The Ministers and Legislature of the Cape Colony do not
apparently like the proposal to federate the South-African Colonies. They argue, in reply, that the time is inopportune, and are obviously offended that Lord Carnarvon should have in- dicated the men who would be most useful as delegates to his proposed conference. They consider that the number of delegates from each colony should be settled by the colony itself, and de- cline to take any further action in the matter. The House of Assembly has approved this despatch by a small majority, but the whole affair leaves an impression of petulance rather than mature consideration. The mother-country, surely, may ask her colonies to consider a great project without affronting their dignity, nor has the British Government ever surrendered its right of settling inter-Colonial disputes. A little explanation will probably convince the colonists that no affront to their amour propre was intended, and that the Colonial Office only named certain gentlemen to show that the different Legislatures could have no lack of competent representatives. A splenetic little outburst of localism was to have been expected, and we trust his rebuff from the Cape upon a question of Imperial policy will only make Lord Carnarvon more tranquilly and gently persistent. Some of his agents, we suspect, have not an overplus of tact, even if they are heartily favourable to his scheme.
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