TO THE TRANSVAAL
Our horses needed rest after all the hard trekking. Luckily we were able
to grant them this on the farm Rondebosch, which we reached about a week
after we had effected the passage at Kalk-krans. There the horses not
only got some rest but also forage. This rest, however, did not last
long. After two days we heard that the English were again approaching,
and, as we had expected, were returning from Harrismith. We had now to
give way before the enemy once more. The question was, Whither? And as
it was clear to the President that his presence in the districts of
Bethlehem and Vrede was largely the cause of the continual reappearance
of English columns in those parts, the question arose, whether it would
not be better, in order to give these districts, which had latterly been
terribly harassed, as well as himself some rest, to leave them and
betake himself beyond the railway line to those portions of the Free
State which were then enjoying comparative repose.
General de Wet, who was still with the President, approved of the idea,
and the plan was carried out.
We saddled our horses with the intention of going to the district of
Fauresmith, but it turned out that we landed in the Transvaal.
At sunset on the 5th of March we left Rondebosch. It was a dark night,
and the darkness was the cause of some loss to me, for we had hardly
commenced to trek when the pack in which my clothes and blankets were,
tumbled off. I was riding in front, and did not know that my little
Kaffir boy was struggling with the pack; but I soon heard that
everything was lost--my Kaffir boy too; for in running after a led horse
that had broken loose while he was busy with the pack, he got lost
himself, and although we shouted and searched for him we could not find
him.
The commando had to proceed, and I had to proceed with it, possessing
nothing but what was in my wallets and the clothes I was wearing. I
thought it remarkable that while everything had been saved in the dash
through Kalk-krans, here, where there was no immediate danger,
everything should be lost. But I did not feel unhappy. On the contrary,
it was with a feeling of relief that I remembered I should not have the
trouble of having to look after worldly possessions, nor the care of the
little Kaffir, during the difficult journey that lay before us. He was
safer at his kraal, which was not far from the spot where the mishap had
occurred, and the "secret of Jesus," as Matthew Arnold calls it, became
clearer to me than ever before: that to gain life one must lose it. From
that evening up to the end of the war I rode on my pony with a few
blankets that I got the next day fastened on a led horse. I was without
cares.
The English had approached to within nine miles of us on the following
day, and we saw that we should have to bestir ourselves. While hurrying
on our way to the Frankfort-Heilbron line of blockhouses we halted for
half an hour, while General de Wet, who was about to part from the
President, discussed the route that should be taken. He said that it
would be best to cross the railway line somewhere between Wolvehoek and
Vaal River, "and then," he said to Commandant van Niekerk, "you must"--
"But why should you not go with us?" the President asked.
General de Wet replied that if he did this it would look as if he were
fleeing from the enemy.
Judge Hertzog then showed that the presence of the General was urgently
required in the western district, and other members of the Executive
Council remarked that if he left the north-eastern portions of the State
for a while the people there would get some rest, and that, so far from
taking it amiss if he went away, they would be glad if he should absent
himself for some time. And now a strange thing happened. This inflexible
man, who never lost his presence of mind and always knew immediately
what course of action to pursue, said, "Well, then, I leave the matter
in your hands. You must decide."
Of course everyone took the responsibility upon himself, and General de
Wet remained with us. How secure we all felt!
In the afternoon we met with the burghers of Commandant van der Merwe,
who had been driven from Parys and Vredefort over the railway line some
months before, and who had remained in the Heilbron district since then.
The Commandant and his men wanted to get back, and were overjoyed when
General de Wet ordered them to accompany him. When it became dark we
proceeded on our way in order to break through the Heilbron-Frankfort
line of blockhouses to the east of the town of Heilbron.
All went well. In complete silence--no officer has need to enjoin
silence when men are marching to blockhouses or the railway--we
approached the line. We expected every moment to hear shots; but nothing
happened. The foremost men had halted. A burgher cut the wires. Just as
one of the wires was cut the reports of two shots fell on the silence of
the night in quick succession. They were fired from rifles attached to
the wire. We waited a moment. But all was still. No other shot rang out,
and we passed through swiftly.
After riding a few hours farther over an apparently endless plain, well
named Langverdriet (Long-sorrow), we off-saddled shortly before sunrise
on a farm in a hollow, with the blockhouses seven miles behind us.
The morning of the 6th of March had now dawned. After breakfasting we
proceeded until twelve o'clock, and then rested till the sunset. We then
mounted our horses once more, and at eleven o'clock we were a few
thousand yards from the railway at a point somewhere between Wolvehoek
(station) and Vaal River. General de Wet did not wish to cross just
then, as he was of opinion that the guards on the line would be too
wakeful, and he ordered that we should halt there till one o'clock. We
thereupon tied our horses to one another and lay down on the ground. I
fell asleep immediately. Shortly before one o'clock I was awakened by a
sound which I had not heard for months--that of a passing train. What
memories mounted in my mind, and how the hot blood surged in my veins at
the thought that our railway was in the hands of the enemy! The order
was given to mount, and we rode on to about four hundred yards from the
line.
Halt!
A party of Commandant van der Merwe's men went on foot to cut the wires.
This was done. The whole commando now rushed to the line. It must have
been the tramp of our horses that woke the sentries, for when we had
already reached the line a shot rang out. We passed through a ditch and
then up a very slight embankment; and I saw again, as I had already seen
several times before, the two rails glide under me to the rear. A
feeling of relief took possession of me. The half of the commando had
crossed when shots from three rifles were heard from a railway cottage
in the direction of Wolvehoek, and the foremost men halted till all
should have crossed. But soon we heard the rattle of a Maxim, and
everyone then hurried on.
We could still occasionally hear the Maxim; but at last it ceased, or
else we were too far off to hear its vicious cackling. We off-saddled at
sunrise, six miles from the line.
In the course of the day we reached the farm of Salamon Senekal, two and
a half hours from the railway and one hour from the town of Parys,
grateful to God for His protection.
There was another matter for which we had cause to be grateful: the
delicious fruit of the farm. Salamon Senekal had ridden on ahead, and
when the President and the General arrived there, he had spread, on a
plate of corrugated iron, under the great blue gum-trees, a splendid
collection of ripe figs, apples, pears, and great peaches. What a feast
had been prepared for the President!
There were several other kinds of fruits in the garden besides these:
quinces, prickly pears, pomegranates in such quantities that when we,
about 150 men, left the farm, one could not have noticed that a commando
had been there. And we had not spared the trees. Whether any had
overeaten themselves I leave to the reader to determine.
At the town of Parys, where we arrived on the following day, we found
three families, aged men and women and children. One old man had died
shortly before. This would have placed the aged survivors in a difficult
position if there had not been a young girl, Miss Greef, living in the
family in which the death had taken place. While one of the two
surviving old men made a coffin, the girl dug a grave in the garden and
took upon herself the greater part of the labour of interring the body.
It is a pleasing duty to me, after having had to write so much to the
discredit of the English, to be able to relate that the families here in
Parys had no complaints to bring in against officers and men who had
been quartered here for some time. On the contrary, they declared that
the English had treated them with the greatest consideration, and had
also provided for all their wants.
It was the intention of General de Wet to remain at Parys, and on the
following Sunday, March the 9th, to attend a service in the church. But
this was not to be, for the English had appeared behind us. We had
therefore to leave Parys on Saturday afternoon. In the evening we
reached the village of Vredefort, and I saw in the dusk the walls of the
burnt parsonage. I thought of the pleasure I had enjoyed when, seventeen
months before, I stayed there for a night. If anybody had said then that
the war would last another seventeen months, who would have believed
him?
We found the blockhouses from Kopjes Siding to Potchefstroom and those
from Kroonstad to Potchefstroom broken up. We rode forward without
adventure to a place nine miles from Valsch River, and arrived at the
farm of Broekman's on Thursday, 13th March. We had trekked from the
district of Heilbron to where we now were in eight days, and during all
that time we had been in a completely devastated region. We had met no
one on the farms. Every house that we had passed was burnt or destroyed.
We had not seen a single horse, ox, or sheep. The veld was in splendid
condition--the grass waved in the breeze, but we had seen no cattle to
graze on it. We had ridden through a wilderness, excepting that the
ruins on the farms showed that the country had once been inhabited. At
Broekman's[15] General de Wet learned that there were blockhouses on the
left bank of the Valsch River, and at the same time word was brought by
the scouts that all the fords of the Vaal were occupied by the English.
He thereupon decided to cross through Valsch River and the blockhouse
line to the opposite side.
[Footnote 15: We found a report here, fixed on a board, of an address
delivered by Lord Kitchener at Belfast on the 18th and 19th of December
1901, with this heading: _Burghers, read this!_ The contents were for
the most part the same as those of the extract of the letter already
given. Lord Kitchener declared that the behaviour of the Boers in the
veld seemed very foolish to him. It was not war that was now being
carried on, for the operations rather resembled police operations,
seeing that the troops had to capture the burghers. He said that the
English captured between four and five hundred burghers every week. The
Boers in the veld seemed to him like sheep without a shepherd. He feared
that the present leaders were animated by other motives than the welfare
of their country at heart, and that, unless the Boers acted for
themselves, they would be led to complete ruin. The destruction of
property which still continued was to be deplored, but it was the fault
of the present leaders, who misled the people by assuring them that they
would receive help from abroad. The burghers should judge for
themselves, Lord Kitchener advised. They ought to convene meetings and
vote, not by a show of hands, but by ballot, so that they might not be
accused of so-called high treason--whether they would continue the war
or not. If the majority were in favour of continuing the war, let them
do so; but he warned them that in that case the responsibility would
rest on the burghers themselves. If, however, the majority were in
favour of peace, the burghers should choose other leaders in the place
of those who had held them in the veld by means of lies and threats.
Lord Kitchener believed that if the Boers in the field chose a
committee, and sent this committee to him, he would receive them; and he
felt convinced that, before they left, they would have agreed on a peace
acceptable to both parties. Voluntary surrenders would be accepted, if
the men came in in parties, and their cattle and property would be
guaranteed. They would, however, do better work by remaining on the veld
and using their influence with the leaders to bring this about. Officers
surrendering with their men would not be banished. Lord Kitchener
further indulged in the spiteful remark that President Steyn and General
de Wet (he called them "Steyn" and "de Wet") profited financially by the
continuance of the war.]
In the evening he crossed the river, while Commandant van der Merwe and
Commandant van Niekerk of Kroonstad remained behind to operate in their
own districts. We found the river almost too full to cross, but nothing
particular happened; and at the blockhouse line all went well,
notwithstanding a heavy fire which was opened on us. Only a few horses
were left behind. On the following morning we heard that General de la
Rey had come in contact with the enemy, and that he had captured a great
many waggons and mules.
I must now state how it happened that we went to the Transvaal instead
of to the western portions of the Free State as we had intended.
The question had often been considered of late whether we would go to
the western portion of our State or through the Vaal River. This was
decided at Rietyat by the consideration of various circumstances.
President Steyn had been suffering since 20th February from an affection
of the eyes which seemed to be getting more and more serious. Would it
not be best to go through the Vaal River in order to consult Dr. von
Rennenkamff, who had joined the commandos of General de la Rey? If this
were done, the opportunity would be offered also of consulting General
de la Rey before sending the messenger to Europe. This decided the
matter, and we resolved at once to cross into the Transvaal. This,
however, could not be done by means of the fords, for they were, as I
have said before, guarded by the English. We had therefore to avail
ourselves of a fearfully bad bridle-path, which led through the Vaal
River a mile and a half above the British guard at Commando Drift.
On Monday, March the 17th, we reached Bosmansrust, and from there the
President, General de Wet, and the other members of the Executive
Council proceeded to Zendelingsfontein, where they were received with
great marks of honour.
The burghers of General de la Rey were delighted to have the Free State
leaders in their midst, and presented President Steyn with three
addresses.
There I heard the particulars concerning General de la Rey's operations.
There had been two battles. The first, at Yzerspruit, had taken place on
25th February, when 2 Armstrong cannon, 1 Maxim-Nordenfeldt, 153 loaded
waggons with their teams, 23 Scotch carts, 4 carts, 5 water carts, 460
oxen, 200 horses, and 1500 mules had been taken. There had been 241
prisoners-of-war, of whom 10 were officers. About 200 English had been
killed and wounded, and our loss 12 killed and 26 wounded. The second
battle had been fought on the 7th of March. Lieutenant-General Lord
Methuen had hastened to regain possession of the guns. His force,
numbering 1500 men, had been attacked at Klip Drift, Harts River, and
had fallen into the hands of General de la Rey. There had been captured
4 Armstrong guns, 75 waggons with their teams, 38 carts, and 518 horses.
Besides this there had been 400 killed and wounded and 859
prisoners-of-war. Amongst these was Lord Methuen who was wounded in the
leg. He and General de la Rey had been opposed to one another since
Magersfontein, and had fought with varying fortune. Here de la Rey
triumphed. Our loss had been 9 killed and 25 wounded. The prisoners were
released after each of the battles.
General de la Rey, after showing Lord Methuen every attention, allowed
him to be taken to Klerksdorp. This act of General de la Rey displeased
the burghers. They considered that as the enemy treated our captured
Generals in a different manner--the name of General Scheepers in the
Cape Colony was mentioned in this connection--the least that General de
la Rey should have done was to keep Lord Methuen prisoner.
General de la Rey thereupon laid the matter before the Council of War,
and pointed out that, although it would have been his duty to keep an
officer who had nothing the matter with him, humanity demanded that
every possible help should be given to a wounded man. The other officers
agreed, and Lord Methuen, who had been stopped on his way to Klerksdorp
when the burghers had demurred, was set at liberty.
To my great joy I met the Rev. J. Strasheim here, and went with him to
visit and address the commandos of General Kemp, Commandants de Beer and
Potgieter, and General Liebenberg. I was with the commandos of General
Liebenberg on Sunday night, 23rd March, when, at eleven o'clock, the
loud tramp of horses was heard on the road coming from Klerksdorp.
We immediately saddled our horses and inspanned. It appeared on the
following morning that the English had come from Klerksdorp in four
divisions, and had been joined by other forces that had advanced from
Commando Drift (Vaal River) at the one end and from Vaalbank on the
other. When morning dawned, the English had accomplished the remarkable
feat of forming an arc in one night from Makwassie to Vaalbank, a
distance of seventy-two miles, and General Liebenberg saw that he was in
a tremendous kraal, as we called it.
He was driven from Doornpoort to Leeuwfontein, and from there to
Limoenfontein. He endeavoured continually to break through towards
Vaalbank and in the direction of Schoonspruit, but fresh English troops
continually confronted his weary burghers. Near Limoenfontein the
English fired on us with shrapnel, and we hurried on to Buysfontein. Two
guns and one Maxim-Nordenfeldt had to be abandoned. At Buysfontein
General Liebenberg was forced to abandon his laager also, and the
commandos escaped by racing helter-skelter over the great stones down
the valley of Buysfontein, while the enemy harassed them with cannon and
rifle fire. In the evening, after having had our horses under saddle for
twenty hours, we rested until half-past eleven. We were apprehensive of
the enemy from the Makwassie end of the line; but the forces there had
advanced on both sides of us, and General Liebenberg succeeded in
passing in the night between two camps without knowing it at the time,
and unnoticed also by the English.
On the following day we reached Zendelingsfontein. Thus I had been in a
kraal (drive) once more.
On Wednesday, 26th March, we came to Doornkuil, and learnt that other
commandos had had very narrow escapes, and that unfortunately General de
la Rey's staff had been captured. I was glad, however, to learn that
President Steyn and his staff were safe.
PART III
_RESIGNATION_
CHAPTER I
"WILL THIS LEAD TO PEACE?"
"Will this lead to peace?" the burghers asked one another, when, on 27th
March, the news spread through the commandos that there were messengers
from Acting President Schalk Burger seeking President Steyn. The
messengers, it was said, had a safe-conduct from Lord Kitchener, and
were provided with horses and rations by the English in order to be able
to travel rapidly.
I got all the particulars when I returned to the laager of the President
on the following morning (Good Friday). Our Government had received an
invitation from the Government of the South African Republic to meet
them in order to discuss the question of whether a proposal of peace
could not be made to England.
This invitation of the Transvaal Government was the result of Lord
Kitchener's having sent, on behalf of his Government, to President
Burger on the 4th of March a copy of the correspondence of 25th to 29th
January between Holland and England.
Baron Gericke had asked the British Government whether the Netherlands
Government could not act as intermediary between England and the Boers
in the field. The Netherlands Government considered themselves justified
in making this request, as exceptional circumstances prevented the Boers
in the field from treating directly with the British Government through
their representatives in Europe. They therefore declared themselves
willing, if England consented, to act as a third party, and to ask the
Boer Deputation if they were willing to go to South Africa with a
safe-conduct from England to discuss matters with the Boers, and then
return to Europe with full powers to make a treaty of peace, which would
be binding in Europe as well as in Africa.
Lord Lansdowne had replied that, although the British Government
appreciated the philanthropic motives of Holland, they adhered to their
decision not to accept foreign intervention. It was open, however, to
the Boer Deputation to lay a request for a safe-conduct before the
British Government, but that the Government could not decide on the
matter before knowing what the nature of such request was and the
grounds on which it was made. Lord Lansdowne had said that it was not
clear to the British Government whether the Deputation had still any
influence with the Boer representatives in South Africa; and that the
British Government was of opinion that all powers of government,
including that of negotiation, were vested in President Steyn for the
Boers in the Orange Free State, and Acting President Burger for those in
the South African Republic. He considered that the most speedy and
satisfactory manner in which a settlement could be arrived at would be
by direct negotiation between the Boer leaders in South Africa and the
Commander-in-Chief of the British forces, who had already been
instructed to forward immediately any offers he might receive to the
British Government. It had been said finally that the British Government
had decided that if the Boers in South Africa wished to negotiate,
negotiations had to be conducted in South Africa and not in Europe; for
at least three months would elapse if the Deputation went to South
Africa, and thereby hostilities would be protracted, and much further
suffering would be caused.
On receipt of the copy of this correspondence, Acting President Burger
had asked Lord Kitchener for a safe-conduct for himself and the members
of his Government in order to meet President Steyn and the Executive
Council of the Orange Free State, and to discuss a proposal of peace
with them. Lord Kitchener had immediately granted him the safe-conduct,
and the Transvaal Government had proceeded by rail to Kroonstad, as they
considered that town, according to information received from Lord
Kitchener as to where President Steyn was presumed to be, the spot from
which they could most easily come into touch with the Free State
Government.
Messages were sent from Kroonstad to search for President Steyn. They
found him at Roodewal, district Lichtenburg, and handed him the letter
of Acting President Burger.
The letter contained a request for a meeting, for the purpose above
mentioned. President Steyn replied that he considered Klerksdorp,
Potchefstroom, or a spot in the neighbourhood of these towns, as the
best adapted for holding the conference.
While waiting for an answer to this letter, a fight took place between
the commandos of General de la Rey and the English at Brakspruit, not
far from Roodewal. Here the English experienced once more what it meant
to be bombarded. No advantage was gained on either side, but the English
forces were arrested in their progress and retired to Van Tender's farm.
A letter from Lord Kitchener reached President Steyn at Weltevrede on
April the 5th, containing Acting President Burger's answer, and a
safe-conduct from the English Commander-in-Chief for the Government of
the Orange Free State to Klerksdorp and back.
On the 7th our Executive Council started, accompanied by General de la
Rey, who had been summoned by his Government, as one of the members, to
take part in the negotiations, and we arrived at Klerksdorp at twelve
o'clock on the 9th.
President Steyn was received by Major E. H. M. Leggett, and quartered in
the Old Town. We heard that the Transvaal Government were already in
Klerksdorp, and that they had quarters in the New Town. The two
Governments were thus separated, excepting during the time they
conferred together. This was the case afterwards, at Pretoria also.
We had hardly entered the house when the sounds of a bagpipe fell on our
ears, and soon a detachment of about twenty Highlanders, under the
command of Lieutenant Burn, marched up to the house.
"This is a guard-of-honour for the President," said Major Leggett, who
had been charged to look after the Free State Government. "It was," he
said, "most annoying to be snapshotted and stared at by a gaping crowd."
The President appreciated, of course, the honour, but it was clear to us
that the "guard-of-honour" was to keep an eye not only on intruders from
outside, but also upon us, so that no one from within should find his
way out. Indeed, it soon appeared that we were not allowed to go farther
than the boundaries of the plot of ground on which the house stood, and
if one wished to go anywhere farther one was always accompanied by one
of the military. But we did not take this amiss. It was war, and we were
inside the English lines.
No one could complain of the treatment of the English. The President
was made as comfortable as possible, and all respect due to his position
was shown him.
We were allowed to buy clothes, and when we met the Transvaalers that
afternoon we heard that some of them had written letters to their wives,
and had received answers. President Steyn, in view of his serious
indisposition, also availed himself of the opportunity afforded him, and
wrote to Mrs. Steyn from Pretoria, acquainting her with the state of his
health.
At three o'clock on the afternoon of our arrival the two Governments
assembled in a large tent erected between the Old and New Towns.
There were present--from the South-African Republic: The Acting
President, S. W. Burger, Commandant-General Louis Botha, State-Secretary
F. W. Reitz, General de la Rey, and Ex-Generals L. G. Meyer and G. C.
Krogh, also the State-Attorney, Mr. L. Jacobsz.
From the Orange Free State: The State President, M. T. Steyn, General de
Wet, Acting State-Secretary W. J. C. Brebner, Judge J. B. M. Hertzog,
and General C. H. Olivier.
For the Transvaal Mr. D. van Velden acted as secretary of the Executive
Council, and the Rev. J. D. Kestell[16] as acting-secretary for the Free
State Executive Council.
[Footnote 16: I accepted the post of acting-secretary not for the
position, but in order to get material for my book.]
There were also present the advocates J. Ferreira (State-Attorney for
the western district of the South African Republic) and N. de Wet
(secretary of Commandant-General L. Botha). Mr. B. J. du Plessis was
also present as private secretary to President Steyn. The Acting
President of the Transvaal delivered a short address of welcome to the
President and Executive Council of the Orange Free State, and asked the
Rev. J. D. Kestell to open the proceedings with prayer. He thereupon
explained the circumstances which had led up to the meeting of the two
Governments.
He said that he and his Government considered the forwarding by the
British Government of a copy of the correspondence between it and the
Government of Holland as an invitation made by England to the two
Republics to discuss the question of peace. Viewing the action of
England in this light, he had requested a safe-conduct from Lord
Kitchener to be enabled to meet the President and Executive of the
Orange Free State, in order to have a conference with them, and, if
possible, to co-operate with them in drawing up a peace proposal to be
laid before the British Government. Before, however, they proceeded to
discuss the question, it was necessary, he thought, to hear particulars
of the conditions under which the war was being carried on, and he
thought that the general officers present should address the meeting.
As it was decided not to hold minutes, I shall merely state that
Commandant-General Louis Botha, Chief-Commandant de Wet, and Assistant
Commandant General de la Rey addressed the meeting, giving an account of
the state of the country and of the numbers and condition of the
commandos. Several other members of the Government spoke.
The next day the following resolution was agreed to:--
"The Governments of the South African Republic and Orange Free State,
having met in consequence of Lord Kitchener's having sent the
correspondence exchanged between the Government of His Majesty the King
of England and Her Majesty the Queen of Holland, concerning the
desirability of giving the Governments of these Republics the
opportunity of communicating with their authorised envoys in Europe, in
whom both Governments have all along had the greatest confidence;
"Having marked the conciliatory spirit which appears therein on the part
of His Britannic Majesty, as well as the desire expressed therein by
Lord Lansdowne in the name of his Government, to put an end to this
struggle;
"Are of opinion that it is now a suitable moment to show their
willingness to do all in their power to put an end to the war.
"And therefore decide to lay certain propositions before Lord Kitchener,
as the representative of His Britannic Majesty's Government, which may
serve as a basis for further negotiations to bring about the wished-for
peace.
"Furthermore, it is the opinion of both Governments, in order to hasten
the attainment of the desired end, and to avoid as much misconception as
possible, that his Excellency Lord Kitchener be requested to meet these
Governments in person at a time and place fixed by him, in order that
the Governments may lay peace-proposals directly before him, which they
are prepared to do, and thus to solve all difficulties which may exist
by direct verbal communication with him, and thus make sure that this
conference will bear the wished-for fruits."
A letter signed by the two Presidents enclosing this proposition was
written during the meeting, and despatched to Lord Kitchener. The
meeting then adjourned till the afternoon, when much was said about the
proposals to be made to Lord Kitchener.
Finally, at the instance of General de la Rey, seconded by Mr. L.
Jacobsz, the drafting of a proposal was relegated to a commission.
This commission handed in the following report, which was accepted by
the meeting:--
"The commission, having taken into consideration the desire of this
meeting to draw up a proposal (in connection with the letter sent
yesterday by both Presidents to his Excellency Lord Kitchener), with a
view to a conference with Lord Kitchener, suggests the following
points:--
"1. The making of an enduring treaty of friendship and peace, by which
is understood--
(_a_) Arrangement of Customs Union.
(_b_) Postal, Telegraphic, and Railway Union.
(_c_) Fixing of the Franchise.
"2. Dismantling of all forts belonging to the State.
"3. Arbitration in future disagreements between the contracting parties,
the arbitrators to be chosen by both parties, in equal numbers from
their subjects. With a final arbitrator to be chosen by the appointed
arbitrators.
"4. Equal rights in regard to education in both the English and Dutch
languages.
"5. Mutual amnesty."
Messrs. Krogh, L. Jacobsz, Judge Hertzog, and Commandant-General Louis
Botha then addressed the meeting.
Shortly after General Botha had concluded his speech, General Wilson
came to the tent and brought a message from Lord Kitchener saying that
he was willing to meet the Governments at Pretoria. General Wilson also
stated that arrangements would be immediately made for the railway
journey, and that the Presidents and their Executives could start for
Pretoria in the evening.
CHAPTER II
A CONFERENCE WITH LORD KITCHENER AND LORD MILNER
At six o'clock in the morning on the 12th of April the Governments
arrived at Pretoria in two separate trains.
The Transvaal Government were quartered in the house of Mr. C. Rooth,
adjoining that in which Lord Kitchener lived, while the members of the
Free State Government were taken to the residence of Mr. Philippe in
Arcadia.
Nothing could surpass the friendliness of the English. Their hospitality
left nothing to be desired, and the considerateness of those who had the
difficult task to perform was admirable.
Yet with all these signs of politeness, one could not help thinking of
what that same nation had done to our wives and children. The English
spread for our Governments a table with a menu as good as their
commissariat could supply, and at the same moment there were pining away
on desolated farms the women and children whose houses they had burnt
over their heads.
One thing that impressed me very strongly was the strong desire which
the English could not conceal that Peace should be restored. They made
no secret of it. This will become more plain in this chapter, when the
telegrams exchanged between our Governments and that of the British come
to be read.
But what sort of Peace?
It soon became clear from conversations that we had with Major Leggett
and other officers, that it was a Peace based upon British conditions.
The English officers gave us to understand that it was taken for granted
by them that we were now going to negotiate with a Conqueror. The
annexation of the two Republics was regarded as an established,
irrevocable fact. They constantly spoke of the Orange River Colony. Then
they lost no time in informing us shortly after our arrival that Civil
Government had been partly restored in the Transvaal, and that since the
beginning of the month the High Court at Pretoria had been reopened.
They also asked what our leading men would consider the best way in
which the farms in the two States could be rebuilt and restocked.
President Steyn and General de Wet answered very curtly, and it became
plain to the English officers that it was better not to hold such
conversations with the leaders of our people.
With the exception of this, all went smoothly, and were it not that one
could always under the garb of politeness perceive an enemy, who had
destroyed our country, then certainly we might have looked back upon our
stay at Klerksdorp and Pretoria with the pleasantest recollections.
We had not long been in the house in which we were to stay before a
message came from Lord Kitchener, that he desired to meet the
Governments. A hasty breakfast was eaten, and then the President and
General de Wet entered Lord Kitchener's carriage, and the other members
of the Executive the carts provided for that purpose, and were conveyed
to the house of the Commander-in-Chief. Conducted into a large hall, we
found the Transvaalers there already. Lord Kitchener stood on the other
side of the hall, and came forward to meet President Steyn. He shook
hands with him, as also with the other members of the Government.
Then he stood erect in the attitude of a soldier, and a little general
conversation followed. After some moments Lord Kitchener said that the
work which had brought the Governments to Pretoria should be commenced,
and expressed it as his opinion that, as the negotiations were at first
to be conducted in an informal manner, the secretaries should retire.
Thereupon these gentlemen left the hall, the doors were closed,
everybody sat down at the table, and Lord Kitchener asked who was to
begin.
President Steyn answered that Lord Kitchener should. Thereupon Lord
Kitchener began. He spoke in the tone of a person who had a grievance.
He wished, he said, to say something concerning what he had been
reported as having said in June 1901, when he had negotiated with
General Louis Botha. In connection with those negotiations, he declared
that he had been misrepresented, wrong motives having been imputed to
him. It had been said, for instance, that he had contemplated the
destruction of the Boers. He could, however, give the assurance that no
such thing had ever been his intention. Those who said so greatly
misrepresented him. Whether what he said was aimed at General Botha,
nobody can say--he mentioned no names. He spoke, however, in the tone of
a person who considered that he had been unfairly treated. "But," he
suddenly said, "that is past. I only say this because no official
minutes are being kept, everything must take place informally and in a
friendly manner.... I understand that you have something to propose.
This can be done now."
Acting President S. W. Burger then introduced the question. He said that
both the Governments had drawn up a proposal at Klerksdorp, and he then
proceeded to read the proposal article by article. State-Secretary F. W.
Reitz acted as interpreter between the two parties.
Then President Steyn spoke. He thanked Lord Kitchener for the readiness
with which he had consented to meet the Governments, and gave the
assurance that they were earnestly desirous that the war should cease.
He also wished, he said, to make an explanation, and this was with
respect to a misunderstanding which the British Government was
apparently labouring under in regard to the position of the Deputation
in Europe, in relation to the burghers in South Africa. From the
correspondence of Lord Lansdowne with the Dutch Government, it seemed as
if the Government of His British Majesty were in doubt as to whether the
Deputation in Europe still represented the Boers in the field. That they
still represented the Boers President Steyn declared was most certainly
the case. They still enjoyed the fullest confidence of both Governments.
Coming to the matter at issue, the President said that the Governments
and the People were very desirous that Peace should be restored. But the
Peace that was to be restored should be a lasting one, and that was why
the proposals were of the nature the Governments had proposed. They had
come there to attain no other object than that for which the People had
fought until this moment.
Here Lord Kitchener interrupted President Steyn with a question which
seemed to express great astonishment. He drew up his shoulders, threw
his head forward to one side, and asked, "Must I understand from what
you say that you wish to retain your Independence?"
_President Steyn._ Yes, the people must not be reduced to such a
condition as to lose their self-respect, and be placed in such a
position that they will feel themselves degraded in the eyes of the
British.
_Lord Kitchener._ But that could not be; it is impossible for a people
that has fought as the Boers have done to lose their self-respect; and
it is just as impossible for Englishmen to regard them with contempt.
What I would advise you is, that you should submit to the British flag,
and should now take the opportunity to obtain the best terms in regard
to self-government and other matters.
_President Steyn._ I would like to know from Your Excellency what sort
of self-government it would be? Would it be like that in the Cape
Colony?
_Lord Kitchener._ Yes, precisely so.
_President Steyn._ I thank Your Excellency. I put the question merely
for information.
Lord Kitchener then proceeded to say that one should bear in mind the
British Colonists. "The Colonists," he said, "were proud of their own
nationality. If anyone, for instance, asked a Colonist in Australia
whether he was an Englishman, then his answer would be 'No, I am an
Australian.' And yet such a man felt himself to be one with the British
nation, and was proud of being a British subject."
President Steyn then said that this comparison would not hold. In the
case of English Colonies one had to do with communities which from the
beginning had grown up under the British flag, with all the limitations
connected therewith. The Colonists had not possessed anything which they
had had to surrender, and having had nothing to lose they would have
nothing to complain about. In the case of the Boers it was quite
different. The Africanders in the two Republics were an independent
people. And if that independence were taken away from them they would
immediately feel themselves degraded, and a grievance would arise which
would necessarily lead to a condition of things similar to that in
Ireland. The conditions in Ireland had arisen mainly from the fact that
Ireland was a conquered country.
Lord Kitchener replied that Ireland could not serve as a parallel,
seeing that it had never had self-government.
To this President Steyn replied that the Irish had self-government, and
that in a measure that had never yet been granted to any Colony, seeing
that they were represented in the Imperial Parliament. Their power also
in this respect was so great that the Irish vote, under a strong man
like Parnell, could turn the scale in a Parliamentary question in one
way or another.
Lord Kitchener then said that he was himself an Irishman, and therefore
better able to judge in regard to Irish affairs. He proceeded to say
that what was contemplated by the British Government was self-government
for the Boers, preceded by military rule for a certain period. That this
military rule as a preliminary measure was indispensable at the
commencement of Peace for the establishment and maintenance of law and
order; that as soon as this period had elapsed self-government would be
substituted for it, and then the Boers could annul any measure or law
made by the military authorities. He remarked, however, that he felt
sure that much that was good would be called into being by the military
government, which they would not desire afterwards to rescind. But the
People would have it in their power to decide in every case.
A desultory discussion followed now, and Lord Kitchener urged that the
Governments should make a proposal in accordance with what he had
suggested; and both the Presidents replied that the Governments,
according to the constitutions of the Republics, were not qualified to
make any proposal whereby the Independence of the Republics should be
touched.
When Lord Kitchener saw that he could make no progress he moved about
impatiently in his chair, and said,--again with the same gesture as
before: that if the Governments wished he would telegraph their
proposal to his Government, but he could guess--he did not know
officially what they would do in England, what he said was merely his
own opinion,--but he could guess what the answer would be.
The Presidents then expressed their desire that Lord Kitchener should
send the proposal that had been made by them; but he thought that it was
not desirable to transmit it in the form in which it had been laid
before him. He thought it could be drafted in a more acceptable form.
Thereupon he took a pencil and roughly drafted the preamble of a
telegram. He read it aloud, and asked whether anybody wished to make any
remark upon it, in order to make the telegram still more acceptable; and
whether they wished to appoint anyone for this purpose. Mr. Reitz was
nominated, and the preamble of Lord Kitchener with the points of the
proposal (modified, as will be observed) was thus drawn up, approved of
by all, and, on the adjournment of the meeting, forwarded to the British
Government.
FROM LORD KITCHENER TO SECRETARY OF STATE.
"PRETORIA, _12th April 1902_.
"... The Boer Representatives wish to lay before His Majesty's
Government that they have an earnest desire for peace, and that they
have consequently decided to ask the British Government to end
hostilities and to enter into an agreement of peace with them. They are
prepared to enter into an agreement by which, in their opinion, all
future wars between them and the British Government in South Africa will
be prevented. They consider this object may be attained by providing for
the following points:--
"1. Franchise.
"2. Equal rights for Dutch and English languages in educational
matters.
"3. Customs Union.
"4. Dismantling of all forts in Transvaal and Free State.
"5. Post, Telegraph, and Railway Union.
"6. Arbitration in case of future differences, and only subjects of the
parties to be the arbitrators.
"7. Mutual amnesty.
"... But if these terms are not satisfactory, they desire to know what
terms the British Government would give them in order to secure the end
they all desire."
After this conversation with Lord Kitchener the two Governments
consulted with each other, and agreed that when they again met the
representative of the British Government they would very clearly declare
their standpoint, namely, that in the matter of Independence it was the
People alone that could constitutionally decide.
Sunday was passed quietly, and divine service was held in the house in
which the Free State Government was quartered.
Early on Monday morning, the 14th of April, Lord Kitchener sent to the
members of both Governments a copy of the following telegram. He also
stated that Lord Milner would take part with him in the conference.
The telegram was as follows:--
FROM SECRETARY OF STATE TO LORD KITCHENER.
"LONDON, _13 April 1902_.
"... His Majesty's Government sincerely share the earnest desire of the
Boer Representatives, and hope that the present negotiations may lead to
that result. But they have already stated in the clearest terms, and
must repeat, that they cannot entertain any proposals which are based
on the continued Independence of the former Republics which have been
formally annexed to the British Crown. It would be well for you and
Milner to interview Boer Representatives and explain this. You should
encourage them to put forward fresh proposals, excluding Independence,
which we shall be glad to receive."
At ten o'clock the members of the Government again assembled in Lord
Kitchener's house.
Lord Milner entered the hall after the members of the Government had
assembled, and was introduced to the Representatives of the People by
Lord Kitchener. He greeted the Presidents as "Mr. Steyn and Mr. Burger."
But later, during the conference, he addressed each--was it
inadvertently--as President.
It struck me that he had piercing eyes, that apparently strove to
penetrate the person on whom they were fixed. Those who had seen him
before, said that he had become very thin. He had grown grey, and
wrinkles were beginning to show on his forehead. He also looked pale,
and he seemed to show signs of fatigue. Before the conference was
continued, Lord Milner spoke a few words. He also wished to remove wrong
impressions. He declared that it had been said that he was not well
disposed towards the Boers. That was incorrect. He could give the
assurance that he wished to promote the interests of the Boers; and that
he, like themselves, desired peace.
Thereupon Lord Kitchener laid the telegram from the British Government
on the table. Without entering into discussion on it, the Presidents
pointed out that it was impossible for the two Governments to act in
accordance with the desire of the British Government, seeing that, as
had already been said on Saturday, they were not qualified to discuss
the question of Independence before having consulted the People.
_Lord Milner._ May I ask if the prisoners-of-war will also be consulted?
_President Steyn._ Your Excellency surely cannot be in earnest in
putting this question?
_Lord Milner_ (in a tone of annoyance). Yes, certainly.
_President Steyn._ How can the prisoners-of-war be consulted?--they are
civilly dead. To mention one practical difficulty: suppose the prisoners
should decide that the war should be continued, and the burghers on
commando that it should not--what then?--
Lord Kitchener and Lord Milner, seeing the absurdity, laughed aloud.
They quite agreed with President Steyn, and admitted that the difficulty
raised by him was to the point.
Lord Kitchener, however, wished to call attention to the word
"excluding" in the answer of the British Government. He put it that the
words "excluding Independence" rendered a discussion, as to Dependence
or Independence, superfluous. The question should now be discussed as if
Independence were finally excluded; and assuming this, such proposals
should be made as it was thought would be acceptable as well for the
Boers as for the British Government.
President Steyn then pointed out again that it was beyond the power of
the Government to do so. They had no right to make a proposal that even
assumed the exclusion of Independence.
Lord Kitchener and Lord Milner here again agreed with the President.
Both said at the same time, "We agree--we agree."
Meanwhile it had been urged several times that Lord Kitchener should
request his Government to make such proposals as might be regarded as
some kind of compensation, and which could, as such, be laid before the
People, in case the question of surrendering their Independence were
laid before them.
Now this may look as if the Governments were already convinced that our
cause was a hopeless one, and that they, being themselves not qualified
to surrender the Independence, were only waiting for the decision of the
People thereupon. But I know well that the majority at least of the men
there did not think so, and that they felt convinced that, if they
appealed to the People, the People would with one accord say, "We will
retain our Independence, and if England does not agree to this, then we
shall go on with the war."
The Representatives of the English Government would not, however, be
persuaded that the British Government should make any proposals, and
after much discussion Lord Milner said that it appeared to him that they
had come to a "Dead-lock."
"It seems so to me too," said Lord Kitchener, "and that is just what I
wish to avoid.--Would the gentlemen not," he continued, "first consult
about this privately? If so, Lord Milner and I can retire from the room
for a while, and the result of your deliberations can, when you are
ready, be communicated to us"--
But it was agreed to adjourn till three o'clock in the afternoon.
It is not necessary to relate here the particulars of the private
conference which was held. I will only record the resolution that was
taken: "The Governments, considering that the People have hitherto
fought and sacrificed everything for their Independence, and as they
constitutionally have not the power to make any proposal touching
Independence, and as the British Government now ask for other proposals
from them, which they cannot make without having previously consulted
the People, they propose that an armistice be agreed upon to enable
them to do so. At the same time they request that a member of the
Deputation should come over to them."
At three o'clock they again met the Representatives of the British
Government. President Steyn then began by saying (in the spirit of the
resolution that had been taken), that the Governments, having taken the
reply of the British Government into consideration, had concluded that
they could make no proposal on the basis therein suggested; but as they
were desirous of seeing Peace restored, they requested (1) that one of
our delegates (in Europe) should obtain a safe-conduct to come hither,
and that, if it were deemed inadvisable to allow him to return, he might
remain somewhere in South Africa, on parole, till the war was over; (2)
that an armistice should be agreed upon in order to enable the
Governments to consult the People regarding the question of
Independence.
Lord Kitchener said, "This comes as a surprise on us!"
The question as to allowing a member of the Deputation to come over was
now left unanswered. It had already been discussed in the forenoon, and
then Lord Kitchener had said, that it concerned a military question
regarding which he had himself to decide, and that he could not grant
the request, because it would be an exceptional mode of proceeding to
which he could not consent.
As to an armistice, he now also at first said nothing; but after waiting
some moments he said, as if the thought had just occurred to him, that
it seemed better for him to ask his Government to make proposals which
could be regarded as compensation to the Boers for the surrender of
their Independence. But this was exactly what the Governments had
repeatedly desired of him, and which he, without positively refusing,
had ignored. Up to the moment that he made the proposal which he now
made, he and Lord Milner had been trying to compromise the Governments,
by binding them in one way or other to the surrender of Independence. He
now, however, no doubt perceived that there was a risk of the
negotiations breaking off, and proposed--as if it had come to him as an
inspiration--what the Governments had constantly, but without result,
desired of him. What he suggested was of course immediately accepted,
and the following telegram, drafted in accordance therewith, was sent by
him to his Government:--
FROM LORD KITCHENER TO SECRETARY OF STATE,
"PRETORIA, _14th April 1902_.
"A difficulty has arisen in getting on with proceedings. The
Representatives state that constitutionally they have no power to
discuss terms based on the surrender of Independence, inasmuch as only
the burghers can agree to such a basis, therefore, if they were to
propose terms, it would put them in a false position with regard to
their People. If, however, His Majesty's Government could state the
terms that, subsequent to a relinquishment of Independence, they would
be prepared to grant, the Representatives, after asking for the
necessary explanations, without any expression of approval or
disapproval, would submit such conditions to their People."
The Governments waited for a reply the whole of Tuesday. On Wednesday
the officers--who had been absent from their commandos so long--became
impatient, and General de Wet was just about to proceed to Lord
Kitchener to inquire if matters could not be expedited, when a letter
was received from him saying that an answer from the English Government
had been received, acknowledging the receipt of the telegram that had
been sent on Monday, and adding that an answer to it would be sent
during the course of the day.
But it did not arrive during the day, and the dissatisfaction of the
Generals increased. The impatience grew greater, especially when the
English gave accounts of a fight that had taken place with the commando
of General de la Rey after he had left it, and said that Commandant
Potgieter and 43 burghers had fallen. At last, on the following morning,
Thursday, the 17th of April, Lord Kitchener invited the members of the
Governments once more, and laid before them the following telegram:--
FROM SECRETARY OF STATE TO LORD KITCHENER.
"LONDON, _16th April 1902_.
"We have received with considerable surprise the message from the Boer
leaders contained in your telegram. The meeting has been arranged at
their request, and they must have been aware of our repeated
declarations that we could not entertain any proposals based on the
renewed Independence of the two South African States. We were therefore
entitled to assume that the Boer Representatives had relinquished the
idea of Independence and would propose terms of surrender for the forces
still in the field. They now state they are constitutionally incompetent
to discuss terms which do not include a restoration of Independence, but
ask us to inform them what conditions would be granted if, after
submitting the matter to their followers, they were to relinquish the
demand for Independence.
"This does not seem to us a satisfactory method of proceeding, or one
best adapted to secure at the earliest moment a cessation of the
hostilities which have involved the loss of so much life and treasure.
We are, however, as we have been from the first, anxious to spare the
effusion of further blood and to hasten the restoration of peace and
prosperity to the countries afflicted by the war, and you and Lord
Milner are authorised to refer the Boer leaders to the offer made by you
to General Botha more than twelve months ago, and to inform them that
although subsequent great reduction in the strength of the forces
opposed to us and the additional sacrifices thrown upon us by the
refusal of that offer would justify us in proposing far more onerous
terms, we are still prepared, in the hope of a permanent peace and
reconciliation, to accept a general surrender on the lines of that
offer, but with such modifications in details as may be mutually agreed
upon."
The conference was not long. Our Governments left the hall to consult
with one another. They resolved again to ask Lord Kitchener that a
member of our Deputation should be allowed to come over to us, and that
an armistice should be agreed to, to enable us to consult the People.
On returning and again making this request, Lord Kitchener without
hesitation replied that the Deputation would not be allowed to come. He
asked what the good of it would be, as nothing was really happening in
Europe that could help the Boers. This, he said, the Governments could
see for themselves in the newspapers. He could also give them the
assurance of it on his word of honour. He also gave his decision with
regard to an armistice. He could not grant it; but he declared that he
was willing to do what he could. He was prepared to give the Governments
every possible opportunity to enable them to get the votes of the
People. He would give the Generals the use for that purpose of the
railway and telegraph. They could go to the People, and call them
together to meetings where they could ascertain what the burghers
thought on the matter in question.
The task of the Governments was for the present completed. All left the
hall excepting Generals Botha, De Wet, and De la Rey. These remained to
discuss with Lord Kitchener the method of getting about their work. The
Generals proposed to Lord Kitchener, and it was accepted by him, that
thirty burghers for each Republic--sixty in all--should be chosen by the
People at their meetings to express the will of the People. It was also
decided that after the sixty representatives had become acquainted with
the views of the People, they should acquaint the Governments with the
same on the 15th of May 1902, at Vereeniging, in order that they could
lay the same before the British Government.
Lord Kitchener also granted an armistice of one day, at the centres
where the different meetings were to be held; and further, to those
commandos whose chief officers were chosen to represent the People at
Vereeniging, as long as these officers should be absent, in order to
attend the conference. It was also promised that the Governments would
not be interfered with where they waited until the assembly began on the
15th of May at Vereeniging.
In the meanwhile the secretaries had been very busy writing out a
document which would explain the whole condition of affairs. This
document, to which the correspondence exchanged between Lord Kitchener
on behalf of the two Governments and the British Government was
appended, was to be given to the officers, to be read by them to the
People at their meetings, so as to enable them more easily to decide the
question.
On Friday evening, the 18th of April, the Governments left Pretoria. The
three Generals and some of the members of the Executive Council went in
different directions to do their important work. The other members, to
whom no special work had been intrusted, sought a place somewhere,
where they could rest quietly and await the result of the voting. What
would that be? That question everyone asked with more or less
uneasiness, and all thought with anxiety of the future. But not alone
did the great importance of our cause weigh heavily upon us. There was
something else that disquieted us. President Steyn was very ill. The
condition of his eyes, of which I have already spoken, and which had
been part of the reason why he had come to the Transvaal, appeared to be
of a more serious nature than we had suspected. Dr. W. van der Merwe, of
Krugersdorp, had declared that it was a dangerous affection of the
nerves, and everyone could see now that it was so. The President
gradually became weaker and weaker, and when he took part in the
negotiations, it had already become difficult for him to ascend the
doorsteps. After the negotiations Dr. van der Merwe advised him strongly
not to return to the veld whilst we were waiting for the result of the
meetings of the People, and said that his house at Krugersdorp was at
his service. But the President, ill as he was, grateful though he was to
the kind doctor, said that he could not think of it, because, if he
remained at Krugersdorp, this would have a bad influence upon the
People; and he resolved to go out again. So he went from Pretoria to
Klerksdorp, and from there to Leeuwfontein, six miles from Wolmeranstad.
There he remained for a week, and then took up his abode in a
half-destroyed house in Wolmeranstad, which he did not leave until we
went to Vereeniging.
The long time of rest stood me in good stead. I made use of it to write
my notes in connection with the negotiation.
CHAPTER III
THE MEETING OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PEOPLE AT VEREENIGING
On Friday evening, the 18th of April 1902, the Generals had, as we saw
in the foregoing chapter, left Pretoria for the purpose of going through
the two Republics and ascertaining what the wish of the People was in
regard to the great matter on which the Governments themselves had no
power to decide. All went prosperously. The officers who held the
meetings were everywhere helped by the English. Rail and telegraph were
at their service, and when the 15th of May approached, all the meetings
had been held and all the representatives elected.
On the 13th of May all the general officers had been elected, and had
left as Representatives of the People for Vereeniging. There was,
accordingly, an armistice from that day everywhere in the two States for
the burghers under the command of such officers.
Together with President Steyn I set out for Vereeniging. On the way
thither he became gradually weaker, and when on the 14th of May we
arrived at Klerksdorp he could no longer dismount from his spider
without assistance. He could no longer walk without leaning on someone
for support.
We went into the train immediately on our arrival at Klerksdorp, and the
journey began that same evening. The following morning we reached
Vereeniging. A thick mist covered the ground, and it was cold. There
was therefore nothing in Nature to cheer one, or to give a good omen for
the great work that lay before the Representatives of the People.
We were immediately conducted to the camp[17] that had been prepared for
the Delegates, and we found that almost all the Representatives of both
the States had already arrived there. How pleasant it was to meet
friends and acquaintances from all parts. They had much to relate about
what had occurred since we had spoken to each other last, and we could
also tell much about our own experiences. Although they had arrived in
the camp only a little before us, they had the manner of people who knew
more about things than new arrivals, and took a pardonable pleasure in
instructing us as to the topography of the camp. We learned that tents
had been pitched for the Free State Representatives in the south-east
portion of the camp, and for those of the Transvaal in the north-west.
In the middle between the two "States" there was a large tent, where the
meetings were to be held.
[Footnote 17: Here is a sketch of the camp--
Illustration:
Orange Transvaal.
Free
State.
1 1' Tents of Delegates.
2 2' Tents of members of Government.
3 3' Dining-room of Delegates.
4 4' Dining-room of members of Government.
5 5 Tent for the conference.
6 6' Tents of English officers who had the duty of
providing for the Delegates.]
Everything was arranged with the object of making it as pleasant as
possible for the deputies. There was, we soon found, nothing to complain
of. The friendliness of the English left nothing to desire. The English
officers who had charge of the Delegates attended to every request and
granted everything that was asked, if it was in their power. Nothing was
wanting that could, under the circumstances, be provided.
After breakfast, the Governments held a preliminary meeting in the tent
of President Steyn. It may well be imagined what the feelings of
everyone were at seeing the rapid decline that had taken place in the
health of the great leader. There was this strong man, seized in the
iron grasp of an inexorable malady, and it seemed as if within a short
month he had grown many years older. But his intellect was as clear and
as strong as ever, and his courage still greater than before. When he
spoke there was not the slightest sign of despondency in his words, and
his strong personality still, as in his best days, commanded respect.
But his body--his body had been stricken; and while the unconquerable
spirit was willing, the poor instrument of flesh and blood was unable to
accomplish.
Words of heartfelt sympathy were spoken, or a silent pressure of the
hand was given. The Governments had met to make some preliminary
arrangements before the Delegates should meet. First a decision was
taken as to the oath which the deputies should take; and then the
commission which the Delegates had received from the People was
discussed. It appeared that at the meetings held by General L. Botha and
most of the Transvaal officers, and at those held in the Orange Free
State by Judge Hertzog, the Delegates had been fully empowered to act on
behalf of the People according to circumstances, and even to come to a
final decision. On the other hand, at the meetings held by General de
Wet in the Free State and by General de la Rey in the South African
Republic, the People had given to their Delegates a fixed and limited
authority, whatever else might be decided, in no case to relinquish the
independence of the States. The question was now raised, whether
representatives with such conflicting commissions could be lawfully
constituted an assembly, and the assembly to pass resolutions as to
matters treating of a final decision. The discussion of this question
threatened to take up too much time, and the Governments resolved to
leave this point to the decision of the Delegates themselves.
At eleven o'clock there assembled in the large tent the following
Representatives of the People, who took the oath and signed it:--
FOR THE SOUTH AFRICAN REPUBLIC.
1. H. A. ALBERTS, General, Heidelberg.
2. J. J. ALBERTS, Commandant, Standerton and Wakkerstroom.
3. J. F. DE BEER, Commandant, Bloemhof.
4. C. F. BEYERS, Assistant Commandant-General, Waterberg.
5. C. BIRKENSTOCK, burgher, Vryheid.
6. H. J. BOSMAN, Landdrost, Wakkerstroom.
7. CHRIS BOTHA, Assistant Commandant-General, Swazieland, State
Artillery.
8. B. H. BREYTENBACH, Field-Cornet, Utrecht.
9. C. J. BRITS, General, Standerton.
10. J. G. CILLIERS, General, Lichtenburg.
11. J. DE CLERCQ, Assistant Commandant, burgher, Middelburg.
12. T. A. DOeNGES, Field-Cornet, of the town of Heidelberg and bodyguard
to the Government.
13. H. S. GROBLER, Commandant, Bethal.
14. J. L. GROBLER, burgher, Carolina.
15. J. N. H. GROBLER, General, Ermelo.
16. B. T. J. VAN HEERDEN, Field-Cornet, Rustenburg.
17. J. F. JORDAAN, Commandant, Vryheid.
18. J. KEMP, General, Krugersdorp.
19. P. J. LIEBENBERG, General, Potchefstroom.
20. C. H. MULLER, General, Boksburg.
21. J. F. NAUDE, burgher of Pretoria, with flying commando of General
Kemp.
22. D. J. E. OPPERMAN, Field-Cornet, Pretoria South.
23. B. J. ROOS, Field-Cornet, Piet-Retief.
24. P. D. ROUX, Field-Cornet, Marico.
25. D. J. SCHOEMAN, Commandant, Lydenburg.
26. F. C. STOFFBERG, Acting Landdrost, Zoutpansberg.
27. S. P. DU TOIT, General, Wolmeranstad.
28. P. L. UYS, Commandant, Pretoria North.
29. P. R. VILJOEN, burgher, Heidelberg.
30. M. J. VILJOEN, Commandant, Witwatersrand.
FOR THE ORANGE FREE STATE.
1. C. C. F. BADENHORST, Assistant Chief-Commandant, Boshof and Hoopstad,
western portion of Bloemfontein, Winburg, and Kroonstad.
2. A. J. BESTER, Commandant, Bethlehem.
3. A. J. BESTER, Commandant, Bloemfontein.
4. L. P. H. BOTHA, Commandant, Harrismith.
5. G. A. BRAND, Assistant Chief-Commandant, Bethulie, Caledon River,
Rouxville, Wepener, and eastern portion of Bloemfontein.
6. H. J. BRUWER, Commandant, Bethlehem.
7. D. H. VAN COLLER, Commandant, Heilbron.
8. F. R. CRONJE, Commandant, Winburg.
9. D. F. H. FLEMMING, Commandant, Hoopstad.
10. C. C. FRONEMAN, Assistant Chief-Commandant, Winburg and Ladybrand.
11. F. J. W. J. HATTINGH, Assistant Chief-Commandant, eastern part of
Kroonstad and Heilbron.
12. J. A. M. HERTZOG, Commandant, Philippolis.
13. J. N. JACOBS, Commandant, Boshof.
14. F. P. JACOBSZ, Commandant, Harrismith.
15. A. J. DE KOCK, Commandant, Vrede.
16. J. J. KOEN, Commandant, Ladybrand.
17. H. J. KRITZINGEN, Field-Cornet, Kroonstad.
18. F. E. MENTZ, Commandant, Heilbron.
19. J. A. P. VAN DER MERVE, Commandant, Heilbron.
20. C. A. VAN NIEKERK, Commandant, Kroonstad.
21. H. VAN NIEKEK, Commandant of bodyguard to President Steyn.
22. J. J. VAN NIEKERK, Commandant, Ficksburg.
23. J. K. NIEUWOUDT, Assistant Chief-Commandant, Philippolis,
Fauresmith, Jacobsdal, and a portion of Bloemfontein.
24. H. P. J. PRETORIUS, Commandant, Jacobsdal.
25. A. M. PRINSLOO, Assistant Chief-Commandant, Bethlehem and Ficksburg.
26. L. J. RAUTENBACH, Commandant, Bethlehem.
27. F. J. RHEEDER, Commandant, Rouxville.
28. A. ROSS, Commandant, Vrede.
29. P. W. DE VOS, Commandant, Kroonstad.