General Smuts: "You must understand that the Middelburg proposal, with all that took place in April, has been read to the people. Their answer was neither 'Yes' nor 'No.' They simply elected the delegates. The delegates as yet have not given any answer. They are still considering the matter, and, in order to gain time, they have commissioned us to see whether we could not come to some arrangement."
Lord Milner: "We are getting away from the subject. Tell us what alterations you want, and then place our proposal before your people."
Lord Kitchener: "Should you agree that your proposal is not in opposition to the annexation, we shall have accomplished something."
General Smuts: "Is it your opinion that our proposal must be set aside?"
Lord Kitchener: "Yes, surely. It is impossible for us to act on it."
Lord Milner: "It is impossible for us to take your proposal into consideration. We can send it to England, but this would certainly tend to hinder the negotiations. This is my personal opinion, which naturally you are not bound to accept. All that we can say is, that this is the only answer that we can give you."
Lord Kitchener: "It would be better to draw up a new document, in which everything of importance would be noted down, and all unimportant matters left out."
General Smuts: "But paragraph 3 of our proposal has not even been mentioned. We are prepared to cede a part of our territory."
Lord Milner: "This would be in contradiction to the annexation of the whole. If the whole becomes annexed by us, how then can a part be ceded by you?"
General Smuts: "The ceded part would then become a Crown Colony, the remaining part being governed as is here proposed."