war they had been firmly welded together.
Commandant Ross (Vrede) thought it wrong even to discuss the possibility of giving up independence. The delegates had received a definite mandate. They had been commissioned to see that the national independence had remained untouched, whatever else might have to be given up. This being the case, they might come to decisions on all other points, so long as they remembered that independence was not an open question.
Commandant J. Van Niekerk (Ficksburg) spoke to the same purpose. He could not even think of sacrificing independence.
After some other delegates had made a few short remarks, General Brand, seconded by Commandant A.J. De k.o.c.k, proposed the following resolution, which was accepted by the meeting:
"This meeting of the national representatives of the two Republics hereby charge the Governments to nominate a Commission for the purpose of entering upon negotiations with His Excellency Lord Kitchener, acting on behalf of His Britannic Majesty"s Government.
The Commission is to endeavour to make peace on satisfactory terms, and is then to lay the result of its negotiations before this meeting, for the sanction of the two Governments."
The meeting was then closed with prayer.
Appendix B
THE CONFERENCE AT PRETORIA BETWEEN THE COMMISSION OF THE NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES AND LORDS KITCHENER AND MILNER (MAY 19TH-MAY 28TH, 1902)
Minutes of the Conference held at Pretoria on May 19th, 1902, between Lord Kitchener and Lord Milner, representatives of the British Government, and Commandant-General L. Botha, Commander-in-Chief C.R. de Wet, General J.H. De la Rey, Judge J.B.M. Hertzog, and General J.C.
s.m.u.ts, delegates of the national representatives, who had met at Vereeniging on May 15th, 1902.
Mr. N.J. de Wet acted as interpreter; Mr. O. Walrond was secretary for the English Government; and the Rev. J.D. Kestell and D. Van Velden acted in a similar capacity for the Commission.
The Conference met at ten o"clock in the morning at the house of Lord Kitchener. After having greeted each other, the members took their seats at the table in the centre of the room.
Commandant-General L. Botha opened the proceedings in the following words:
"Allow me to state that, although the negotiations have taken a longer time than we expected, I am able to a.s.sure your Excellencies that we are acting in good faith, and that everything has been done with the sole aim of concluding the peace which we all desire.
"I must also draw attention to the fact that everything we transact here must be submitted to our national representatives, in order to obtain their sanction."
The suggestion was then made that the proposals which the Commission was prepared to make should be laid before the Conference, whereupon the following letter was read to the meeting:
PRETORIA, _19th May, 1902_.
_To their Excellencies, Lord Kitchener and Lord Milner, Pretoria._
YOUR EXCELLENCIES,--
With a view to finally concluding the existing hostilities, and being fully empowered by the Government of the two Republics, we have the honour to propose the following points--in addition to the conditions already offered in the negotiations of April last--as a basis for negotiations:
(_a_) We are prepared to cede our independence as regards our foreign relations.
(_b_) We wish to retain self-government in our country, under British supervision.