Orange Free State, to visit President Brand, with whom he was on
cordial terms, and with whom he wished to talk over his plans for the
Transvaal; but instructions came from Sir Michael Hicks-Beach to proceed
to Cape Town. He therefore left Pretoria on May 1st. He was welcomed
everywhere with the utmost cordiality and enthusiasm. At Potchefstroom
there was a public dinner and a reception. On approaching Bloemhof he
was met by a large cavalcade, and escorted into the township, where a
triumphal arch had been erected, and an address was presented.
"At Kimberley he had been sworn in as Governor of Griqualand West.
Fifteen thousand people, it was estimated, turned out to meet and
welcome him. From thence to Cape Town his journey was like a triumphal
progress, the population at each place he passed through receiving him
in flag-decorated streets, with escorts, triumphal arches,
illuminations, and addresses. At Worcester, where he reached the
railway, there was a banquet, at which Sir Gordon Sprigg was also
present. At Paarl, which was the head-quarters of the Dutch Afrikander
league, and where some of the most influential Dutch families live, a
similar reception was given him. Finally, at Cape Town, where, if
anywhere, his policy was likely to find opponents among those who
regarded it from a provincial point of view, the inhabitants of all
classes and sections and of whatever origin, gave themselves up to
according him a reception such as had never been surpassed in Capetown.
"In England, complimentary local receptions and addresses to men in high
office or of exalted rank do not ordinarily carry much meaning. Party
tactics and organization account for a proportion of such
manifestations. But the demonstration on this occasion cannot be so
explained. There was no party organization to stimulate it. It was too
general to confer notoriety on any of its promoters, and Sir B. Frere
had not personally the power, even if he had had the will, to return
compliments. And what made it the more remarkable was that there was no
special victory or success or event of any kind to celebrate."[21]
On reaching Cape Town, a telegraphic message was handed to him,
preparing him for his recall, by the statement that Sir H. Bulwer was to
replace him as High Commissioner of the Transvaal, Natal, and all the
adjoining eastern portion of South Africa, and that he was to confine
his attention for the present to the Cape Colony.
To deprive him of his authority as regarded Natal, Zululand, the
Transvaal--the Transvaal, which almost by his single hand and voice he
had just saved from civil war--and expressly to direct Colonel Lanyon to
cease to correspond with him, was to discredit a public servant before
all the world at the crisis of his work.
Sir Bartle Frere's great object had been to bring about a Confederation
of all the different States and portions of South Africa, an object with
which the Home Government was in sympathy.
What was wanting to bring about confederation was confidence, founded on
the permanent pacification and settlement of Zululand, the Transvaal,
the Transkei, Pondoland, Basutoland, West Griqualand, and the border
generally. How could there, under these circumstances, be confidence any
longer? There was no doubt what he had meant to do. By many a weary
journey he had made himself personally known throughout South Africa.
His aims and intentions were never concealed, never changed. In
confederating under his superintendence all men knew what they were
doing. But he was now to be superseded. Was his policy to be changed,
and how?[22]
It was expected by the political majority in England that as soon as Mr.
Gladstone came into power, Sir Bartle Frere, whose policy had been so
strongly denounced, would be at once recalled. When the new Parliament
met in May, the Government found many of their supporters greatly
dissatisfied that this had not been done. Notice of motion was given of
an address to the Crown, praying for Sir B. Frere's removal. Certain
members of parliament met together several times at the end of May, and
a memorial to Mr. Gladstone was drawn up, which was signed by about
ninety of them, and sent to him on June 3rd, to the following effect:--
"To the Right Hon. W.E. Gladstone, M.P., First Lord of the Treasury."
"We the undersigned, members of the Liberal party, respectfully submit
that as there is a strong feeling throughout the country in favour of
the recall of Sir Bartle Frere, it would greatly conduce to _the unity
of the party and relieve many members from the charge of breaking their
pledges to their constituents if_ that step were taken."[23]
The first three signatures to this document were those of L.L. Dillwyn,
Wilfrid Lawson, and Leonard Courtney.
This has been called not unjustly, "a cynically candid document." The
"unity of the Party," and "pledges to constituents" are the only
considerations alluded to in favour of the recall of a man to whose
worth almost the whole of South Africa had witnessed, in spite of
divided opinions concerning the Zulu War, for which he was only in a
very minor degree responsible.
The Memorial to the Government had its effect; the successor of Sir
Bartle Frere was to be Sir Hercules Robinson. He was in New Zealand, and
could not reach the Cape at once; therefore Sir George Strahan was
appointed _ad interim_ governor, Sir Bartle being directed not even to
await the arrival of the latter, but to leave by the earliest mail
steamer.
At the news of his recall there arose for the second time a burst of
sympathy from every town, village, and farm throughout the country, in
terms of mingled indignation and sorrow.[24] The addresses and
resolutions, being spontaneous at each place, varied much, and laid
stress on different points, but in all there was a tone of deep regret,
of conviction that Sir B. Frere's policy and his actions had been wise,
just, and merciful towards all men, and of hope that the British
Government and people would in time learn the truth.[25]
One from farmers of East London concludes: "May God Almighty bless you
and grant you and yours a safe passage to the Mother Country, give you
grace before our Sovereign Lady the Queen, and eloquence to vindicate
your righteous cause before the British nation."[26]
The address of the Natives of Mount Cake is pathetic in its simplicity
of language.
"Our hearts are very bitter this day. We hear that the Queen calls you
to England. We have not heard that you are sick; then why have you to
leave us? By you we have now peace. We sleep now without fear. Old men
tell us of a good Governor Durban (Sir Benjamin Durban) who had to leave
before his good works became law; but red coals were under the ashes
which he left. Words of wicked men, when he left, like the wind blew up
the fire, and the country was again in war. So also Sir George Grey, a
good Governor, good to tie up the hands of bad men, good to plant
schools, good to feed the hungry, good to have mercy and feed the
heathen when dying from hunger, He also had to leave us. We do not
understand this. But your Excellency is not to leave us. Natal has now
peace by you; we have peace by you because God and the Queen sent you.
Do not leave us. Surely it is not the way of the Queen to leave her
children here unprotected until peace is everywhere. We shall ever pray
for you as well as for the Queen. These are our words to our good
Governor, though he turns his back on us."
The Malays and other Orientals, of whom there is a considerable
population at Capetown, looked upon Frere, a former Indian Statesman, as
their special property. The address from the Mahommedan subjects of the
Queen says:--
"We regret that our gracious Queen has seen fit to recall your
Excellency. We cannot help thinking it is through a mistake. The white
subjects of Her Majesty have had good friends and good rulers in former
Governors, but your Excellency has been the friend of white and coloured
alike."[27]
* * * * *
The following letter is from Sir John Akerman, a member of the
Legislative Council of Natal:--
"August 9th, 1880.
"Having become aware of your recall to England from the office of
Governor of the Cape of Good Hope, etc., etc., I cannot allow your
departure to take place without conveying to you, which I hereby do, the
profound sense I have of the faithful and conscientious manner in which
you have endeavoured to fulfil those engagements which, at the
solicitation of Great Britain, you entered upon in 1877. The policy was
not your own, but was thrust upon you. Having given in London, in 1876,
advice to pursue a different course in South Africa from the one then
all the fashion and ultimately confided to yourself, it affords me the
greatest pleasure to testify to the consistency of the efforts put forth
by you to carry out the (then) plan of those who commissioned you, and
availed themselves of your acknowledged skill and experience. As a
public man of long standing in South Africa, I would likewise add that
since the days of Sir G. Grey, no Governor but yourself has grasped the
_native question here at all_, and I feel confident that had your full
authority been retained, and not harshly wrested from you, even at the
eleventh hour initiatory steps of a reformatory nature with respect to
the natives would have been taken, which it is the duty of Britain to
follow while she holds her sovereignty over these parts."