MEMORANDUM for the Information of the Commander of the Forces, showing the Reductions which His Excellency has directed shall come into operation from April 1 next, and the consequent saving to the Public: New contracts for provisions on the frontier 4,000 1,000 387 LETTER written to the Chief MOSHESH at the request of Sir GEORGE CLERK, by Hon. Sir GEORGE CATHCART, on the occasion of the withdrawal of H.M.'s Sovereign Rule, and his departure from the Government of the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope. Graham's Town, March 13, 1854. CHIEF MOSHESH,-I am about to leave this part of the world, and return to my own country, where the Queen commands my service in another capacity. When I entered your country, a vexatious warfare had too long prevailed between the people of European origin and the native tribes; and these were, in many instances, warring with each other, to the interruption of peaceful trading and friendly intercourse, which are things so necessary for the happiness and prosperity of all parties. I then made known, by proclamation, that I came amongst * Writers, issuers, labourers, and horses. you in the Queen's name to administer justice and right equally to all; not to make war, but to settle disputes and establish the blessings of peace. Since that time, more than a year has passed away; and from that time you have been true and faithful to the promise I received in full confidence, and which you have kept faithfully. As you promised me, you have kept your people in order; and on the other hand, your neighbours of European origin have, from that time to this, resumed their peaceful relations with you. I thank the Great Creator and Disposer of all things that I was allowed to be the humble instrument in restoring this happy state of things, which I pray God may long continue. When I entered upon this task, I commanded all classes and tribes of Her Majesty's subjects to remain quiet within their countries, and await and abide by my judgment and decision. For had I allowed them to take part, although I might have restored peace for the time, I should have left the seeds of future quarrels, which would have ripened into war as soon as I had withdrawn the Queen's troops; and I am happy to think that no such cause of quarrel between you and your neighbours now remains. My friend, Sir George Clerk, the Special Commissioner appointed by the Queen to withdraw the British sovereignty from the countries beyond the Orange River, who writes to me in terms of high respect for, and full confidence in, you, had informed you of all the particulars of this measure, and has made the necessary arrangements with you, in all that concerns yourself and people. I will only remark on this subject that the Sovereignty rule was originally assumed by the British Government from the benevolent motive of benefiting the various people, European Extract from Letter to Duke of Newcastle, 14th March, 1854.-" Sir G. Clerk, whose energy, patience, and prudence in all this troublesome business appear to me to have been beyond all praise." as well as native, inhabiting that distant country. But it has been found that, in a country so extensive and so remote, such interference is calculated to do more harm than good in many ways, but especially by tempting different people or tribes to quarrel with each other, in hopes of British support being unduly obtained by the aggressor. But there is now reason to believe, that when the hopes of such interference by the British Government are taken away, each party cannot fail to see that their own best policy and interest is, not to seek a quarrel with its neighbour, but to live on good terms with each other, and cultivate peace. War is only just when it is necessary for self-defence, or when its sole object is the re-establishment of peace, with as little injury to unoffending people as possible. That these are your own opinions, worthy Chief, I have reason to know; for you yourself expressed them to me in your own true and eloquent saying, " That peace is as the rain from heaven, which nourishes the land and makes the corn grow ; but war is as the hot wind, which dries up the earth, and blasts the fruits of the soil." I rejoice to think that, as the enlightened paramount Chief of many people, you have manifested the power and the will to govern them according to their best interests; which power you could not possess, unless they justly esteemed and respected you as their father. I rejoice to believe that you are, and always have been, well disposed to the British Government, and a true and loyal friend of our gracious Queen; and I will not fail to assure Her Majesty of this my favourable and sincere opinion, as soon as I have an opportunity; and you may be assured that Her Majesty will ever be favourably disposed towards you, so long as you continue so. I request you to remember me to your sons, David and Nehemia, who are the only two with whom I am personally acquainted; but I have also every reason to be satisfied with your son Letsea, who, since the peace, has on many occasions evinced his loyalty and good disposition in the most satisfactory manner. I rejoice also to believe that, whilst you will, at all times, be disposed to use your best endeavours to preserve the peace, yet when the sovereign rule and interference of the British Government is withdrawn from the countries beyond the Orange River, you will not be left without ample means of your own for the protection of your just rights. I request you to remember me to Mr. Casalis and the other missionariesworthy men, whom you so wisely protect and patronise within your territories—and assure them of my respect and esteem; and in all matters of difficulty, or in relation with the British Government, or your European neighbours, you cannot have more trustworthy or judicious advisers. I now take leave of you, great and enlightened Chief, and subscribe myself, (Signed) Your sincere friend, GEORGE CATHCART, Governor. NOTE.-Extract from Letter of W. F. Liddle, Esq., to Hon. Sir G. Cathcart, K.C.B., dated Cape Town, 8th June, 1854: "MY DEAR SIR GEORGE, "I enclose a copy of a letter, received since your departure from the colony, from the Rev. Mr. Casalis, being the Chief Moshesh's reply to your letter of 13th March. It cannot but be gratifying to you, and I therefore avail myself of the departure to-morrow, for England, of H.M.S. Salamander to forward it." Moshesh's letter, the Editor of this Record regrets, is not to be found. AMATOLAS. LETTER to Chief Commissioner Colonel MACLEAN from Hon. Sir GEORGE CATHCART. January 19, 1854. I find that I have not sufficiently explained to you the object and intention of the policy which I recommend to Her Majesty's Government, in retaining possession of the Amatolas and the intervening country between that mountain district and King William's Town, recently forfeited by the rebellious Gaikas, and now held as a Crown Reserve. You are aware that this Reserve is shaped something like a triangle, that its northern side touches the Colony, but that projecting like a wedge as far as King William's Town, which is nearly in the centre of Kaffraria, both the other sides of the triangle are in contact with the densely-populated Kafir lands which surround it on those two sides, the solid contents of which contiguous Kafir lands are five times those of the Reserve, and contain a Kafir population of 60,000 souls. King William's Town itself, you are aware, is 45 miles from the sea at East London, the only road to which passes the whole way through the location of the Chief Pato, and, with the exception of one or two small military posts, is exclusively inhabited by Kafirs. On the other hand, the whole white civil population in the province is estimated at 1210, exclusive of the troops, giving a majority of black over the white civil inhabitants of possibly about sixty to one; and of the latter 703, or more than one-half, are inhabitants of King William's Town. Now, since the war, King William's Town being the apex of the triangle, which projects into Kafir land, has a direct communication through the Crown Reserve with the colonial boundary, which forms the base about 30 miles distant; but this depends entirely upon the maintenance of our position in the Amatolas. The proper use of this state of things, and this advantage gained by a long and costly war, is the main point upon which I rest my confident hope of a permanent peace. The improper use of it would infallibly, ere long, bring on another war precisely similar to the former one. Now, the proper use and that on which my hopes are founded, will be explained by the following points. 1st. By the possession and military occupation of the Amatolas, the commanding key to the whole territory, it is intended |