ds of their representatives. These should know how to justify
to their electors the vote which they would cast.

General Botha asked what the delegates came to do? On the basis of
their independence the British did not wish to negotiate. The
representatives should thus decide whether the people could continue
with the struggle, or whether they should come to terms with the
enemy. The people themselves could not take a proper resolution
because they were not properly informed.

General Hertzog said that this was a legal matter. It was a legal
principle that a delegate could not be considered a mere mouthpiece of
his constituents, but that in matters of a public nature he was
virtually a plenipotentiary. The delegates could thus form their
opinions according to what they learnt here, provided they adhere to
what was the spirit of the people, and provided they are convinced
from the facts laid before them, that if those facts were known to the
people, the people would have instructed them to vote as they did.

General Smuts concurred fully with the opinion of General Hertzog.

As appeared from the disposition of the delegates, they acted in the
spirit of this legal opinion.

The Acting State President acted as temporary Chairman, and caused the
meeting to elect a permanent Chairman.

The following gentlemen were nominated as candidates:--General Beyers,
J. de Clercq, General Brand, General Froneman, and General Wessels.

General Beyers was elected Chairman with 19 votes, while the others
obtained 13, 11, 10, and 6 votes respectively.

After a short address, the Chairman adjourned the meeting till the
afternoon.

In the afternoon the meeting was opened with prayer by the Rev. J. D.
Kestell.

Acting State President S. W. Burger then addressed the meeting as
follows:--We are here under peculiar circumstances. Many who commenced
this struggle with us are no longer with us. The war has claimed its
victims, and many who were highly esteemed by us have fallen or have
been captured, or, alas, have become unfaithful. We have only reached
the foot of the mountain, and everything now depends upon you as
representatives of the people. Here we shall have to decide whether,
under the circumstances, we can or must continue the war. We may not
deny that our position is very critical and gloomy. Let us conduct
ourselves as behoves comrades who have a common cause at heart. We
shall have to say much about the future. Opinions