Adamantia : the truth about the South African diamond fields : or, a ...

288 ADVENT OF sm HENRY DARKLY.to the Orange Free State and South African Republicdisplayed by the Home Government, and by the previousaction taken by his predecessor, General Hay;~nd being also entirely advised and instructed by Mr.Southey and the remaining members of the ExecutiveCouncil; the fact that Sir Henry Barkly at onceadopted the existing policy in all its unquestioningapproval 'of Waterboer, and all its undeviating bias,injustice, and hostility against the. Free State, can-excite but small surprise. Indeed, as a just historian -of these events, I must observe that it would have been-extremely difficult, if not impossible, for him to havedono otherwise. He could hardly, as a total strangerto the country and the past proceedings, commence-office in entire opposition to all his colleagues: moreover,even had he been just-minded, independent, andwilling enough to do so, with an "irresponsible"Government, it was out of the question.Naturally enough, under these circumstances thevisit of President Brand had no effect upon the longpredetermined policy in question. In continuationof my effort to expose the false views and incorrectarguments of the late Oolonial Government, I mustnow notice the correspondence which ensued betweenthe President and Sir H. Barkly.Although from one sentence written by the Governorto Earl Kimberley in a despatch dated, "Bloemfontein,March 8, 1811,"·-" For it appeared to methat the British Government had al1'eadu gone too farto admit of ill cBaBing to BUpp01·t tIle caUl8 of Watwboer,"-wemight well dismiss all discussion of Sir• Vide p. 133, Blue Book "Correspondence rea~ting the aft'aira ofthe Cape of Good Hope,"-London, August 17, 1871."Digitized by Goog Ie