Sir Bartle Frere, whose continued popularity spoke somewhat of colonial approval of the war, had returned to the Cape in June, and his reception at Cape Town “capped the climax of an uninterrupted triumph,” according to _The Natal Mercury_. That he thought himself deserving of the honours due to a conqueror returning home in triumph we may gather from the fact that he sent no instructions to suppress any demonstrations of delight at his return, although at that very time the latest and perhaps the saddest tragedy of all the sad results of his policy had just been enacted, and Natal, as with one voice, was lamenting the Prince Imperial’s death. “So be it,” says _The Natal Witness_ of June 12th, 1879, commenting upon this text; “Sir Bartle Frere’s reception capped the climax of an uninterrupted triumph. We are quite ready to believe this, and, as we have said, we are glad at last to have so decided an intimation of what Sir Bartle Frere has intended to do. There are triumphs of various kinds. There is the triumph which surrounds the statesman, who, by gentle persuasion, by cautious reforms, by a personal example of uprightness and unselfishness, has reduced threatening elements of danger, and evolved peace and security out of storm and terror. There is the triumph which is his who, impressed with a deep sense of the value of human life, lays his head upon his pillow every night in the happy confidence that never through his means, either directly or indirectly, has a human life been needlessly sacrificed. There is the triumph of the philanthropist, who, feeling deep in his heart the claims of an aboriginal people to the consideration of a civilised power, has, in his dealings with that people, been careful rather to strain doubtful points in their favour, than to take advantage of their presumed simplicity. There is the triumph of the Christian legislator, who regards the authority entrusted to him as entrusted with a solemn injunction to use that authority in the name of his divine Master, for the purpose of spreading and confirming the kingdom of peace and good will. There is the triumph of the diplomatist, who, in respect of his dealings with state questions, can lay his hand upon his heart, and affirm that he never misled his superiors, ... never wrote a line which he did not believe to be true. All these triumphs we doubt not will be yet achieved by Sir Bartle Frere, if only the fatigue caused by his ‘troubles and journeying’ does not suggest an early return to Europe.”