CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVI, Issue 1676, 15 October 1861, Page 5

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

(From the " Cape Monitor," August 13.) The removal of one Governor and the' appoint-: ment of another are events which of necessity have a considerable influence for good or evil on the interests of the Colony. In ihe present instance the change can hardly fail to be disadvantageous. The Cape is not as it was even ten years ago. It has started on a new career; of improvement ; it has a constitution under* tbe shadow of which public political opinion is' growing into life and form ; and it has by imtni-; gration introduced the English laborer to a country and climate adapted to hira, and whese; the results of his industry and perseverance are; already 'making themselves felt. In' the-; transition state from the old to the new order of. things, it would have been advantageous if our; present Governor could have retained his post for five years longer. Of this, however, no hope; is now to be entertained, and within a day or two we shall probably witness the departure of: Sir <L Grey. Who his successor is to be, we shall, probably learn on the arrival ofthe English mail. Whoever it may be, it is impossible that be should be as well qualified for; his post as his predecessor. Supposing he : possesses the higher qualifications of the states-, man, he must want tbe acquaintance with the* interests of the Colony which experience and '_ actual residence amongst us alone can give 1 At this time affairs amongst ourselves are very; unsettled, and ugly rumors, relations; with the frontier tribes occasionally reach us. Our financial system is being remodelled^ half; the Colony is demanding Jseparation from t^ e: other half, and the urgent necessity of some; provision being made for securing Responsible; Government is more evident 'than iever.* Another year or two with Sir George Grey at, the head of affairs, and the whole of these ques-: tions would have been satisfactorily disposed j of. His successor will 'find it no easy task to ; unravel the complications put into his bands,, . and we shall have to suffer in some'measiire for j the work of an apprentice hand. 'We regret to: ,see the course which Mr. Scott, the Lieutenant- j Governor of Natal, bas pursued, aud whiob, we ; venture to say, will be disapproved by the. colonists generally. _ It does not appear that he had any valid; authority for interfering with the well considered and prudent arrangements made by Sir George ; Grey with respect to the occupation of No- j Mau's-Lahd. But even had he such authority what could be more unwise than its exercise? Franklin" shid that experience keeps a dear school, but foolish people will 'learn in.no other, i] " In seeing," says Sir George Grey in his able j! ' memorandum* on this subject, " ou the eve of my departure, plans which I had carefully; arranged set aside, I have this satisfation that there have been and yet will be times in which ; it would be thought aserviceable act. to pre-; seryeas friends those who might have been troublesome enemies, and to have added f 600 0: or 7000 good and loyal subjects to ber Majesty's;

I empire, who possessed energy and a large amount of capital, who would have occupied and subdued wild and useless lands, and would cheerfully have acted as a barrier against bar- • barous tribes, would have opened up an almost unknown country with roads, have helped to tie on a settlement surrounded by hostile savages to a strong, large, apd prosperous colony, and have brought to a young and yet struggling community a large amountof produce, revenue, trade, commerce and strength, and would have done all this, not as a class settlement, but mixed up with an European population, into which they would speedily have been absorbed, and with ali such powers of disposing of lands as are enjoyed by the rest ofthe Queen's subjects." This exposition of the Grey policy, should be written up in our Halls of Legislation, and on the fleshy tables ofthe hearts of our representatives. That Sir George Grey had authority by his office of High Commissioner, as well as by special instructions, to settle and adjust all matters, ia dispute in the territories between this colony and Natal there can be no doubt whatever. Atid we cannot but think it ill advised on the part of Mr. Scott fo thwart, in the way he has done, a plan ensuring the continuance of peace and prosperity ol all the inhabitants of South Africa. A serious responsibility now rests upon him, to the support of which we consider he is scarcely equal. We are confident that tbe progress of events will show that as regards the native tribes there are only two courses open to us— either the adoption of the policy of Sir George Grrey, or a war of extermination, which war be it remembered we must conduct at our. own charges. It is not necessary that we should pass in review the proceedings ofs Sir George Grey as Governor of this colony. It is enough to say tbat his adminis-" tration of its affairs has obtained the approval of '. the entire population. He has in a word secured for us tbe blessings of uninterrupted peace, has . pacified and managed with consummate tact the nativej tribes upon our frontier, has done more tban ever any one man did before to promote the internal improvement of the colony, aud shown himself the consistent friend of all measures for the moral and intellectual elevation of our people, and has in his general policy effected a happy alliance between justice and mercy. It must be some satisfaction to him to know that while and respected for his character and ability he has at the same time secured, an abiding place in the hearts of people. ..Whenever he may go our best wishes .will follow him, and no one will rejoice more than the inhabitants bf the Cape at the honours which; will undoubtedly be conferred upou so faithful an able a servant of the Crown. •

(From the Cape Toxon Monitor t August 15.) The prorogation pf the Cape Parliament yesterday, was an almost mournful event from the fact that it was probably ths last Cape Parliament that would ever be addressed by Sir George Grey. For seven years Constitutional Government in this Colony has been on its trial, and in spite of the late eccentricities of the.Legislative Council, it has on the whole work a well. It has required no ordinary tact on the part of Sir George Grey to keep the Legislative machine in anything like, efficient order. But undoubtedly more has been effected for. the good oif the inhabitants of this colony during tbe last seven years than through all the previous periods of its 'history. His Excellency at the commencement of his speech noticed that this was the longest session that had yet taken place. Tediously lengthy, indeed it has been 1 in wcfairy dullness long drawn but. Yet Wicht wanted it prolonged! .. Allusion is next made to the proposed .Telegraph between Cape Town and GrabaV^lVwo, and which we fervently hopa will as his Excellency believes, "lead to the. establishment .bf many other lines of Telegraph communication." The Zulu difficulty is then Referred to, and Lieutenent-Governor. Scott is gracefully commended for. the prompt measures adopted by bim. for the security of the frontier of Natal.

Reference is made to the whole of the financial measures submitted to Parliament not having been agreed to. And though no actual mention is .made of the proposed grant, of £10,000 for the troops, lefused by the Legislative Council, yet itis impossible for the publio tb forget the short-sighted and fatal error bf ■ that step, so contrary to the wishes of the people, and calculated to place us in a false and invidious position in reference to the Home Government. We regret that the Executive did not act with vigor, in. this affair." In ignominiously dismissing the Council to ..theft homes. His Excellency would have been enthusiastically supported by public opiniop;.-^ . The manner in which reference is. made to our. relations with the neighbouring tribes, is scarcely' of a sanguine or hopeful character. 1 n truth the departure of Sir George Grey at the present moment, we cannot but ; regard as a political blunder; and though it is gratifying to learn that tbe reports of Kreli's people having crossed the Bashee have been greatly, exaggerated, the general' unquiet state of the Native tribes, increases our regret at f . the departure of the man whose cleir and compvehensive;mind, and energetio will have secured fbr.UEJ ttiroiigh some years past the, blessings of , peiacd/ 7,'jHis Excellency gives .in this speech an able 1 ; and clear exposition' of his policy ; 4trid he who ■ shall hereafter .declare that he who knows not what that- policy is, , will be wilfully ignorant. "To enable" says his Excellency, "the European race in South Africa to occupy * such territory as they really require, witb ; the fui consent of the Natives, and on such terms afc are mutually advantageous to, both races, and to follow this* mixed pppulatiqn' 1 wHVTaw • •■.- brder, and 'Christianity, is to build upfaud'uj^i " mately to consolidate .great and prosperous communities." Such, in a succinct form, is the outline of the policy io Mich South Africa is . already indebted for the advance she has made, in civilisation, and which it had. been our. hope that the author of tbis system would have for many years remained amongst us to control and to perfect. No. information; is given in the Speeoh, and perhaps none is. to hand, as,toVwbo is tP be'th^.sucoessqr of "the Governor.^- Who- „•" ever be may be, he must enteri into the labors of his predecessor at a great disadvantage ; tind, it is only to be hoped that he will 5 haye 1 mag- * ; nanimity enough to lead us on in the Vp.ath 7 which we must follow, if we are evfer attain -k. to and maintain the position 'of a j)rpsperouj^7 united, aud '; divilised 1 people. , But,j,wca|e^er};t ; may be our destiny, the reputatioa of jSiii y OM. 1* Grey, as the first of South African rulers, riestsiv upon a firm and immovable basis. , His has not been-the marked and startling. 7: triumph, of Jhe/ militaryuConJjuerQr.ViHiß'ha^ ruled with , a mightier -.power* than v.th&i swprd,^; and: in distant ages .when • tbaAdaurels : f bf *}*Zx Crosar and Tamarlane havef ailed into hbtbing^ y ■ness* his • iriemory*wili » -'biei^ible^cd^yf t ;.it r^is^-f glorious to hush; with sage jw&olfflif^B^iSlf^* ; ofwar.todpen Upnew'fieldsTdjr'h^ to elevate the' 1 besbtfed;* sivage^atfd ;jf6 -2 Mm : in a word, *t l^glonous^ tp a bounds of buta^^o^pines^^ A-:" •' - -'■' -yyy^yiifri yi£y'y\-+Xy**i&-?k^^W-^M .y '. - ';-X-: yXyy^yXkyX^ykW^^^ .■ ■ ■ yxxx:XyXk£x^.xjiMmkmm