Page:Last Will and Testament of Cecil Rhodes.djvu/178

164 “With regard to the Transvaal, our neighbour the President finds that he has quite enough to do in dealing with his own people. I have always felt that if I had been in President Kruger’s position I should have looked upon the Chartered Territory as my reversion. He must have been exceedingly disappointed when we went in and occupied it; but since then we have co-operated most heartily with him, and I look to no political difficulty from the Transvaal. We have received throughout the complete support of the Cape people, who, recognising that it was too great an undertaking for themselves to enter upon, were glad that we undertook it, and they look upon it as their Hinterland, as, remember, we shall pass from the position of chartered administration to self-government, when the country is occupied by white people—especially by Englishmen, because if Englishmen object to anything it is to being governed by a small oligarchy. They will govern themselves. We must therefore look to the future of Charterland—I speak of ten or twenty years hence—as self-government, and that self-government very possibly federal with the Cape Government.

“Then when we think of the political position, we have also to consider the English people, and I must say we have received the very heartiest support from the English public, with a few exceptions, possibly from ignorance—(laughter)—and possibly from disappointment—(laughter) and I think in many cases from an utter misconception. I remember whilst coming home, sitting down on board ship and reading this from the Daily Chronicle:—‘Not a single unemployed workman in England is likely to secure