be denied that it had been grossly abused. But what had been the effect of the public opinion, to which the right hon. and gallant officer had alluded? Public opinion was, no doubt, very powerful here, through the Press, which sent forth what passed in that House to the world. Without such publicity, the House would be a nuisance to the country. As it was, he did not say it was of much benefit, but without the Press it would be a nuisance-a body which would have only to register the acts of Government; but even here, with all the advantages of publicity, how far had that gone to remove the evils which were complained of with respect to the Cape of Good Hope, during so many years in which Lord Charles Somerset was governor, and while Lord Bathurst was at the head of the Colonial Department? It was of little or no use in correcting the evil. He must say, that a mere reliance upon the expression of public opinion would not be a sufficient guarantee to the colonists against the evils of an arbitrary form of government, or supply the check which a representative system would have on the executive power. It was, he must also contend, a libel upon Englishmen to say, that they were rendered, by a difference of climate, unfit for a free constitution, or unworthy of enjoying it. He must again express his regret at hearing that there was to be no representative system in the colony until slavery was removed, and the population so condensed as that their representatives might come together without much inconvenience, which was putting off freedom for ever. Dr. Lushington concurred in the general principle, that a representative form of government would be the best for the colonies, where circumstances permitted; but at the same time he fully agreed with the right hon. and gallant Secretary, that that system could not at present be adopted for the Cape of Good Hope without great danger to the best interests of that colony. He admitted that the government should be for the benefit of the many, and not for the few; but he did not think that that end would be obtained by a representative form of government at the Cape. If he could believe that it would have the effect of producing better regulations with respect to slaves-that it would improve the condition of the Hottentot population he would most readily consent to it; but until he saw some disposition evinced by the colonies which had representative governments to improve the condition of the slaves, until he saw in them a disposition in the strong to protect the weak, he should object to any extension of a system, particularly where slave population existed, which he had reason to believe would not produce those effects. He thought therefore that it would be better to leave those colonies which had not representative systems in the hands of Government, which was responsible for the measures which it adopted, rather than give them to those over whom we could have no efficient control. He was glad of that opportunity of expressing his gratitude to the right hon. and gallant officer for the measures which he had adopted for improving the condition of the Hottentot population. He had opportunities of knowing the situation in which that race were at the Cape, and also of knowing the effects which had been produced by the measures to which he alluded, and how greatly they had relieved that race from the gross oppression under which they had so long suffered. He would not, at the present moment, go into details upon the nature of that oppression, but were he to describe the miserable condition in which the Hottentot population were kept, he was sure the House could not hear it without indignation and abhorrence. He would repeat, then, that as long as he saw no measures adopted to put an end to slavery— as long as he saw an unwillingness in colonies with representative governments to improve the condition of their slave population so long should he feel it his duty to oppose any extension of the representative system in our colonies, and the removal of the powers of government from the hands of those who were responsible to Parliament for its exercise. Sir G. Murray, in explanation, begged to say, that though he had the good fortune of having had the opportunity of carrying the measures for improving the condition of the Hottentots, to which the hon. and learned Member had alluded, into full operation, yet it would not be doing justice to others if he did not state that those measures had been commenced under the government of Lord Caledon, and were afterwards acted upon to a considerable extent by General Bourke. Mr. Robinson was decidedly of opinion, that free institutions ought to be given the settlers at the Cape, and to all other colonists, as soon as they were fit to receive them, and capable of appreciating their value. He by no means understood the noble Lord as recommending the immediate adoption of a measure such as the petitioners prayed for-all he urged upon the consideration of the House was, the necessity of speedily turning its attention to the subject, and taking such preliminary steps as might forward the object in view. There could be no doubt that flagrant abuses had existed in that colony, but they were not chargeable upon the present government-which was not to blame. There had existed a most scandalous carelessness with respect to colonial functionaries. Not long since a person was sent out as Chief-Justice of Newfoundland who contrived to swindle the people of that colony out of a very large sum; and an Attorney-General was sent to the same place, who, though a person of better character, was totally unfit for the office. The Petition read. Lord Milton, in moving that it be printed, said he was sorry to learn that an improved system of government at the Cape was to be postponed until slavery should be abolished. Sir George Murray wished the House to analyse the composition of society at the Cape. The number of females was 55,000, males 64,000; from those deduct the Slaves, the Dutch, the Hottentots, and the persons under age; and the number of British colonists capable of exercising the elective franchise would be found exceedingly small. Mr. Hume observed, that persons of Dutch descent, resident at the Cape, were as much British subjects as any men could be born in any colony. Petition to be printed. Hans. Parl. Debates, N.S., vol. 24, p. 1005. THE EMANCIPATION OF THE SLAVES. No. 23. An Act for the Abolition of Slavery throughout the British Colonies; for promoting the Industry of the manumitted Slaves; and for compensating the Persons hitherto entitled to the Services of such Slaves. [On 28th August 1833 the bill for setting free the slaves in the British dominions received the royal assent. Slavery was to cease at a certain date,-in the Cape Colony the 1st of December 1834 was the date fixed. Slaves over six years of age had to pass through a transition stage, a period of apprenticeship. The British Parliament voted a sum of £20,000,000 to compensate the owners for the loss of their slaves throughout the Empire. There were 39,021 slaves in the Colony when the Act came into force, for which the owners were offered £3,041,290, 6s. od. A number of special Justices of the Peace were sent out from England and others were appointed in the country to assist in carrying out the Act. Vide C. of G. Hope Ord., No. 1 of 1835.] I APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE FOR 1835. [3 Dec. 1834.] No. 5, 1834. No. 24. Ordinance.-Enacted by the GOVERNOR OF THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE, with the advice and consent of the LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL thereof. For applying a Sum not exceeding £40,590, 1s. 8d., to the Contingent Services of the Year 1835. WHEREAS the Contingent Expenditure required for the Service of the Year 1835, is estimated to amount to the Sum of £40,590, Is. 8d. Be it therefore enacted by the Governor of the Cape of Good Hope, with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council thereof, that a Sum not exceeding £40,590, Is. 8d. be charged upon the Revenue for the Contingent Services of the Year 1835, and applied in the manner set forth in the Schedule hereunto annexed. [Schedule follows here.] P.R.O., C.O. 50/1. THE EASTERN DISTRICTS GOVERNMENT. No. 25. Grant for the Erection of the Eastern Districts of the of the Faith, To all to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting. WHEREAS by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Our United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster the twenty-third day of October in the fourth year of Our Reign We did constitute and appoint Our trusty and well-beloved Sir Benjamin D'Urban Knight Commander of the Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath, MajorGeneral of Our Forces, to be Our Governor and Commander-inChief in and over Our Settlement of the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa with its Territories and Dependencies as also of the Castle and all Forts and Garrisons erected or established within the said Settlement, Territories and Dependencies for and during Our Pleasure; And Whereas We have deemed it expedient that the Eastern Districts of Our said Settlement of the Cape of Good Hope should be erected for certain purposes into a distinct and separate Government to be administered in manner hereinafter mentioned; Now therefore We do hereby declare Our Will to be and by these Presents do constitute and appoint that the Districts of Albany, Somerset, Uitenhage and Graaff Reynet within the said Settlement shall henceforth constitute and become a distinct and separate Government to be administered in Our name and on Our behalf by a Lieutenant-Governor to be by Us for that purpose appointed by Warrant under Our Royal Sign Manual and Signet, to be countersigned by one of Our Principal Secretaries of State and in the event of the death or absence or incapacity of any such Lieutenant-Governor as aforesaid then and in every such case Our Will and Pleasure is that the said Office shall be administered provisionally by some person to be for that purpose appointed by the Governor and Commander-in-Chief or by the Officer for the time being administering the Government of the said Settlement of the Cape of Good Hope by a Commission to be for that purpose issued under the Public Seal of the said Settlement, which provisional appointment shall continue in force until Our Pleasure shall be known and no longer; And We do hereby give and grant to such LieutenantGovernor for the time being, or to such person as may be provisionally appointed to administer the Government of the said Districts of Albany, Somerset, Uitenhage and Graaff Reynet as aforesaid, all such powers and authorities within such Districts as by the said recited Letters Patent of the twenty-third day of October in the fourth year of Our Reign are granted to and vested in the said Sir Benjamin D'Urban as Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over the said Settlement of the Cape of Good Hope; Subject nevertheless to all such Rules and Regulations as shall be made and established by such Instructions as hereinafter are mentioned for the practicable and convenient exercise of such power and authority; Provided, nevertheless, and We do hereby declare Our Will and Pleasure to be that it shall be lawful for the said Sir Benjamin D'Urban or for the Officer for the time being administering the Government of the said Settlement from time to time as occasion shall require and as he shall be directed by such Instructions as aforesaid to repair to the said Eastern Districts and to assume the Government thereof in person; and during such his residence therein We do further declare Our Pleasure to be that all and every the powers and authorities in and by the said recited Letters Patent in him vested in and over the said Eastern Districts shall revive, and that during the same period or periods all and every the powers and authorities by those Presents vested in such LieutenantGovernor shall be and are hereby suspended; Provided also, and We do further declare Our Will and Pleasure to be that nothing herein contained shall extend or be construed to extend to take away, abridge or alter all or any of the powers and authorities in and by the said recited Letters Patent given to the said Sir Benjamin D'Urban to make, enact and ordain Laws and Ordinance for the Order, Peace and good Government of Our said Settlement of the Cape of Good Hope and its Dependencies with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council thereof, but that he, the said Sir Benjamin D'Urban or the Officer for the time being administering the Government of the said Settlement, shall have, hold, exercise and enjoy such power and authority as |