A SOUTH AFRICAN CONFEDERATION.

Globe, Volume V, Issue 553, 27 March 1876, Page 4

A SOUTH AFRICAN CONFEDERATION.

An occasional correspondent of the Times writing from Cape Town on Dec. 25th says : The day following the departure of the last mail, on the 16th*instant, another despatch from Lord Carnarvon to Sir Henry Barkly on the confederation question was published in the official Gazette. This document, dated the 15th of November, removes the doubts created by the noble Earl’s previous communication of October, which, as I lately informed you, was interpreted by the Ministry »nd thsir supporters in Parliament as a

virtual withdrawal of the original conference proposals. It clearly sets forth, what Mr Disraeli publicly intimated in his Mansion house speech, that a confederation of the colonies and States of South Africa is the policy the Imperial Government is most anxious, if not determined, to realise. The polite and conciliatory terms of this communication have done much to modify the antagonism of the Ministry to the Secretary of State’s action, and, accompanied as it has been by private assurances to the Premier of respect and confidence, a friendly disposition to act as far as possible in concert with imperial aims and objects has been evoked. As colonists, Mr Molteno and his colleagues have not quite parted with their English sympathies, and as Englishmen they find that the request of the Home Government comes upon them with a claim for consideration, more especially now in view of the position which the mother country occupies in relation to the great European Powers and the desire for the consolidation of the Empire in all its parts. There are, however, considerable difficulties in the way of the suggested meeting of delegates in London. The warmest supporters of confederation, in the session which met here a month ago, strongly held the view that any propositions upon which such a scheme should be based must first be discussed and formulated in a colonial conference, They regarded such a conference as a preliminary step by which the colonial communities would be thoroughly educated up to the willing and hearty acceptance of the desired change. It was this feeling which in some degree called forth the general public approval of Lord Carnarvon’s original proposals from the various towns and villages throughout the country. But a conference in London is a very different matter. There is some apprehension that, away from the Cape, the representatives might be subject to social temptations, and that, notwithstanding the assurance that nothing more will be done than to “ deliberate and report” to the several Legislatures interested, Imperial considerations might prevail over local and colonial interests. It must be borne in mind that the Cape Legislature has not even as yet fully declared a desire to take part in such conference. Although one body, the Legislative Council, resolved to recommend that delegates should be sent, the- other, the House of Assembly, after the arrival of Lord Carnarvon’s despatch of the 22nd of October, came to the conc’usion that it was absolved from taking any steps in the matter. So that really no decided opinion has been pronounced, and another session, if not another Parliament, will have to settle the question. Much carious anxiety prevails as to the course which the Secretary of State will advise to be taken when he comes to be informed of these circumstances, Sir H. Barkly’s term of office expires in the ensuing year—rumor says he will leave in March or April—and it is partly expected he will be succeeded by a Governor especially selected to deal with the changed condition of affairs.

After the prorogation of Parliament, on the 26th of November, the public agitation of the question dropped for a time ; but one or two constituencies in the Western districts have had meetings expressing disapproval of those of their members who did not vote for the conference. In the Eastern districts there is to be a political demonstration early next month, at Port Elizabeth, where all the conference and confederation members are to be entertained at a banquet in the magnificent Town Hall of that place. This, together with the despatch now received, will, it is likely, serve to revive the whole agitation afresh.

Confederation et simple is becoming more and more the topic of discussion. Many have long wished for it as the only way to attain the patriotic nationality to which South Africans naturally and proudly aspire. So ue are eager for it to secure gthe extension of British law and administration over the rich and fertile territories outside the colony ; others, especially in the Eastern part of the colony, hope to secure from it a measure of local self-government as distinguished from “ dominion,” not complete “ separation,” as has been stated by their opponents. There are, on the other hand, very influential politicians strongly opposed to it; those, for instance, who support an undivided responsible Government in Cape Town exercising authority over all South Africa, and those who are fearful of the consequences of taking over the administration of native affairs in Natal and the Transvaal. The magnitude of the liabilities which might be incurred in taking over the defence of Natal is, indeed, felt to be one of the most formidable objections. If, however, the Home Government is prepared to say, “ We are ready to take these liabilities, in great measure, upon ourselves, at any rate for a period of years; we are ready to make an annual appropriation—say of £60, 000in aid of a large mounted police for the colony; we are ready to maintain there two or three regiments of troops, or to make the Cape and Natal a sanatorium for Indian forces”—if such an assurance were forthcoming the most serious obstacles to union would vanish, and Confederation would soon be brought to a happy conclusion. Some present difficulties still stand in the way of getting the free Republics who are our neighbours to unite ; but if a confederation is once formed, with a door left open for them to come in, a national fellow-feeling will very likely soon induce them to join. The bucolic inhabitants of these States are usually represented as holding the English rule as hateful as the English tongue ; and it has been said that any attempt to press forward Lord Carnarvon’s proposals would goad them to leave their farms and move off into the wilds of the interior, as their fathers did before them. But the “ Boer” element, as it is termed, is not now what it was a few years ago. The European population which flocked to the Diamond Fields, and from there spread into the neighbouring Republic, has revolutionised the character, feelings, and ideas of the South Africans ; at the present moment, both in Bloemfontein, the capital of the Orange Free State,'and in Pretoria, the capital of the Transvaal, the English lan. guage is more commonly heard than Cape Dutch; and trade and business, and even pastoral and agricultural pursuits are in the hands of British subjects. Then it must be remembered that in the Cape Colony itself, as well as in Natal, three-fourths of the white inhabitants are of colonial-Dutch extraction, and there are no more loyal and attached subjects to her Majesty the Queen under the sun. There is th refore no insuperable impediment in the way of our brethren across the Orange or the Vaal awipting the flag of Great’

Britain if overtures are made to them in an amicable and attractive manner. The intimation Lord Carnarvon has given of his willingness to settle the long standing grievance of the Free State with regard to Griqualand West is a step in the right direction, and if judiciously effected, will tend to secure perfectly cordial relations and ultimate union. Such a policy at present is most desirable, for any attempt at confederation, to be successful, must be supported by the popular sympathy and approval of the various communities of this country,