BETWEEN THE CAFFERS AND COLONISTS. 135 
“That our border policy—if such a designation can 
be given to the most changeful and contradictory 
course of proceeding ever adopted by any civilized 
government—has been full of errors, and has some- 
times placed those who have had to execute its ar- 
rangements in the painful situation of appearing the 
champions of injustice and cruelty, are truths that 
cannot be denied: but I do not sympathize with 
those who charge the evils now deplored either upon 
the military officers, on whom the duty of enforcing 
the border policy devolved ; or upon the settlers, who 
have for years suffered the mischiefs resulting from 
it, and who have long and loudly called for the sub- 
stitution of a more just and efficient system. 
“JT am the more anxious to disabuse your Lordship 
of the unfavourable opinion which may have been 
induced by the statements contained in various 
recent publications on this subject, because they are 
ealeulated to deprive the settlers of that sympathy 
and help which British subjects have a right to ex- 
pect from their own countrymen and government, 
when they are, as in this instance, suddenly, and 
without any fault of their own, plunged into distress 
and trouble ; and I have good reasons for believing, 
that, in defending the settlers from the gross impu- 
tations which have been cast upon them, I am ex- 
pressing the sentiments of my brethren the Mission- 
aries, and also of the highly respectable clergymen 
of the episcopal church now resident. in that country. 
