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The peace negotiations between the governments of the South African Republic and the Orange Free State, and the representatives of the British government, which terminated in the peace concluded at Vereeniging on the 31st May, 1902 — John Shaqi

History

The peace negotiations between the governments of the South African Republic and the Orange Free State, and the representatives of the British government, which terminated in the peace concluded at Vereeniging on the 31st May, 1902

Name: The peace negotiations between the governments of the South African Republic and the Orange Free State, and the representatives of the British government, which terminated in the peace concluded at Vereeniging on the 31st May, 1902
Author: Kestell, J. D. (John Daniel)

Kestell, J. D. (John Daniel)

South Africa -- History; South African War, 1899-1902

We, however, were not satisfied to publish this record, which we had
most carefully taken down, merely on our own authority. We felt that,
if only this and nothing more were done, the world would after all
have only our word to rely upon, and that, although the record thus
published would always serve as a highly reliable book of reference,
it would lack the authority of a document properly authenticated by a
body competent to do so.

In order, therefore, to obtain this desirable seal of authenticity to
our record, we submitted our manuscript to President Steyn, Acting
President Burger, the Chairman of the Meeting of Representatives of
the People at Vereeniging (General C. F. Beyers), Generals Botha and
Smuts for the South African Republic, and Generals de Wet and Hertzog
for the Orange Free State, with the result that they all found our
record to be a true and correct account of the Peace Negotiations.

So this book sees the light with their _imprimatur_, and we therefore
publish it with the greatest confidence.

The Reader's attention is drawn to the following particulars:--

     In respect of the speeches made by the members of the Republican
     Governments at Klerksdorp, and the speeches delivered later at
     Vereeniging by them and by the Delegates from the various
     Commandos, the reports are almost _verbatim_. The addresses of
     the Presidents and principal Generals especially were transcribed
     from the stenographic notes of D. E. van Velden, and revised by
     J. D. Kestell.

     This completeness does not extend to what is published of the
     _First_ Conference between the two Republican Governments and
     Lord Kitchener and Lord Milner, because no Secretaries were
     admitted to that Conference. Lord Kitchener had expressed the
     desire that no official notes should be taken, as the parties
     would first confer informally. What was discussed, however, has
     not been lost, for an account of what took place at this
     Conference was taken down by J. D. Kestell from the dictation of
     General Hertzog immediately after the conference was over, and
     revised by President Steyn and Mr. W. J. C. Brebner (Acting
     Government Secretary, Orange Free State), and appears in this
     book.

     With reference to the _Second_ Conference, however, we were
     present, and what is given is a _verbatim_ account of the
     discussion.

Of some official documents in our possession, reproductions or
facsimiles are given in the hope that the reader will find them of
interest.

                                        J. D. K.
                                        D. E. v. V.

  _Pretoria,
       October, 1908._




INTRODUCTION


DEAR READER,

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

The peace negotiations between the governments of the South African Republic and the Orange Free State, and the representatives of the British government, which terminated in the peace concluded at Vereeniging on the 31st May, 1902

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