Page:George McCall Theal, History of South Africa from 1873 to 1884, Volume 1 (1919).djvu/41

1875] He made a tour through the country, attending meetings at the chief centres of population and speaking of the benefits that would follow the adoption of Lord Carnarvon's scheme. A fluent orator, though he adapted himself to his audience and his observations at one place were often contradictory of those at another, he was able to create enthusiasm, especially among those who for any reason were opposed to the existing ministry. It was a strange spectacle, that of an agent of the secretary of state delivering speeches antagonistic to the existing authorities in a colony possessing responsible government, and it tended to create partisan feeling of a very bitter kind.

A special session of the Cape parliament was sum- moned to consider the matter, and met on the 10th of November. On the following day discussion was prevented in the legislative council by an immediate vote being called for, when a resolution in favour of being represented in the proposed conference was carried by nine votes against six. A little later a despatch was received by the governor from Lord Carnarvon, and was made public, announcing that he had abandoned the design of a conference in South Africa in favour of one to be held in London. Thereupon, after eight days' debating in the house of assembly, a resolution was proposed by Mr. Solomon, accepted by the ministry, and carried by thirty-six votes to twenty-two, that "as it appears from the despatch dated the 22nd of October 1875 that the Eight Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies has withdrawn his proposal for a Conference of Representatives of the several Colonies and States of South Africa, this House is of opinion that it is not now called upon to record its continued objection to the holding, at the present time, of such a Conference, or its condemnation of the unconstitutional agitation carried on in the Colony in connection wath this question. The House desires, however, to express its opinion that the Government and