Page:The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, vol. 2.djvu/149

 recated action suggested by the second resolution quoted above. There-upon another meeting was held in the Town Hall. Mr. Wylie moved a resolution, which was carried, to the effect that a special session should be called to extend quarantine. The following are the significant passages of his speech:


 * The Committee said if the Government did nothing, Durban would have to do it herself and go in force to the Point and see what could be done. They capped that by remarking “we presume that you, as representing the Government and good authority of this Colony, would have to bring force to oppose us.” Mr. Escombe, the Attorney-General and Minister of Defence, said, “We will do nothing of the sort. We are with you and we are going to do nothing of the sort to oppose you. But, if you put us in such a position, we may have to go to the Governor of the Colony and ask him to take over the reins of this Colony as we can no longer conduct the Government. You will have to find some other persons.

The second resolution was that, “We proceed by demonstration to the Point on the arrival of the Indians but each man binds himself to conform to the orders of his leaders.” The speakers inflamed the hearers particularly against me. A document that was issued for signatures was thus headed: “List of names of members (trade or profession mentioned) who are willing to proceed to the Point and resist by force, if necessary, the landing of Asiatics and to obey any orders which may be given by the leaders.” The next stage in the movement was for the Demonstration Committee to send an ultimatum to the Captain of the Courland, saying that passengers should return to India at the Colony’s expense and that, if they did not do so, their landing would be resisted by thousands of Durban men. This was practically ignored.

While the movement was thus progressing, the Agents communicated with the Government and asked for protection of passengers. No reply was vouchsafed until the day on which the ships were brought in, on the 13th instant. Not much remains to be added to the telegram, of which a copy is enclosed herewith. As to the assault on me, it was due to the misrepresentations that appeared about me in the papers. The assault itself was the work of irresponsible persons and by itself need not be noticed at all. Of course, I narrowly escaped being lynched. The papers agree in saying that I did nothing that another in my place would not have done. I may also state that, after the assault, I was treated kindly by the Government officials and afforded protection.