The peace negotiations between the governments of the South African Republic and the Orange Free State Part 3

YOUR HONOUR,

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Honour's despatch of the 24th inst., enclosing correspondence between Your Honour and His Excellency Lord Kitchener.

As I have been suffering from my eyes for six or seven weeks, and since, as you know, almost all our doctors have been captured or have left us, I was obliged to proceed to General de la Rey in order to place myself here under the medical treatment of Dr. von Rennenkampff.

I am still under that treatment and am therefore obliged to meet Your Honour in the South African Republic.

I am prepared to meet Your Honour in the neighbourhood of Klerksdorp or Potchefstroom, on any farm in that neighbourhood which His Excellency Lord Kitchener may consider most suitable, or even in one of those towns, if desirable. When fixing the place of meeting, I wish to leave it to Your Honour to obtain a guarantee from His Excellency Lord Kitchener for me and my Government, with the necessary attendants, that we shall be allowed quietly and unhindered to continue our work there for a definite time, as well as a safe-conduct to proceed unhindered to the place of meeting and to return thence unhindered.

I have the honour to be, Your Honour's obedient servant, M. T. STEYN, _State President, O.F.S._

On receipt of the above letter the Government addressed the following communication to Lord Kitchener:--

_To His Excellency_ LORD KITCHENER, _Commander-in-Chief of the British Troops, Pretoria_.

KROONSTAD, _March 31, 1902_.

YOUR EXCELLENCY,

Herewith I have the honour to send you copy of the letter this day received by me from President Steyn.

With reference thereto I request your Excellency to be so good as to furnish President Steyn with the safe-conduct desired by him, and further to inform us as well as His Honour where, in your opinion, the intended meeting can take place. Possibly Potchefstroom would be the most suitable place therefor.

As His Honour the Commandant-General and General de la Rey are both members of the Executive Council, I request Your Excellency kindly to send them the enclosed message, and also to furnish each of them with a safe-conduct to and from the place of meeting.

I further take the liberty of requesting you to forward the enclosed letter to President Steyn.

I have the honour to be, Your Excellency's obedient servant, S. W. BURGER, _Acting State President_.

The above-mentioned message to General Botha and to General de la Rey read as follows:--

_From_ _To_ ACTING STATE PRESIDENT, S.A.R.

(1) COMMANDANT GENERAL LOUIS BOTHA.

(2) GENERAL DE LA REY.

With reference to confidential memoranda exchanged between the Netherlands Minister and Lord Lansdowne, which was sent to us by His Excellency Lord Kitchener, we have come under a safe conduct to meet President Steyn. This meeting will take place in a locality to be decided upon by Lord Kitchener. As we consider your presence necessary there, we have requested His Excellency to furnish you also with a safe-conduct thither and back.

Be so good as to come without delay on receipt hereof.

KROONSTAD, S. W. BURGER, _March 31, 1902_. _Acting State President_.

The letter to President Steyn referred to above was as follows:--

_To His Honour_ PRESIDENT STEYN.

KROONSTAD, _March 31, 1902_.

YOUR HONOUR,

Acknowledging the receipt of Your Honour's letter of the 28th inst., I have, in pursuance of the desire therein expressed by you, requested Lord Kitchener to furnish you with a safe-conduct to such place as may be considered most suitable by His Excellency for the proposed meeting between us.

I have the honour to be, Your Honour's obedient servant, S. W. BURGER, _Acting State President, S.A.R._

On April 1st, 1902, Lord Kitchener wrote as follows to Acting State President Burger:

ARMY HEADQUARTERS, SOUTH AFRICA.

PRETORIA, _April 1, 1902_.

YOUR HONOUR,

The letters and safe-conducts Your Honour has requested me to send out to Mr. Steyn, Commandant General L. Botha, and General de la Rey will be forwarded at once. I consider Klerksdorp would be the best place for your meeting with these gentlemen.

I have the honour to be, Your Honour's obedient servant, KITCHENER, General, _Commanding-in-Chief, South Africa_.

TO HIS HONOUR MR. S. W. BURGER.

The following letter was forwarded by Lord Kitchener to President Steyn:--

ARMY HEADQUARTERS, SOUTH AFRICA.

PRETORIA, _April 1, 1902_.

YOUR HONOUR,

At the request of His Honour Mr. S. W. Burger, I beg to forward the enclosed letter, and at the same time to provide you with this a safe-conduct for Your Honour and your Executive to come to Klerksdorp and to return thence after your meeting with Mr. Burger and the Transvaal Government.

I have the honour to be, Your Honour's obedient servant, KITCHENER, General, _Commanding-in-chief, South Africa_.

HIS HONOUR MR. M. T. STEYN.

President Steyn then addressed the following letter to Acting President Burger:--

_To His Honour the Acting State President, S.A.R.,_ S. W. BURGER, _Klerksdorp_.

PRESIDENT'S LAGER, IN THE VELD, _April 7, 1902_.

YOUR HONOUR,