AFFAIRS AT THE CAPE DIAMOND FIELDS.

Press, Volume XXIII, Issue 3058, 10 June 1875, Page 3

AFFAIRS AT THE CAPE DIAMOND FIELDS.

(From the South African Mail, April 6th.) The situation of affairs at the diamond fields has ceased to be quite as threatening as it was. The leading members of the Combined Associations appear to have discovered that the position they had taken up was untenable, and hopes are entertained that the Government is amenable to reason. The Diamond Field of the 27th ult, contains the following article upon the situation:— The situation is now for the people of Griqualand decidedly more cheerful than it has been since the hour of the promulgation of the mock constitution. From the direction of England we have every reasonable ground to expect sympathy with our sufferings ; the Molteno Ministry is decidedly favorable to our aspirations for better government; the united press of Natal, the Cape Colony, is at one with us ; the preliminary examination in the case of the Field has so far concluded with most damaging effect upon the obnoxious individuals who instituted it ; the attempt to prosecute South, the digger, for non-registration of servants has ceased, at the instance of those who commenced it; Mr Ward's domiciliary visits to diggers and their servants have ceased, and, if repeated, are not likely to end pleasantly, even if he be accompanied by hia Excellency's brother-in-law ; diamond buyers may pursue their honest calling without fear of being prosecuted for buying outside of their offices ; the cry of " Troops are coming " does not disturb the serenity of the public mind; the Legislative Council is not likely to renew the free and easy work of last session—so much of which has been swept away by Earl Carnarvon, by Mr Buyskes, by the diggers, and by the Government itself by deferring promulgation. Our contemporary, after publishing a warning proclamation of his Excellency's, and recommending the diggers to submit themselves before it is too late, fills its columns of last issue with a stupidly written and worse-conceived skit upon " the situation." The banks have received a direct official assurance from the " Diggers' Protection Association" that good order will be maintained, and, if they desiro it, at any moment, by night or day, a guard will be furnished. The Government have, with great wisdom, signified their readiness to receive a deputation to confer upon public questions, and at this time the gentlemen appointed only await a dij ect official answer to the letter which appears in another column. Should tnis eventuate in bringing about a " rectification" of differences, the \ gentlemen who paved the way for it will not regret having moved in the matter. The " native mind" bas been duly impressed by the display of armed strength already made, and may be kept in order by further proof in this line. So much has this been the case, that the patrol of last Sunday affected the police cases for Monday morning, on which occasion the magistrate got through his police cases at the unprecedented early hour of 11 a.m. There is one other point which requires j attention. " The situation" would be wonderfully improved if a certain member of the Executive were suspended. It has got to be a deeply rooted and generally felt impression that this would clear the road for happier times for this distracted community. The Honourable J. B. Currey is believed to have originated the hostile attitude of Government towards the people from early times. He is credited with tbe continued refusal of Government to meet deputations from the people. He is supposed to have stood in the way of the deputation which now awaits his Excellency's reply, who, we trust, has at length [thrown off his lethargy, and once more assumed some of his former energy. It is now hoped by men of all views on politics that the hon gentleman will be promoted to another and more congenial sphere of usefulness, and that his manifest talent for insulting correspondence may find exercise in some more appreciative community. For our part we should not object to such a change. It would give the rest of the Executive an opportunity of showing that they are to some extent fitted for the posts they hold. It might serve as a warning to them to assert their individuality, and thus bring into exercise a quality not yet very conspicuous in the Government, viz., common sense. We are plain men—men who like to call a spade a spade—and a fool a fool. We desire no wonderfully-gifted Secretary to Government like the Hon J. B. Currey, for Griqualand West—a plainer man would suit us—one who thought of something besides emolument and position—one who was not so desirous of what Napoleon dwelt upon continually in his despatches— glory, but more of that which Wellington ever kept in view, and termed duty. The Hon J. B. Currey, if he ever had a proper sense of his duty, has many times forgotten it. When he came here he had a duty to perform towards this people which he has never discharged. In our opinion be never has, from the moment he set foot in Griqoaland West, pursued any other policy than such as must ultimately bring about some sort of necessity for the presence of troops here. The necessity for the presence of troops once established, or some colouring given for ."such arrangement, it is not difficult to forecast what the ultimate effect might be on the neighbouring states. It might have been the ultimate object of this far-seeing Secretary to Government to overawe the Republics, whose unpretending and practically successful Governments compare go favourably with his own. This ambitious

secretary may anticipate another British dependency near Griqualand West upon some pretext or another, when who so suitable for the chief offica as the transcendent genius who laboured so assiduously to annex, °?J ump ,' n . ei ßhbouringcountries. The " grand old flag" ia served with a vengeance by such men. In the meantime Griqualand West pays the piper, its peace disturbed, its commercial and mining relations injured, its inhabitants impoverished and scattered, its loyal men denounced as traitors, its peaceful citizens persecuted, as in the case of Gunn and Pike, instead of their murderous assailants, its notorious men shielded, as in the Blacklock case, and everything in confusion, whether political, social, or otherwise. May Heaven send us deliverance for all this, but our readers may rest assured that Heaven helps those who help themselves.