Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-06-05
YES, 81; NO, 6.
Vote of Boer Commanders on Accept
ing Terms of Peace.

Pretoria. June 4.-The ballot of the
Beers at Vereeniging resulted in 81
votes in favor of surrender and e
against it.
Preparations are being made here for
the surrender of the Boer command,
which will take place on the race
course. All the Beers are allowed per-
feet freedom.
There will be Thanksgiving service
on Sunday next on the chuch square,
III which it is hoped the Beers will par
ticipate.
The women in the concentration
camps are anxious to return to their
homes Immediately, but this will not
be allowed until a system of supply de
pots for the outlying districts is estab-
lished.
Gen. Baden-PowelI is arranging for
the distribution of mounted constabu-
larry i'll various districts. The police,
railroads and telegraphs will be hand
ed over to the civil authorities as soon
as possible and the restriction of mar
tial law will be gradually relaxed.
The Bocr delegates, who, during the
peace negotiations were stiff, formal
anu UNI iCiliIy, Ill = HOW tStltilitty wi
dial. All the commandments are return
ing to their commands in order to eX-
plain the situation.
Gen. Louis Botha, the BOer COM
mandant general, has written an open
letter to the burghers thanking them
for their obedience in the past and eX-
horting them to be equally loyal in their
obedience to the new government.
Lord kitchener'S address to the Boer
delegates at Vereeniging in which the
British commander in chief said that if
he had been one of them he would have
been proud to have done so well in the
field rs they had done, made the best
possible impression and drew forth 4
hearty response from Gen. Beyers, the
chairman of the Eoer conference, who
expressed the pleasure the Beers eX-
poricnccd at meeting Lord Kitchener as
4 friend. adding that they had fought
so long against him that they had ac-
quired full appreciation of his worth.
The departure of the Boer cOmman-
dCrs from NcrcCniSing for their various
districts was marked by remarkable
scenes of determination. The trains
conveying the Beers started late ana
the night being extremely cold the scn-
tries along the railroad track lighted
huge bonfircs, around which groups of
Beers and Britons gathered, forming Il
highly picturesque scene. The late OPP
ponents joined i'll such songs as Hard
Times Come Again No More and The
old Folks at Home" the British sol
dicrs ana the burShcrs outvieing one
another in their demonstrations of JOY.
in brief. the scenes at the departure Oh
the trains rescmblcd nothing so much
Us the starting Of huge picnic parties
The same signs of rejoicing were wit
messed throughout the Rand. Flags
were displayed everywhere ana thanks
giving services were held in all the
towns.
Gen. Botha remarked, relative to the
termination of the war: 1T is the hap
, liest day Of my lie since | left school.
The Beers do not anticipate the least
difficulty in bringing in the various
commands. The work of returning the
men to their wives, children and farms
will, however, be heavy and difficult
1t is impossible to send them straight
to the vcldt 1t is absolutely necessary
at this time of the year to have warm
shelter and wooden huts nave already
been ordered from the coast towns 10
lee delivered in sections to each family
Those who are unable to return to their
former avocatiOns, will be temporarily
supported by the government.
The question of Restocking III" farms
is also under consideration. The main
difficulty is to find wheat ana cattle
likely to the drive. No great difficulty
il experienced in regard to the horses
as the government is able to dispose OF
great numbers of rcmountS.
Generals Botha and Delarey and
other Bocr leaders will start for Eu-
rope shortly for the purpose Of raising
funds for the distressed burghers. Gen.
| Scha!kburgcr, who was acting Prcsi-
/ dent of the TranSvaal, joined Gen. b.
tina in addressing an open letter to the
| burGhcrS. After referring to the cour-
age which they had displayed and to
| their brave deeds in the field, he called
| on them to work together for the social
| ana spiritual advancement of the coun-
| try.