Through Shot and Flame Part 28

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, Wit.w.a.tersrand.

FOR THE ORANGE FREE STATE.

1. C. C. F. BADENHORST, a.s.sistant 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, a.s.sistant 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, a.s.sistant Chief-Commandant, Winburg and Ladybrand.

11. F. J. W. J. HATTINGH, a.s.sistant 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 k.o.c.k, 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, a.s.sistant Chief-Commandant, Philippolis, Fauresmith, Jacobsdal, and a portion of Bloemfontein.

24. H. P. J. PRETORIUS, Commandant, Jacobsdal.

25. A. M. PRINSLOO, a.s.sistant 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.

30. W. J. WESSELS, a.s.sistant Chief-Commandant, Harrismith and Vrede.

The Representatives chose General C. F. Beyers as chairman; and as secretaries, Mr. D. E. van Velden, Minute-keeper of the Government of the South African Republic, and the Rev. J. D. Kestell, Acting Secretary of the Executive Council of the Orange Free State.

The chairman asked the Rev. J. D. Kestell to open the proceedings with prayer, and then Acting President S. W. Burger declared the meeting to be legally const.i.tuted. Thereupon the meeting was adjourned.

In the afternoon the Delegates met at three o'clock. Before beginning the discussion of the important subjects, the chairman said it would be well if the Acting President of the South African Republic were first to address some words of explanation to serve as a guide to the meeting.

Acting President Burger then addressed the meeting, and explained, as already stated earlier in this book, that it was the correspondence between Holland and England that had brought about, first a meeting between both the Governments at Klerksdorp, and subsequently a meeting with Lord Kitchener and Lord Milner at Pretoria. The presence of the Delegates at Vereeniging at that moment had resulted from the fact, that when it appeared that the British Government insisted on the surrender of Independence the two Governments had declared that it was beyond their power const.i.tutionally to enter into discussions on that point; of that the People alone could treat. Thereupon both Governments had made arrangements with Lord Kitchener to proceed to the People and hear what they desired. The People had elected representatives, and these were now a.s.sembled at Vereeniging to inform the Governments what the will of the People was. President Burger then proceeded to state that the English Government would not entertain the idea of Independence for the two Republics, and that the Delegates there present should bear this in mind; they would have to give information as to the condition of the country, and to decide whether, bearing that condition in mind, the struggle could still be continued. Whether the destruction of the entire nation would not be the result of continuing the war, and whether it would be right to do this. He then referred to the question which had arisen as to the qualification of the members to sit together in conference and to decide upon questions, seeing that some Delegates had received full powers to act, whilst others had only a limited commission, which bound them to a certain course of action. He trusted, however, that this would place no insurmountable obstacle in the way.

Finally he expressed the hope that they would bear with one another, and warned the members against divided counsels.

Thereupon the chairman asked General L. Botha to address the meeting.

The General replied that he did not see his way to doing this, since the question as to the powers of the Delegates was not yet clear to him. It was then that Judge J. B. M. Hertzog explained that a Representative of the People, from a legal point of view, could not be regarded as a mere agent or mouthpiece of his const.i.tuents; but that he, in matters of a public nature, held a general power with the right of acting according to his convictions, whatever might be the special injunction that had been laid upon him by the const.i.tuents. General J. C. s.m.u.ts, State-Attorney of the South African Republic, was of the same opinion.

This satisfied the Commandant-General, and he commenced with a general statement as to the condition of his commandos. General de Wet and also General de la Rey addressed the meeting. They stated, however, that they were purposely brief, because the making of formal reports should be left to the Delegates themselves.

The Representatives then addressed the meeting, and the first and a part of the second day were spent in the hearing of reports. The Delegates spoke till late at night, for they desired not to lose any time. From the reports of the members of the meeting it was evident that the condition of the country was miserable. There were no less than fourteen districts of the Transvaal that had become so exhausted that the commandos would no longer be able to continue in them. Food had become exceedingly scarce everywhere, and in some parts the burghers were dependent solely on the Kaffirs for their supplies. Everywhere the "horse sickness" was causing great uneasiness, and the number of those who had to go on foot was daily increasing. Special reference was made to the distress caused by the sad fate of the women, who were still found in greater and smaller numbers in different parts of the two States. They often suffered great want, and were constantly exposed to dangers at times when their husbands could afford them no a.s.sistance.

In the Orange Free State matters were somewhat more favourable.