tories, with all their public offices and means of ad-
ministration, as well as of the principal towns and the
whole railway;

"And whereas the great majority of burghers of
the two late Republics (which number thirty-five
thousand over and above those who have been killed
in the war) are now prisoners of war, or have sub-
jected themselves to His Majesty's Government, and
are now living in safety, in villages or camps under
the protection of His Majesty's forces;

"And whereas the burghers of the late Republics,
now under arms against His Majesty's forces, are not
only few in number, but have also lost nearly all their
guns, and war requisites, and are without proper mili-
tary organization, and are therefore not in a position
to carry on a regular war, or to make any organized
resistance against His Majesty's forces in any part of
the country;

"And whereas the burghers who are now still under
arms, although not in a position to carry on a regular
war, continue to make attacks on small posts and
divisions of His Majesty's forces, to plunder and to
destroy farms, and to cut the railway and telegraph
lines, both in the Orange River Colony and in the
Transvaal and other parts of His Majesty's South
African possessions;

"And whereas the country is thus kept in a state
of unrest, and the carrying on of agriculture and in-
dustries is hindered;

"And whereas His Majesty's Government has de-
cided to make an end of a situation which involves
unnecessary bloodshed and devastation, and which is
ruining the great majority of the inhabitants, who are
willing to live in peace, and are desirous of earning a
livelihood for themselves and their families;

"And whereas it is only just that steps should be
taken against those who still resist, and principally
against those persons who are in authority, and who are
responsible for the continuance of the present state of

-248-