Page:George McCall Theal, History of South Africa from 1795 to 1872, Volume 1 (4th ed, 1915).djvu/29

1795] the heemraden for the 4th of November, and invited the members of the national assembly to be present. The heemraden Hillegard Mulder, Pieter Pienaar, Pieter du Pré, and Hermanus Steyn—the last named the landdrost under the nationals—and the members of the national assembly, Jacobus Steyn, Ernst du Toit, and Anthonie van Vollenhoven, attended. Mr. Faure read the instructions which he had received, when all who were present gave in their submission, and took the oath required by the British commanders. Mr. Steyn transferred the drostdy, and thereafter took his seat with the heemraden.

A few months later a man of marked ability, named Andries Stockenstrom, was appointed secretary of the district of Swellendam. He was by birth a Swede, but had entered the Dutch East India Company's service, and in 1786 became a clerk in an office in Capetown. The great difference between the ideas of those days and our own is exemplified by this man—who in later years was known as a philanthropist—having been for some time employed as the supercargo of a vessel engaged in transporting slaves from Madagascar to the Cape. It was he who purchased the negroes, and collected them together for embarkation. But at that time it was regarded rather as a meritorious than as a sinful act to remove savages to a country where they would be within the influence of Christianity. Stockenstrom was next appointed bookkeeper of the naval establishment, and performed the duties of that office until the surrender of the colony. In March 1796 he was selected by General Craig to fill the post of secretary of Swellendam.

The oath which was required to be taken by all the officials and generally by the burghers of the Cape, Stellenbosch, and Swellendam districts was the following: "I swear to be true and faithful to his Majesty George the third, by God's grace king of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, defender of the faith, &c., for so long a time as his Majesty shall remain in possession of this colony."