If it were the fixed reso...
The Times, 1824-11-03T00:00:00

If it were the fixed resolution of Mlinisters to let our costly settlement at the Cape of (ood Hope follow the fate of Java, and Surinarn, and the Spice Islands-that is, if there cxisted any secret design to abanteoi that great coloiny to Holland, after it had served the immetdiate turn of fur- nisbing a pretext for huge salaries, with unfathomable per- quisites, to Lords and Gentlemen high in blood, though somewhat low in condition here at horne,-if such a sur- render, we say, of Southern Africa were really in the medi- tation ofaour Statesmeni, eveni then we could hardly under. stand their tolerating the misery to which it has been re- duced under the government of Lord CHA RLES SOMIERSET. Humanity, if not policy, ought to have taught them better. But if they have had all along an intention to retain the Cape as a valuable member of the empire, wouild it not have bcell moro wise and economical to pay the noble person wlhom they have inflicted upon that settlement his ld,OGol. or 1>,ooOl. per annum, with the Lord knows what in ', chcese-parings" besides, as a premium on his domesticationl in England,wherec comparatively,he couli do no mischief, in- stead of anniexing the obligAtioni of residence at Cape-town, wherc the misapplication of money is eclipsed by that of power? A plain honest man, like Sir RurANE DoxItr, who administered the Cape and its dependencies for a year or two, would have done as much good as others bave (un- wittingly, no doubt) produced evil, an.S for a fifth of the salary that has been svallowed up by his successor. But Sir RuFANE DONi-N had no merit beyond that of personal service as a soldier: he had no Parliamenitary-influence-he was sent away without ceremnoniy, arid his moderate and prudent system of colonial government was overturRel. The end of all this is likely to be, that justice will be viii- dicated before many months elapse. We are assured that the temporaiy failure of the settlement at Algoa Bav, 'ag- gravated, as it was, by such cruel sufferings and such dis- astrous consqusnces on the part of the unifortunate emi- grants, was not owing to the plan itself, or to any want of humane or considerate attention to the exigencies of their case in His MA3rsrTY's Ministers. The plan, on the con- trary, was good-tlie distiict well-adaptedl to the end desired. The settlerstheinselveslhear testimony to thej udginent whiclh devised the meas6re, andl to the libenrlity with which the mieans or'ics execurion were provided; btut it is stated, that an unhappy spirit showed itself from the first in the mind of his " Excellenicy" towards the settlers. The word that is drawled so gracefully from fashionable tongues -the term " radical"-is said, by accounts which we have seen, to have beein applied with ltile, discrim. ination to the emigrants who were consequently represented, in official despatches, dnder colours the reverse of favourable. A strong belief appears to be circulated, that when the Commissioniers of South African Inquiry shall have sent home their report upon the wfhole conduct of Lord CHA.rTES SOafERSET, in relationi to the settlers of Algoa Bay, a serious grountl of charge is likely to be thereby established against his Lord- ship. The treatyrent experienced by the emiranlts is de- scribed to have well corresponide(d witil the misrepresents- Lions under wbich they labouTed. OVe rminous measure, we are told, was the stripping the town of Bathursr of all military protection, whereby the incursions of the Caffres and other savages were drawn down upon the (lestitute inhabitants: nor was this the sum, but oue only amung a series of the most im-rpiolitic aud(1 indefensible proceedings. If the Com- missioners, thein, do their duty manfully,we bid fair to have tbis Borough Governor brought to his account. Nor cani the Miinisters be such simpletons qas to bear aniy longer a weight of odlium which has beer incurred througlh a dere- liction anid perversion of their policy. NVe are happy, at the same timne, to be assured, that the miere presence of the Commissioners has suspended the eourse of wroog, and has effectetl some useful change, in the prosliects, at least,of the Cape anid its dependenicies. AMechantes and persons of Yery small capital now find that they can turn their means to advantage; and, thanks (as is affirmed) to the controlling presence and menacing office of the Commissioners, there appears a chance that things may henceforth improve.