Thirdly: The burghers who thus surrender, or who thus return, shall lose neither their personal freedom nor their property.
Fourthly: No judicial proceedings, civil or criminal, shall be taken against any of the burghers who thus return, for any action in connection with the carrying on of the war. The benefit of this clause, shall, however, not extend to certain deeds antagonistic to the usages of warfare, which have been communicated by the Commander-in-Chief to the Boer Generals, and which shall be heard before a court-martial immediately after the cessation of hostilities.
Fifthly: The Dutch language shall be taught in the public schools of the Transvaal and of the Orange River Colony when the parents of children demand it; and shall be admitted in the Courts of Justice, whenever this is required for the better and more effective administration of justice.
Sixthly: The possession of rifles shall, on taking out a license in accordance with the law, be permitted in the Transvaal and the Orange River Colony to persons who require them for their protection.
Seventhly: Military administration in the Transvaal and in the Orange River Colony shall, as soon as it is possible, be followed by civil government; and as soon as circumstances permit it a representative system tending towards autonomy shall be introduced.
Eighthly: The question of granting a franchise to the native shall not be decided until a representative constitution has been granted.
Ninthly: No special tax shall be laid on landed property in the Transvaal and the Orange River Colony, to meet the expenses of the war.
Tenthly: As soon as circumstances permit, there shall be appointed in each district in the Transvaal and the Orange River Colony a Commission, in which the inhabitants of that district shall be represented, under the chairmanship of a magistrate or other official, with the view to assist in the bringing back of the people to their farms, and in procuring for those who, on account of losses in the war, are unable to provide for themselves, food, shelter, and such quantities of seed, cattle, implements, etc., as are necessary for the resuming of their previous callings.
His Majesty's Government shall place at the disposal of these Commissions the sum of £3,000,000 for the above mentioned purposes, and shall allow that all notes issued in conformity with Law No. 1, 1900, of the Government of the South African Republic, and all receipts given by the officers in the veldt of the late Republics, or by their order, may be presented to a judicial Commission by the Government, and in case such notes and receipts when found by this Commission to have been duly issued for consideration in value, then they shall be accepted by the said Commission as proof of war losses, suffered by the persons to whom they had originally been given. In addition to the above-named free gift of £3,000,000, His Majesty's Government will be prepared to grant advances, in the shape of loans, for the same ends, free of interest for two years, and afterwards payable over a period of years with three per cent. interest. No foreigner or rebel shall be entitled to benefit by this clause.
The war was now over and temporary peace once more reigned over the land. The burghers on hearing the news that peace was declared were wild with delight, and great was their rejoicing, for they were sure that independence had been granted. But when they heard, two days afterwards, that it was practically an unconditional surrender, they were frantic with rage, and some even threatened to kill their delegates. When they again heard that 22,000 of their women and children had been murdered in the English camps, and that to continue the war for another year would probably mean the extinction of their race, all were silent, and are silent yet, but doing much thinking.