THE CAFFRE DILEMMA. '
THAT the Parliamentary inquiry into the Caffre War would be a farce, everybody knew ; but it is a- farcical fiction founded on tragical facts which are still going on ; and the excess of its snrdity threatens to aggravate the catastrophe. Forced into the inquiry, Ministers sought to convert it into a means of. gaining time ; and they have succeeded; in so gaining time as to give longer and wider scope to the disastrous. agencies which they are keeping at work in the colony and on its borders. • To be really useful, the inquiry should have been prosecuted on the spot ; but that might have forced upon Ministers a knowledge of the truth—of the events- proceeding, and the disasters produced, by order, from theMitelves; and that would have been a knowledge recorded in too formal a manner and too publicly before the face of the whole empire. By keeping the inquiry at home, they attain two advan- tages,—they render the inquiry less efficient in itself, andthey are able to manage it more handily. They have managed it, In a pamphlet just published,* Sir Andries Stockenstrom shows that the inquiry was so conthieled as hot only to fail in the disclosure of truth, but absolutely to prevent it. " On the 26th of June I appeared upon summons before the Select Com- mittee, and then found the Blue-book of the 23d of June damp from the press. :I opened . this book at a letter of 'Sir G. Napier's. I-was directed to mactit ; so it got, inserted in my evidence. At the close of this day's ex- amination,,I was asked whether I had any further information to give. Be- sides my former communications, to which -I had already referred "the Com- mittee, I had nothing more to say, particularly if the inquiry was to be con- tinued at the Cape. But a few days later, I purchased the Blim-book- of Julie 23, and. on close .examinatkci found nol only that Sir G. Nap Wr" s. letter was not there, as it was handed. to and read by me on the 26th—rater ni FACT IT was Muru arEn—liut other important documents were there with the most vital passages suppressed, and many others were not there at all; whilst I heard upon good authority that the inquiry was plose,d, and that the Committee was drawing up its report to the House."
• Sir Andries sent in a letter of remonstrance ; the inquiry was resumed, and he was again summoned before the Committee, on the 30th of Jtily.• "Sir Joshua Walinsley showed me a string of questions which' he was going to put to me. Most of them were to the point ; but I had hardly re- peated my declaration, that the. measures of Government had caused the war—that its injustice to the Tambookies, particularly the massacre of men, women,-and children, at midnight,- in' Guada's Kraal, living, unsuspeeting, Mider the protection of our diplomatic agent, had exasperated that tribe against us, and that documents which ought'-to have been before the- Coin- mittee were in _Downing Street—When the Under-Seeretary cleared the room ;- and when the public was readmitted, we found that Sir Joshua was mot allowed to continue his interrogatories, and that the general Have question great deal more to be said? but that that Hae you any further information to give?' was substituted. * * * I simply answe that there was e ought to be • on the spot, where all parties concerned might be heard; and that if this were not done, Twas bound to declare the whole inguiry-in- complete."
. Down to the 1st of this Month, the date- of his pamphlet, Sir Andries Stookenstrom had no -opportunity of correcting this latter evidence--it was " not yet out"—and he naturally declines to • be responsible for its correctness.
In this way is time gained for the prosetution of. the Caffre -war; in which the Government is evidently trying to cheat l'or= tune byg it on with insufficient means. The fiat of " ex- termination' has gone forth, and juggling concessions or posture-
making ceremonies with the " stick bf peace " will no longer serve. We have no longer separate tribes to deal with. -
"All must depend upon how you terminate the war. You cannot deal with the Wires either as wolves or as lambs. They are neither irreclaimable savages. nor mild gentle shepherds. They are fieroe, warlike, barbarians.. 'Vigour at as necessItry as justice in your dealings with their' and if you allo them to become masters, you must give up the colony.. allow
much Ppredict
with certainty --you must go on exterminating, or you *sat restore-thepower of the chiefs. You, must enact .the Hottentot history over again, which -with the Caffles and others will not be so easy a matter; or you must respect thtioosen for whom the natives have a natural and even a superstitious verse- • "Brief NotiCe of the Caffre War. By Sir A. Stockenstrom, Bad. In a Letter to a Friend." Published by Mr. Trelawny Saunders. . Mr. Saunders hag also published the Correspondence between Lord John Russell and the Delegates from the Cape of Good Rope; together with the most important Documents relating to the Establishment of a Representative Legislature at the Cape.
They will repay a perusal - -
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