Page:George McCall Theal, History of South Africa since September 1795, Volume 1 (1908).pdf/236

208 established in Capetown, Stellenbosch, and Tulbagh, by missionaries of the London and South African societies, and were aided as much as possible by the governor. The ordinary schools in Capetown and at the various drostdies likewise received his attention and encouragement.

An enactment by him regarding slaves tended in the same direction, though at first sight it looks otherwise. The old Dutch laws gave freedom to slaves who professed the Christian religion, but as time went on local regulations were made which greatly checked manumission. By the middle of the eighteenth century the ancient laws were regarded as almost obsolete, and baptized negroes were frequently detained in slavery. To rectify this matter, on the 10th of April 1770 the governor-general and council of India enacted that slaves confirmed in the Christian religion should not thereafter be sold. A regulation made by the council of policy at the Cape on the 3rd of June 1777 required that every one emancipating a slave should pay £10 to the poor funds of the church, and also give security that the freed person should not become entitled to relief as a pauper within ten years; but the council reserved to itself the right of suspending this regulation in cases where there were weighty reasons for manumission. A local regulation on such a subject, however, could not supersede an enactment of the council of India. This, which was intended to promote Christianity and to raise its professors in the scale of society, really had the contrary effect, as it placed the interest of the owner as an obstacle to the instruction of the slave, or at least to his open admission into the Christian church. For this reason, on the 9th of October 1812 Sir John Cradock issued a proclamation annulling the law of 1770, and leaving to baptized slaves no greater privileges than to others.

To provide for the religious needs of the people the vacancies in the various churches were gradually filled up, as clergymen could be obtained. In Capetown the reverend Messrs. Fleck and Von Manger, and in Stellenbosch the reverend Mr. Borcherds, still ministered.