But the Government for some reason would not go so far as this.

They niggled and quibbled and bargained until the State was left as a curious hybrid thing such as the world has never seen.

It was a republic which was part of the system of a monarchy, dealt with by the Colonial Office, and included under the heading of 'Colonies' in the news columns of the 'Times.' It was autonomous, and yet subject to some vague suzerainty, the limits of which no one has ever been able to define.

Altogether, in its provisions and in its omissions, the Convention of Pretoria appears to prove that our political affairs were as badly conducted as our military in this unfortunate year of 1881.
It was evident from the first that so illogical and contentious an agreement could not possibly prove to be a final settlement, and indeed the ink of the signatures was hardly dry before an agitation was on foot for its revision.

The Boers considered, and with justice, that if they were to be left as undisputed victors in the war then they should have the full fruits of victory.