Zulu War, 1879; Zululand (South Africa) -- History -- To 1879
A reference to Sir Bartle Frere's instructions proves very clearly
that his Excellency had incomparably more power than any previous
Governor-General or High Commissioner, and in acting as he did
under _carte blanche_ authority, in no way exceeded his powers. He
had to choose between allowing the Zulu despot to make war when he
wished and in what manner he chose, or in checkmating him by early
action. The latter policy has been adopted with Cetywayo as it was
with Kreli, and in spite of a temporary check will be the means of
effectively protecting the interests both of the British colonists
and the British crown. England never had a more faithful or
conscientious officer than Sir Bartle Frere, and a time will come
when on the page of history his name, with those of Sir Benjamin
D'Urban and Sir George Grey, will be blazoned as the greatest and
most enlightened statesmen who ever ruled in Southern Africa.
"After me, the Deluge," would have been a convenient and very
safe motto for each of these men, but they scorned the wretched
time-serving policy of shunting off the evil day from themselves so
as to allow its calamities to accumulate into terrible magnitude
and burst with awful force upon their successors. But the principal
defence of Sir Bartle Frere's action and policy is to be found in
his despatches, and to them we earnestly beg careful and impartial
attention.
The people of the Cape Colony and Natal are composed of many races
and of many creeds, but with the most insignificant exceptions they
all declare in the most emphatic manner in favour of the policy of
Sir Bartle Frere.
"Saxon and Celt and Dane are we,
But all of us Danes in our welcome of thee."
From Capetown to the Tugela river and from L'Agulhas to the Orange
river one universal shout of sympathy and approval goes forth
to England. Resolutions, earnestly and emphatically declaring
that the High Commissioner is right, are sent to the foot of
the Queen's throne from Capetown, Port Elizabeth, Grahamstown,
Graaff-Reinet, Pietermaritzburg, D'Urban, and hosts of smaller
places. The newspaper press, with very few exceptions, constantly
and vigorously declares aloud the public sentiments. Surely all
this is a powerful argument. The people of South Africa, whose
lives, property, and character are at stake, may be trusted to
take such a lively interest in the entire subject as to understand
it thoroughly. Their interests and those of the United Kingdom
are thoroughly identical in this matter, and the sky does not so
change the mind even in this portion of the British Empire as to
pervert entirely the moral nature of so many of her Majesty's loyal
subjects.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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