The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-29 00:00:00

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

On the 4th of June the House of Assembly pro-
ceeded in a body, headed by the Speaker, to Govern-
ment-house, Cape Town, and presented addresses,
agreed to upon the previous day, to her Majesty and
the Governor. In these documents the congratula-
tions of the house are offered on the conclusion of
peace, and gratitude is expressed to her Majesty
for the solicitude for the welfare of the colony
evinced in the proposition to settle within the same
a numerous body of the British German Legion.
At a few minutes before 12 the house again pro-
ceeded to Government-house to receive his Excel-
lency's closing speech. In this the governor says :
Mr. President and gentlemen of the Legislative Conn.
cif, Mr. Speaker, and gentlemen of the House of As-
sembly,—l trust that as the commerce and wealth of the
colony develope themselves, you will endeavour to mature
some measure, by which either a part of the customs re-
venue or some of the advantages which arise from its ex-
penditure, may, upon some equitable principles, be shared
by the states and provinces which virtually contribute
to it. At present nearly the whole trade and commerce
of South Africa fliws through this colony, fertilising
as it were the country as it flows, and enriching its
inhabitants in manifold ways. The customs revenue
is but a small part of even the public benefit which we
derive from this commerce, and in no manner repre-
sents the wealth which by a thousand invisible streams
it brings to almost every part of the colony. It is a
difficult process to divert commerce from channels which
it has long occupied, but once it is so diverteet it is even
inure difficult to restore it to its former course, The
trade which we carry on with the interior is yet but in
its very infancy ; it, then, it is now of so great and pal-
pable advantage to this colony, who can estimate what
its value will be when the vast tracts of the interior, to
which emigrants are daily proceeding, swarm with a
large population of Europeans or of almost civilised
native tribes ? If we view the subject under this aspect,
I feel sure that all must agree that every step should be
taken which a prudent liberality can dictate to enter into
some arrangements with the states and pro vinces in our
vicinity, which may have the effect of binding them by
ties of at least reciprocal mercantile advai stage, and of
long securing to this colony that commerce which is
even now so beneficial, and which year by year acquires
additional importance. At the comment encient of the
session of 1855, it was my duty to lay bei7ore you the
system of policy which I proposed should be! :pursued in
reference to the frontier and British Kaffraria. That
line of policy has been strictly adhered to by the Govern-
ment ; at the time it was received with gene rail approval
on your part, and you have since cordially co-operated in
every step which the Government has taken with regard
to it. Its entire attainment appeared from its m agnitude
to be difficult and remote, but still aided by youir wisdom
and experience, and cheered by your co operation and
sympathy, I patiently, with you, as my fellow-labourers,
worked on towards the end we had in view, an d whine I
never doubted that we should ultimately reach. It be-
comes me, therefore, on this occasion to thank-. you for
the aid and confidence which you have afforded me,
and, together with you, to rejoice at the rapid a dyances
we now appear likely to make the ends we so ai ixiously
desired to reach. You, lam sure, in common ev.itia my-
self, feel grateful to that Divine Providence, which has
guided this colony through so many difficulties to the
present point, at which so bright a feature appe,ars
opening to it. Rising above those local and sehfish
views, you have indeed, by your addresses, shown, the
gratitude and joy with which you view the honouirable
peace which has recently been concluded, and a hick
appears likely to secure such advantages to the whole
of Europe. The feelings which you have on this c icea-
sion expressed will be most gratifying to her Maje sty.
and are due to the Queen, who, throughout the rec eat
just war in which her empire was engaged, felt so
anxious a solicitude for the safety and welfare of t his
colony, that pressed as Great Britain was for troops h er
Mamie ty nevertheless always maintained here that large*
and efficient force which your necessities required, anti.
whose first thought subsequently to the conclusion of
the peace has been how, from that auspicious event,'
advantages might be derived which might for ever se-
cure this colony from those devastating wars which
have so often brought ruin to its inhabitants. I thank
you for your attendance during the present session of
parliament—an attendance which has, I am aware, been
attended by personal loss and inconvenience to many of
you, for which you must, however, in a great measure,
feel compensated by the advantages which you have
been enabled to secure to the celony. I now in her
Majesty's name prorogue this parliament of her Ma-
jesty's settlement of the Cape of Good Hope to Wed-
nesday, the 221 day of October next, and it is hereby
prorogued accordingly.