316 EXPEDITION INTO 



of the farmers within the limits of Her Majesty's South 

 African dominions : remitting- all pains and penalties, and 

 extending" a free pardon to those who mij^ht resume their 

 domicile and avocations before the first of January following.* 



* PROCLAMATION. 



Graham's Town, May 21st, 1838. 



To the Farmers who have emigrated beyond the Land Boundary of the Colony, 



" It having been represented to his Excellency the Governor that great mis- 

 fortunes have befallen many of Her Majesty's subjects who have emigrated 

 beyond the Land Boundaries of the Colony into the interior of Africa ; that 

 many of them are consequently reduced to great distress ; and that a great 

 proportion of them are desirous of returning within the limits of Her Majesty's 

 South African dominions, but have hitherto been deterred by an apprehension 

 that the laws which are in existence, forbidding the crossing of the Land 

 Boundary of the Colony into the interior, without permission is regularly ob- 

 tained, will be put in force against them ; and as it has moreover appeared to 

 him that many of Her Majesty's said subjects have been induced so to emigrate 

 under mistaken and erroneous imjiressions, and have erred more from igno- 

 rance and unfounded fears than from any intention to oifend against the laws ; 

 " His Excellency is anxious to act upon the principles of mercy and bene- 

 volence which constitute the most valuable attributes of the Crown, and to 

 preserve from further misfortune and total destruction so many of Her Ma- 

 jesty's subjects who were so long conspicuous for loyalty, good order, and 

 submission to the laws, but who may have been seduced by their own want of 

 consideration, or the advice and example of others. 



" His Excellency hereby assures them that it shall be fully and freely 

 allowed to all the said Emigrants or all such proportion thereof as shall be 

 desirous of returning to the Colony, to do so ; and to resume their domicile 

 and avocations, as also their rights as British subjects, without hindrance or 

 molestation in consequence of the said emigration. And he also promises to 

 remit all Pains and Penalties which may have been incurred by them by the 

 transgression of the said laws against crossing the said Land Boundaries of 

 the Colony into the interior, provided nevertheless, such emigrants do so 

 return previous to the first day of January 1839. 



" And His Excellency hereby engages that if any of the said emigrants so 

 returning have been in any way wronged within the jurisdiction of Her said 

 Majesty's authority, or have any grievances to complain of against Her 

 Majesty's subjects, the Public Functionaries, or otherwise, that the most full 



