▁well - dis posed ▁inhabitants , ▁while ▁for ▁those ▁who ▁desired ▁to ▁remain ▁British ▁subjects ▁and ▁who ▁claimed ▁that ▁protection ▁to ▁which ▁they ▁believed ▁themselves ▁entitled ▁he ▁had ▁no ▁sympath ising ▁word ." ▁While ▁the ▁elected ▁deleg ates ▁sent ▁two ▁members ▁to ▁England ▁to ▁try ▁and ▁indu ce ▁the ▁government ▁to ▁alter ▁their ▁decision , ▁Sir ▁George ▁C ler k ▁speed ily ▁came ▁to ▁terms ▁with ▁a ▁committee ▁formed ▁by ▁the ▁republic an ▁party ▁and ▁pres ided ▁over ▁by ▁Mr ▁J . ▁H . ▁Hoff man . ▁Even ▁before ▁this ▁committee ▁met ▁a ▁royal ▁pro clam ation ▁had ▁been ▁signed ▁( 3 0 ▁January ▁ 1 8 5 4 ) ▁" ab andon ing ▁and ▁ren oun cing ▁all ▁domin ion " ▁in ▁the ▁S over e ig nt y . ▁ ▁The ▁Orange ▁River ▁Convention , ▁recogn ising ▁the ▁independence ▁of ▁the ▁country , ▁was ▁signed ▁at ▁Blo em f onte in ▁on ▁ 2 3 ▁February ▁by ▁Sir ▁George ▁C ler k ▁and ▁the ▁republic an ▁committee , ▁and ▁in ▁March ▁the ▁Bo er ▁government ▁assumed ▁office ▁and ▁the ▁republic an ▁flag ▁was ▁ho isted . ▁Five ▁days ▁later ▁the ▁represent atives ▁of ▁the ▁elected ▁deleg ates ▁had ▁an ▁interview ▁in ▁London ▁with ▁the ▁colonial ▁secretary , ▁the ▁Duke ▁of ▁New castle , ▁who ▁informed ▁them ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁now ▁too ▁late ▁to ▁discuss ▁the ▁question ▁of ▁the ▁ret ention ▁of ▁British ▁rule . ▁The ▁colonial ▁secretary ▁added ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁impossible ▁for ▁England ▁to ▁supply ▁troops ▁to ▁constantly ▁adv ancing