Page:Last Will and Testament of Cecil Rhodes.djvu/157

Rh of South Africa, but as a portion of the British Empire. I believe that confederated states in a colony under responsible government would each be practically an independent republic; but I think we should have all the privileges of the tie with the Empire. Possibly there is not a very great divergence between myself and the honourable member for Stellenbosch, excepting always the question of the flag.”

The honourable member for Stellenbosch was Mr. Hofmeyr, who was reported to have said that he was in favour of the United States of South Africa under its own flag.

It 1s very interesting to see this difference on the flag cropping up as long ago as 1883. Mr. Rhodes was always a fanatic on the subject of the British flag. Speaking at Bloemfontein in 1890, Mr. Rhodes is reported as having said that he felt admiration for the sentiment regarding the possession of a national flag, and he looked forward to equitable understandings which, while not sacrificing sentiment, would bring about a practical union in South Africa. What he meant by this is quite clear, and would have been clearer had “Vindex” reported his speech in full. Mr. Rhodes was in favour of allowing the republics to retain their own flags when they came into the Confederation, and he angrily reproved those who wished to take away the republican flags from South Africa. Devotion to his own flag enabled him to sympathise with the sentiment of the Dutch. At Kimberley, in 1890, he said that he deprecated any attempt to force a union of South Africa under the same flag. He said:—

“I know myself that I am not prepared to forfeit at any time my own flag. I repeat I am not prepared at any time to forfeit my own flag. If I forfeit my flag what have I left? If you take away my flag you take away everything. Holding this view I cannot but feel the same respect for the neighbouring states where men have been born under republican institutions and with republican feelings.”