And now let us turn to Mr. Shepstone’s own report, prepared at the time, and see whether we gather from it the impression that the conditions of his treaty with Cetshwayo were thought of, or intended by him, to stand as solemn and binding promises, of which the infraction, or delay in carrying out, would render the king and his people liable to punishment at our hands. After giving his reasons for objecting to “formal or written” treaties with savages,[11] Mr. Shepstone himself remarks, “Ours is an elastic arrangement.” This is a singularly candid confession, of the truth of which there can be little doubt. Whether such a term _should_ be applicable to the treaties made by an English Government is quite another question, to which we will leave the English public to find an answer. We have, however, but to quote from Mr. Shepstone’s own despatch to prove the convenient “elasticity” of his propositions, and how greatly they have been magnified of late in seeking a quarrel against the Zulu king. At p. 16 of the report, after enumerating the “arrangements and laws” proposed by him, and heartily approved by the Zulus, Mr. Shepstone remarks: “Although all this was fully, and even vehemently, assented to, it cannot be expected that the amelioration described will immediately take effect. To have got such principles admitted and declared to be what a Zulu may plead when oppressed, was but sowing the seed, which will still take many years to grow and mature.” And at p. 17 he says: “I told the king that I well knew the difficulties of his position, and that he could overcome them only by moderation and prudence and justice, but without these they would certainly overcome him.” And again (p. 18, par. 82) he explains that when he left Natal he had looked upon the “charge” which he knew that he would be expected to deliver to Cetshwayo on his installation, as something in the nature of an ordination sermon, or bishop’s charge to candidates for confirmation, likely to influence only in so far as the consciences of those addressed might respond, etc.; but that, on entering Zululand, he found that the people thought so much of this part of the duty he had undertaken that he felt himself to have “become clothed with the power of fundamental legislation,” and thought it right to take advantage of the opportunity for introducing improvements in the government of the people. “I have already described my success,” he continues, “and I attribute it to the sagacity of Cetywayo.” But in all this there is no mention of “solemn promises,” to break which would be an insult to the majesty of England, and an excuse for war; nor is there, from beginning to end of the despatch, any token that Mr. Shepstone looked upon them in that light, or had any immediate expectation of proving the usefulness of his “elastic” arrangement.