The British Colonies; Their History, Extent, Condition and Resources Volume 7

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1850 edition. Excerpt: ...in the one idea of the Cape being made a penal settlement, or, as it was said, a "cess-pool" for the expelled vice and pollution of the United Kingdom, and the soldiery serving in the East. Besides this, it was feared, and not without reason, that political and military convicts would soon find their way among the Kafirs and neighbouring tribes, and by their talents render the aborigines more dangerous than ever. As the colonists lacked the means of expressing their desires, which a representative assembly afibrds, they established an Anli-Convict Association, with branches throughout the country districts, binding themselves, by a pledge, to drop all intercourse with persons, of whatever description, concerned in "landing, supplying, or employing convicts." Banks, insuranceoflices, and associated companies of every kind, concurred in this determination. On account of some transactions in preceding periods, the Legislative Council had become ' Parl Papers, January 31, 1850; p. 1-14. so unpopular, that a resolution was formed to get rid of it. There being several vacancies, measures were taken to prevent these being filled up, and to remove existing members, "so that no unofficial person should hold a seat." The governor was necessarily placed in a very difficult position. He appears to have partially sided with the colonists in their resistance, but yet to have made various injudicious attempts to counteract the influ-' ence of the agitating party, by offering pecuniary accommodation, from the public treasury, to men of no public weight, as an inducement to become members of the Legislative Council, and by obscure threats of employing "military measures." '1 he Anti-convict Association had...