The Sun.
London, England, 1838-05-18 00:00:00

SOUTH AFRICA.

In connexion with South Africa two circumstances have occupied the
attention of the Society, one respecting the location of Hottentots on the
Great Fish River, similar to those already established on the Kat River;
the other respecting the emigration of Boors from the Colony, an,l their
invasion of the territory of the native chief of the Zoolas, Mosclakatzi.

After maturely considering the destitute condition of the Hottentots
now being located by the Honourable the Lieutenant Governor, Cap-
tain Stockinstrom, and after personal communication on the part of this
Committee with the 11ev. Dr. Philip, while in England, on the subject,
it was resolved to prepare an appeal to the British public cn their be-
.. •.

half, and which has been put into circulation. The Honourable the
Lieutenant Governor had given the strongest proof of his own convic.

Wm of the utility of such locations by his prompt and benevolent sub- '
scription from his own private resources of the handsome sum of 3,000
Rix dollars. Dr. Philip has also proved his high opinion of the import-
ance of the objeet by the handsome donation of 1001. sterling towards it.
The settlement at the Kat River has been demonstrated to be a st:*cerss-
ful experiment, both as regards the improvement and cemtort of the
Aborigines themselves, anti the safety and defence of the Colony. There
scorns every reason to conclude that the present plan of farming other
similar locations on the Great Fish River, will be equally advantageous
The appointment of the Honourable C:iptain Stockinstrom to be Lieu-
tenant Governor of the Eastern Provin Co of the Colony of the Cape of
Good Hope, has always appeared to your Society one of the most import-
ant Measures that could be adopted in reference both the welfare of the
Colony on its eastern frontier, and the defence and improvement of the
Aboriginal Tribes, falling within the influence of his government. To
the long experience, the enlightened views, the liberal policy, and the
high moral principles of the Honourable Captain Stockinstrom, the Com-
mittee feel they may look with the most perfect confidence, assured that
the interest of the Colonists will not be sacrificed to partialities for the

Reprinted, with Comments, by the Committee of the Aborigines
Protection Society, and sold by w. Ball, Aldine Chambers, Paternoster-
row, Hatchard and Sen,Piccadiliy, and other booksellers.

vines, nor the intere: _ _
he prosperity of the Colonists.
It is most earnestly to be hoped that neither public countenance, nor
the effectual support of the Colonial Executive, will be withheld from
the Lieutenant Governor in the prosecution 'of measures so distinguished
by matured wisdom, genuine humanity, and essential justice. On that
support obviously depends the efficiency of the measures proposed, and
probably of all future measures for a long period to come, in favor of the
Aborigines in that part of the world.
In an interview had by one of the officers of the Society with his Ex-
cellency, General Napier, the present Governor of the Cape of Good
Hope, a few days previous to his leaving England, his Excellency, after
expressing a deep interest in all questions relating to the Aborigines, end
his full approval of the measures adopted on their behalf by the Lieute-
nant Governor, the Honourable Captain Stockinstrom, as far as they.liad
come under his observation, was pleased to observe, " that it would be
his ambition to surrender his trust on retiring from his Government
without having fired a single hostile shot at the native tribes."
It was gratifying also to the Society to learn, as a mark of his Excel.
lency's feeling towards the native tribes, that in an interview he had
with lan Tzatzoe, the Carer Chief, while in this country, he not only
expressed his earnest wish to remain on terms of peace and friendship
with the border tribes, but his sincere desire to make use of all means in
his power for their protection and improvement, and as a further token
of his regard for this Christian Chieftain, he requested his acceptance of
a handsome present as mark of his esteem.
The case of the destruction of the Tribe of Zoolas, under the Govern-
ment of Moselakatzi, by the emigrant Boors, has awakened a deep into-
rest.in the minds of the Committee. A comprehensive view of the cm.:
has been communicated to the Society in the shape of an extract from a
journal drawn up by Captain Harris, of the Honorable East India Com_
parry's service, and sent from the Cape of Good Ilope to this country, to
Dr. Hodgkin, by that eminent friend of humanity and distinguished or-
nament of science, Sir John Herschel. From this document it appears
that the number of emigrants amounted to 5,000.er 6,000 souls, includ-
ing 1,600 men capable of carrying arms; that on their way towards
Port Natal, they had entered the territory of the warlike and jealous
Chieftain, Moselakatzi, in a way that led to hostilities, and the infliction
of much misery and suffering on both parties.
Later accounts convey the intelligence that sanguinary conflicts had
continued, that the tribe of Aborigines under 11foselakatzi, had been en-
tirely defeated and routed, and the Chieftain himself compelled to seek
safety in an ignominious retreat, with a few followers, to a ravine in
some distant mountains. The American Mission commenced among
this tribe, under very favorable and promising circumstances, has been of
course annihilated by the retirement of the Mission families from a spot
where no longer any natives remained to receive their instructions.
Extensive and increasing evils to the Colony, and the native tribes
bordering on it, as well as others stretching far beyond it, are threatened
by these misguided and unprincipled emigrants, who have carried with
them a deeply looted antipathy against a government which they fancy
had unjustly deprived them of their property in the emancipation of
their slaves, notwithstanding the compensation paid them, and in de-
claring the Aborigines of the Colony a free people, entitled to the equal
laws and protection of the British Government.
The Committee lost no time in seeking the honor of an interview with
the Right Honorable Lord Glenelg, as Secretary of State for the Colo-
nies, when they embraced the opportunity promptly afforded them of
laying the case before his Lordship, and since then of conveying in
a documentary form the verbal statements to which they had solicited
his Lordship's attention.
The most difficult problem to be solved in this painful affair is, to de-
vise practicable measures for repressing the existing evils of this emi-
gration without creating the probability of protracted, extensive, and
ruinous war along the whole line of the North Eastern Frontier of our
Colony, or on the frontiers of our friends and allies of the native tribes.
The obligation of the British Government to assist in protecting
these border tribes of uncivilized Aborigines, against the predatory
and hostile incursions of our own subjects, notwithstanding the resolu-
tion of the latter to renounce their allegiance to the British Crown, ap.
pear to the Society greatly confirmed by the fact, that treaties of friend.
ship have been entered into between some of those tribes and the
British Government. Friendly embassies had been interchanged be.
tween Mosclakatzi, Dingaan, and others, with the Colonial Govern-
ment, from which, treaties would, in all probability, ere long have re.
suited. After contemplating such alliances, in what light can they re.
gard either the sincerity or the authority of the British Government, in
permitting, so quietly as they have done, the irruption of the Colonists
on their territories, and the destructive attacks made on them and their
property.
In the case of Mosclakatzi, it is important to keep in view that al.
though he commenced the attack on the emigrants, they had most un-
justifiably placedthernselves in the position ofenemies, making an inroad on
his territories. Since they had not merely entered his country without
his permission, but by a route which he had utterly prohibited, under
the known determination to consider• all as invaders and enemies who
entered his country by that route. In order to secure himself against
hostile and sudden invasion from that quarter, he employed armed par-
ties of his soldiers or police to examine and scour this part of the coup.
try. A body of these armed subjects of Moselakatzi fell in with a party
of the emigrants, whom they, of course, attacked, and over whom, by
superiority of numbers, they easily obtained a victory. This created on
the part of the emigrants a thirst for revenge. A cry for war was
raised—blood was demanded—the friends of the conquered party, rein-
forced by others from the colony, flew to arms—attacked the principal
camp of the Chieftain, Moselakatzi, and nearly destroyed the whole,
leaving a fearful demonstration of their reckless disregard of all native
rights, and their resolution, as civilived men, not to yield the palm for
ferocity and revenge to uncivilized tribes or pagan warriors.
The intentions of the emigrant boors to abandon the colony, and the
spirit by which they were actuated, having been so long known to the
Government at the Cape, it has been thought by the Committee some.
what anomalous that no decisive local measures appear to have been
adopted with the view of checking them in the first instance, and espe.
cially after receiving intelligence of some of the evils inflicted on their
border tribes by these intruders. Nor can it be passed over without se-
rious animadversion, that, in not a few cases, these emigrants, it is
feared, have taken with them, under whatever pretence, many of the
apprentices, to be still retained in slavery—even of those for whom they
had received their share of the twenty millions sterling compensation
money.

The difficulty of devising effectual and suitable measures to check the
progress of these evils, if not to punish the guilty authors of these cola.
unties on innocent tribes of our allies, is no argument against the duty
of attempting to discover such remedies as the case demands. To dis-
cover and to apply the actual remedy seems to belong properly to the
Executive, in maintaining the laws already existing, so far as adequate to
the position of atrairs—or to the Legislature to produce further and more
effectual enactments if the former are found insufficient,
It has, however, occurred to the Committee that two things may be
done. One relates to the Act already passed in the 6th and ith Wil.
ham the 4th, entitled, " An Act for the prevention and punishment of
offences committed by his Majesty's subjects within certain territories
adjacent to the colony of the Cape of Good Hope." This Act extends
the jurisdiction of the Colonial Courts to offences committed by British
subjects, to the 25th degree of south latitude, without prejudice to the
independent rights of the tribes occupying those territories. In carrying
into force the provisions of that law, it has been thought the parties of
emigrants might, in the first instance, be summoned to return, and held
responsible to the Colonial Courts, and in the event of their refusal to
comply with the demand, they be forthwith declared outlaws, and t heir
lemaining pr.)perty in the colony, if any, confiscated. Such a measure,
it is conceived, though it might not repair past wrongs, or induce any
who have left the Colony to return to it, might operate as a warning and
check on others inclined to adopt a similar course. It would also be a
pledge to the native tribes of the sincerity and determination of the Bri-
tish Government to discourage all such aggressions on the rights and
prop*ty of the Aborigines bordering on our Colony.
A further measure, which it appears even still more desirable and
practicable to adopt, is that of enabling the native tribes to put them
into a position of defending themselves and their rights. They
may be encouraged to form treaties of friendship not only with the Bri-
tish Government,but with one another for their own mutual defence and
protection.

If some measures do not shortly emanate from the Home or Colonial
Government to check this enormous and increasing evil, it will create
the most insurmountable obstacles to the establishment of Missions and
the progress of Christianity and civilization among the numerous native
tribes in South Africa. If every band of restless and discontented Cape
Colonists, disaffected towards the British Government, be permitted on
stepping beyond the frontiers to declare themselves independent, and
beyond the restraints of law, by renouncing their allegiance to the Bri-
tish Government, we can only look forward with gloomy forebodings to
a state of anarchy, confusion, and extermina!ing warfare in South Af-
rica, amidst which thousands of the natives must inevitably perish before
their more crafty and powerful invaders.

MADAGASCAR. •
The Committee appointed a deputation to communicate with the em.
bassy from her Majesty the Queen of illadagascar, while in this country
in the spring of last year, to express the lively interest they felt in the
welfare of the inhabitants of that island, and to offer them any assistance
it might be in their power to yield.

The Committee unite with the many thousands of their fellow coun-
trymen in the extreme pain with which they have heard of the persecu-
tion against Christianity in that fine island. They cherish a deep irate.
rest on the part of the Aborigines of that country, who, in various parts
of the island are suffering from the impolitic, cruel, and despotic mea-
sures of the dominant tribes of the 'lovas under the government of Ita-
navalona the Queen, who is aiming by the combined efforts of craft and
force to obtain the sovereignty of the island, and whose measures, at
this moment, are nearly fatal to the commerce, civilization, and moral
improvement of the whole country. The geographical position of Ma-
dagascar, in relation to the African coast, r,nders it exceedingly desire-
able that the progress of civilization might not be impeded there. Ma-
dagascar raised to a capacity of exercising a Christian influence, the op-
posite coast of Africa could nat but participate in the advantages re-
sulting from it.