8 Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters. 
the Cape Colony, Fronde, in the words of a competent observer, 
violated ‘‘publicly and preserveringly a constitutional obligation 
which the Colonists have a right to view as one of the essential 
safeguards of constitutional right. This emissary of the colonial 
secretary virtually carried on a campaign against the ministry at 
the Cape.^^ By appealing to the particularism in the eastern 
provinces, he could truthfully report enthusiastic receptions; but 
these appeals also increased the suspicion with which the majority 
viewed his agitation and the cause he was supposed to further.^^ 
Despite, or rather partly because of, Froude’s activities. Lord 
Carnarvon finally realized that the desired conference would not 
meet in South Africa. He then decided to hold it in London. On 
August 3, 1876, representatives of South Africa met at the colonial 
ofiSce. Only those from Natal had been duly elected, the others 
were officials chosen by Carnarvon. J. C. Molteno, the prime 
minister at the Cape, was in London but refused to attend, deeming 
himself bound by the defeat of the federation project in the colonial 
legislature; and President Brand of the Orange Free State at¬ 
tended only after he had received definite assurances that there 
would be no serious “discussion of the merits of South African 
Confederation.^’^® Under such conditions the conference could 
hardly be expected to achieve anything. 
Carnarvon showed, however, a remarkable, although misplaced, 
perseverance. Encouraged by Messrs. Blaine and Paterson from 
the eastern provinces where the belief prevailed that confederation 
would bring them local anatomy, the colonial secretary announced, 
October 26, 1876, that in his opinion the time was now ripe for the 
drafting of a permissive bill.®'^ Shortly afterwards a Draft Bill, 
which was in reality a complete constitution, was transmitted to 
Lord Blachford, “Native Policy in South Africa” in The Edinburgh Review, April, 
1877, CXLV, pp. 232, 233. See also Letters of Lord Blachford, edited by G. E. 
Marindin (London, 1896), p. 364. Lord Blachford had served as permanent under¬ 
secretary of state for the colonies, 1860—1871. 
Life of Molteno, I, pp. 400, 401. 
On December 24, 1875, Eroude declared hopefully, “The ministers of the Cape 
Colony have the appearance of victory, but we have the substance.” John Skelton, The 
Table-Talk of Shirley (London, 1895), p. 153. He had run hut not read. 
Present at the conference were Lord Carnarvon, Sir Garnet Wolseley, Sir Theophiius 
Shepstone and Messrs. Froude, Akerman, and Robinson. See P.P., 1876, LII, cd. 1631, 
pp. 51, 52. In a communication to Lord Carnarvon, dated October 2, 1876, Molteno 
expressed the opinion that a South African consolidation must assume the form of a 
legislative union. See ibid., p. 11. 
Ibid., 1877, LX, cd. 1732, pp. 13, 14. See also Herbert Paul, The Life of Froude 
(New York, .1905), p. 269. 
