The Express.
London, England, 1851-02-27 00:00:00

GERMANY.

In the plenary sitting of the conferences at Dres-
den which took place on the 23rd, the kingdoms,
the -Vette Preatitsische Zeitunu informs us, declared in
favour of the nine-vote plan, and the small states
decidedly against it. Bavaria, Wurtemburg, and
Saxony, however, according to the same authority,
denied' the competency of the conferences eventually
to decree a return to the old Diet. The
assembly had adjourned for fourteen days,
after the expiration of which time it will be
decided whether the present propositions are to be
persisted in, or new ones put forward. Baron Man-
: teuffel had again left ltresden for Berlin, after having
held several consultations in the presence of Counts
Buol Schaucnstein and Alvensleben, with Prinee
Schwarrenberg. The organs of the Prussian minis-
terial press, especially the Note Preussisehe Zeituity,
inveigh without measure against the pretensions of
the Austrian cabinet, and openly accuse Austria of
aiming at the German imperial crown. The Berlin cor-
respondent of the Coltsrpte Gazette says that an active
secret correspondence has been for several months
carrying on between Vienna and Munich, and that a
compact has been entered into between those two
courts, in no case, and under no circumstances, to

allow any increase of influence to Prussia, in order
to prevent which Bavaria, according to this agree-
ment, should be raised to the dignity of a third great
. .

Our correspondent writes :

BERLIN, FEa. 21.
Baron .lanteufrel is to return from Dresden to-night. I
understand that at the plenary sitting of the conlitenees
which took place yesterday, it was resolved to adjourn the
sitting, for a fortnight. During this •pare of time the govern- ,
went of Austria will have the opportunity of bringing the
whole force of her powers of persuasion to bear upon the
minor states of the confederation, whose opposition to the
proposed alterations in the federal constitution and the
onranisathm of the central poser has increased in an tztra-
ordinary degree. She little fry seem aware, too, of the
strength which may be gained by cohesion, for they act
together with the greatest unanimity and cordiality.
The leader of the opposition is the Minister for Foreign
Affairs and Premier in Mecklenburg, Baron Bulow,
wbo WWI formerly Under-Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs in l'russia. The Princes of Mcektrnburg
' and Oldenburg, who were originally most active in getting
up this opposition, take their stand upon the Vienna tree-
tics, and relying upon their relationship with the northern
despot, and perhaps instigated by him, demand that the
eonfedentisou shall be re-established on the old basis, and
that no attempt shall h" made to curtail them and their
colleagues of any item of their federal rights and privileges.
Schwarzenberg insists at Dresden, on the project of the
eleven votes, and the possession of the presidency in the
Engere-Rath. To the former I learn that Idanteuffsl has
consented, but his objections to the latter have not been
overcome. The Prussian premier has full power to
act an the circumstances may require. A variety
of different plans have been submitted by both of the
parties to each other, some of them of an essentially cora-
-1 pheated nature. Among them was one for an alternating
presidency, which was rejected by Sebwarzenborg, and an-
other for giving Prussia the presidency in the plenary sit-
' time, of the Diet. Au-trio retuning that in the Engere-Rath.
This has not yet been accepted or rejected by Manteuffel, if I
am correctly informed.

WALBROOK ELECTION. A poll demanded on
Tueular took place yesterday, when the number, were de-
clared to be—Mr. Murrell, 31; Mr. Le Blond, 11; where-
upon the former gentleman was declared duly elected com-
mon councilman, in the room of Alderman Wire.

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.
- •
THE KAFIRS AND ENGLISH RULE.

Whilst the colonists of the Eastern Cape frontier
are indulging in the must extraordinary fears of a Kafir iu
vasion, a blue book just published puts us in possession of
the steps taken by Sir Harry after the hut Kafir war, to
regulate the locations of the natives, and so organise them
as to render the tiara of renewed rebellion on their part im-
possible. Sir Harry's plan of native government somewhat
res.tubles that of the french in Algeria, and consists chiefly
in neutralising the influence of the chiefs, whilst their power
is used for the subordinate work of keeping order. To con-
quer
the nomad propensities of the tribes, they arc allowed
to locate and form villages, a native headman keeping order
in the location, whilst the native headmen are kept in order
by white superintendents.
The plan followed in the location of natives was first or-
ganised in the division of Victoria, where it worked so well
as to induce Sir Harry to extend it to all the divisions in tho
colonies where natives were located, as well on the eastern
frontier as at Natal. Had Sir Harry stuck to it hr might
perhaps have avoided the difficulties that have of late arisen
in British Caffraria.

The regulations according to which the locations were
formed are these. Sir Harry ordered that each coloured
native might receive permission to occupy any part of go-
vernment land on payment of a quit rent of 11. per nnnum.
Every location was to have a headman, with two suits of
clothes every year. White superintendents of native Inca.
; thins, to be appointed by the governor, who alone could
remove them, with salary of 1001. a-year. Rewards to be
offered for the apprehension of thieves, for spoor tracing,
fur Kitties travelling without passes, who are to be fined
when so found. A certain number of fire-arias to be kept
at the locations by the superintendents. Rewards to be
given for best cultivation, best fences, best produce. A
schoolmaster to be established at each location. Petty
offences to be punished by tine, and the monies received
I either from lands or fines carried to account in the public
accounts. The instructions to superintendents are these.
1. In the successful working of the native locations, both
as it regards the people themselves and the security of the
frontier, very much must depend upon the activity and dis-
cretion of the superintendents. Their whole energies will
require to be given to this work.
2. Superintendents will see and communicate with the
headmen of locations, inquiring into the state of the loca
Lion at least once a week. Frequent personal communica-
tion is of the greatest consequence, both fur the encourage-
ment and stirring up of the people, and the information of
the superintendents. Superintendent; will personally visit
every village or kraal at least once a month.
3. Superintendents to keep an exact registry of all under
their charge, distinguishing, in columns, men, women, and
children, male and female ; also live stuck and property of
any value, such as waggons, ploughs, &e. Also how much
each man has under cultivation, with the different kinds of
grain, &e. The quantity of seed and the amount of pro-
duce should be ascertained as nearly as possible.
4. Superintendents will settle all cases of dispute referred
to them which do not require the interference of a magis-
trate. The people must, of course, have the right of ap-
pealing to the magistrate. The headmen of locations Bill
settle petty cases of dispute among the people, reference
being made when necessary to the superintendent. 'the
superintendent will frequently find it advantageous to cull
in the advice of several of the headmen, in cases of diffi-
culty. This will greatly assist him. It will please the
headmen, give more confidence to the people, and promote
the general peace.
_

o. In the case of the spoor of stolen property entering any
location, the superintendent will use his utmost exertions,
through the headman of the location, to trace the spoor,
detect the thief, and recover the stolen property. The
assistance of the Kalir police should be immediately called
for. When the spoor has been traced through the location,
it will be left with the Kafir police. When the spoor can-
not be traced, the native law of the people themselves must
take effill ; that is, the party or parties whose cattle or
property obliterated the spoor must account for it. This is
one of the clearly expressed conditions on which the Fin-
goes hare liven allowed to occupy their lands.
6. A registry will be kept of all spoors of stolen property
entering locations, by whom traced, and how disposed of.
7. Superintendents will 'grant 151...., to those under their
superintendence, stating the object of the journey and the
time allowed. Due can hoeing had to the reiesinable liberty
of the people, unnecessary travelling to a distance should
be discountenanced. This point will require the exercise of
very considerable discretimi. Unnecessary ur vexatious in-
terierence with the people is very undesirable. Passes to boa
reported monthly to the civil commissioner's office.

it. A monthly report to he muds to the ciril commis-
sioner of the state of the hications, noting any cin•umstance
that may be of importance, especially naming those partko
w•ho may be distinguished by good conduct, and those
whose conduct is especially basf.
9. In seasons of drought, it is difficult to keep the people
together; but for the sake of supervision and education
they am to he induced, as much as possible, to rtsAide in vil-
luges containing not teas than 20 men. _

10. Superintri:Mlents will fsmstanliTendeavnur to induce
the people, by their advice and influence, to adopt European
dress and to raiw European protium.
11. Superintendents will be expected to exert their in-
fluenve, withoat wag twee, to induce the children to attend
the schools that may be established among them.
12. While people cannot lw made religious by law and
the orders of government, and it is unwise to attempt it, yet
superintendent.: will be exptsted to prevent, in as far as it
in their power, the people from pursuing the ordinary
secular employments of the week on the Sabbath day.
Any heathen rites and practices that are injunuits to
MOrilbl and offensive to decency should be, by all teawmable
means discountenanced. But questions of a purely religious
eh inicter should be left to the teachers of christianity and
private christian influence.
_

It will lie of the very highest importance that the super-
intendents labour to exert a moral and religious influence
among the people under their charge. If they do so, they
are sure, by the divine ble,sing, to be of very great use to the
people and the frontier generally. But if their conduct
should be destitute of such influence, their usefulness in such
circumstances cannot he great.
In Victoria, where the system of locations was first estab-
lished, no less than 941 quit-rents were paid the first year,
and that without any difficulty. The establishment of a
Kafir police, too, has been a great benefit to the rainy
and an essential service. This police was formed in order
to abolish that of the Hottentots and whites, which had many
inconveniences. The Kafiri arc invaluable for tracing the
spoor of cattle, and whilst their efficiency in this depart-
ment is equal to that of the Hottentot., they arc free from
the prejudices which would render the use of a Hottentot
police detrimental. Colonel Mackinnon, in his report of the
31st ISA says:

Much of the security at present enjoyed by these districts
is to be attributed to the vigilance of the Kafir police.
These men perform their duty in a most efficient manner,
and ut the same time with.out occasioning any irritation
amongst the Kafir tribes. This could not be fleeted by
any other description of force, certainly not by the British
soldier, for he loss not possess the faculty of tracing live
stock (the only description of property which the Kafiri steal
from the colonists), nor will any length of service or cape-
rienee in the country enable him to acquire this. The Hot-
tentot of the Cape Corps, on the other hand, is well able to
follow the traces of live stock, and to spoor (track) the foot-
steps of the Karim who steal it; but there is an antagonism
between the Kafir and Hottentot races; hence to revert to
the system formerly pursued of sending nut armed parties
of this corps to make reprisals on the Kafiri for the thefts
which they commit would he sure, sooner or later, to lead
to a war-try. I will also here mention the fact, as illus-
trative in a remarkable degree of the opinion which I have
expressed of the efficiency of the Kafir police, that during
the two years I have had the direction of affairs in British
Kafraria, I have never once had occasion to call out the
military in aid of this force.

Witchcraft, used by certain chiefs to further purposes of
aggression, was also an evil which existed to a great extent
in the frontier settlements; and notwithstanding the effort*
made to put it down, it seems to be still a moat approved
means of creating disaffection among the natives. To keep
down this and the assumption of power by the chiefs, is the
aim kept in view in t:se government of the frontier. The
deposition of Sandilli, which lately took place, is a sign
that energetic measures must be used to keep the Kafiri in
awe. But that this is best done when the chief governor
of the colony has been present in person, is so well shown
that it has given rise to the deeply-rooted feeling that
Graham's Town should have its local governor instead of
being ruled from Cape Town.

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