Mr. Chamberlain admitted that the telegrams which Mr. Rhodes refused
to produce "did appear to imply the complicity of the Colonial Office," like those which were produced, but they were of no more value as evidence than the telegrams actually examined by the Committee. Mr. Chamberlain ended by indignantly protesting against the notion that the letters published in the Independance Beige were a ground for inquiry as to whether the Colonial Secretary had committed perjury. His assailants in reality did not want an inquiry, they wanted an execution. In our opinion Mr. Chamberlain made a perfectly good defence against the monstrous personal suspicions—they were not charges—urged against him. We regret, however, that he did not show a keener appreciation of the tactics of Mr. Rhodes and his group. But Mr. Chamberlain is a very stubborn man, and once having determined that he will not allow Mr. Rhodes to be sacrificed or, as we should say, suffer the penalties due to the deceit practised by him in his dealings with the Colonial authorities, nothing will induce him to alter his attitude.
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