public investigations, the dread of which can alone insure the liberty of the person in the most secluded corner of His Majesty's extensive dominions. The Government in the Secretary's letter of the 11th October did not admit "that I had any right to question in written communications the conduct of Public Officers acting under His Excellency's orders." If this doctrine could be maintained, every British Subject would live in as much personal terror as in Turkey or Algiers. According to the meaning of the correspondence that I have had with the Public Authorities in this Colony, all the Settlers were to be treated as convicts, and Emigration to the Cape of Good Hope was only to be considered by Colonel Bird, who is the assumed Governor, or Autocrat here, similar to transportation under the Sentence of the Law to New South Wales. I do not err in drawing this conclusion, for the Deputy Colonial Secretary openly answered and even wrote to me on the 29th September "That the Settlers were only to get lands barely sufficient to maintain them without any regard to profitable production." I have sent to Mr. Wilberforce an authentic copy of his letter. I have &c. Letter from T. P. COURTENAY, ESQRE., to CANNON ROW, November 17th 1820. SIR, Having been informed by Lord Charles Somerset that his Lordship has found it necessary to purchase two bulls and two cows of the Yorkshire breed, for the use of the Government Farm at the Cape of Good Hope, I have to request that you will move Earl Bathurst to direct that freight be procured for their transmission to the Colony. I have &c. [Copy.] Letter from the LANDDROST OF UITENHAGE to UITENHAGE, 18th November 1820. SIR,-I have pleasure in conveying to you the enclosed, being the authority for Messrs. Claringbould and Darby to proceed to England. I have &c. Letter from the REVEREND JOHN OWEN to CHAPLAIN GENERAL'S OFFICE, November 20, 1820. SIR, The Chaplain of the Forces at Cape Town lately informed. me that the Troops on the Frontier of that Colony complained of having no clergyman to perform with them the requisite spiritual duties. That I might be more exactly informed before I submitted the subject to the proper authorities, I wrote to Lt. Genl. Lord Charles Somerset, and I take the liberty, Sir, to enclose a copy of his answer, which perhaps my Lord Bathurst will have the goodness to read. There is only one Chaplain in this Colony, on the Establishment of the Army, and he is stationed at Cape Town. I have employed the Civil Chaplain to officiate to the Troops in Garrison at Simons Town; for which the Secretary at War sanctions the payment of fifty pounds per annum from the military chest. The commands of Government for the utmost economy will I hope plead my apology with you for enquiring in the first instance if there be any Colonial Chaplain at Graham's Town, or in its immediate vicinity, whom my Lord Bathurst would be pleased to direct to officiate with the Troops on a reasonable allowance from the Military Chest of the Cape; 2dly. If there be no clergyman of the Church of England at present so situated whether his Lordship would judge it expedient to send one who might have charge of the Spiritual duties with the Troops and Settlers at Graham's Town and its vicinity. I have &c. (Signed) JOHN OWEN, Chaplain General. [Copy.] Memorial of JOHN and THOMAS SMITH. The Memorial of John Smith, Sawyer, and his son Thomas Smith, Taylor, Amply Sheweth That Your Memorialists entered into articles of agreement with Mr. Wm. Parker of Cork, to come out under the sanction of Government, to this Colony, that your Memorialists was with their families to be supplied with provisions by the said W. Parker for the term of three years, and be on our location granted portions of land, to be brought by your Memorialists into cultivation, that Your Memorialists have been located just six months, a part of which only said Parker has supplied them with provisions, nor has he granted them any land whatever. Your Memorialists have repeatedly applied to the Deputy Landdrost whose answers has been, the moment Mr. Parker comes to this neighbourhood, he would make him fulfil his agreement, but at present he is out of his jurisdiction. Your Memorialists situation would have been most deplorable, were it not for being employed by Mr. Ingram, and some others, but now that employment begins to be over. Your Memorialists therefore humbly prays Your Excellency, to make such order as will oblige Mr. Parker, to fulfil his agreement, or that your Memorialists may be at liberty to procure for themselves work, in any other part of the Colony, as all wants is employment; Mr. Bergh as that respected Gentlemen says, he does not feel himself authorized even to grant your Memorialists a District Pass, as are under Articles of Agreement with said Wm. Parker without Your Excellency's command. For the truth of this Statement beg leave to refer to the Landdrost, Captain Synnot and Mr. Ingram, and your Memorialists as in duty bound pray. CLANWILLIAM, Nov. 23rd 1820. (Signed) JOHN SMITH, [Original.] Letter from MAJOR GENERAL SIR HERBERT TAYLOR to HORSE GUARDS, November 24th 1820. MY DEAR SIR,-I am directed by the Commander in Chief to request that you will communicate to Lord Bathurst the enclosed official and private letters which I received yesterday from Major General Sir R. Donkin, and that you will convey to me His Lordship's sentiments upon the various arrangements which he therein suggests, for His Royal Highness's information. Sir R. Donkin appears to H.R.H. to have assigned very strong reasons for the addition of a Company of European Infantry and of a Troop of European Cavalry to the Cape Corps, but it is impossible for His R.H. to judge how far such a measure may, at this moment, concur with the general views and arrangements of His Majesty's Government, and, from an observation made in Sir R. Donkin's private letter, H.R.H.'s communication of this proposal may appear premature, as he had not contemplated submitting it to Lord Bathurst until he should have learnt what had been determined upon the arrangement proposed by Lord Charles Somerset for the Cape Corps, now established. His Royal Highness considers it desirable that the remaining Companies of the African Corps should be sent home to be disbanded, but adverting to the description of men of which that Corps is formed, he trusts that Sir R. Donkin's proposal to detain and settle a proportion of the Officers and men, between the Keiskamma and the Great Fish River near the Sea, will obtain Lord Bathurst's sanction. You will oblige me by returning the enclosures when you XIII. Y communicate to me Lord Bathurst's sentiments upon these several points, that I may, in obedience to His R.H.'s instructions, reply to Sir R. Donkin accordingly. Believe me &c. Letter from the PROVISIONAL MAGISTRATE OF ALBANY to BATHURST, 29th November 1820. SIR,-Having had repeated applications made by Out Pensioners of Greenwich Hospital to have their respective Pensions paid them in the Province of Albany where they are now located, I have had an order this day presented to me which appears only payable to the Pensioner himself in Person on his presenting it to the Storekeeper at the Naval Yard. As it is quite impossible for Individuals to comply with this Order, may I beg you to take this Case into consideration, and, if possible, make some arrangement for their relief. I trust the nature of the Case will plead my excuse for this intrusion. I have &c. (Signed) C. TRAPPES, Provisional Magistrate. [Original.] Memorandum by SIR JAHLEEL BRENTON. The greatest difficulties attending the settling of strangers in distant Colonies arise from the want of comforts and regular supplies for the first year; they arrive full of those sanguine hopes by which they have been induced to quit their native country; imagine, they know not why, that they are to find the means of obviating every inconvenience already provided for them, and consider that prosperity is to be the immediate instead of the |