Waterloo near Liverpool
1 Adelaide Terrace
6 January 1870

My dear Mr Chesson,

I have just received your letter of yesterday inclosing my letter to Earl Granville in print which I have just read. I think two or three corrections would be necessary before to send it to the newspapers of the Cape. I put the … trusting you will … them.

As to the packet for me from Mr [Pensent?], I beg of you to make the use you think proper. I think it is most important that these documents should be forwarded to the Colonial Office. I see clearly that the colonial officials sympathise with Sir Philip W’s policy, and have believed him in everything rejecting the testimony of others and refusing the inquiry requested by us. I am sure if the inquiry had been made the truth would have come out long ago and justice might have been made to our mission and the Basuto tribe. But it is a more easy work to crush the weak as Sir Philip has done and satisfy or pacify those who might have given some trouble. There is an article in the friend by which it would appear that the convention will be ratified by the Queen’s government unless clause 13 of the convention referring to compensation for land given up by it to the Basutos ‘be entirely omitted or withdrawn, Her Majesty would without delay be advised to ratify and confirm the remaining provisions of the convention.[‘?] If this is true, as the executive council of the Free State seems to have … read by the proposal, being lands which they had given up knowing they would not easily occupy them it is very necessary that the memorial should be presented or sent to Earl Granville as soon as possible as the mail will leave on the 9th through you have not all the signatures we wished. I see our four stations by what I read in the friend have been entirely ignored and nothing is said about them.

I am happy to learn you have some influential signatures, including Lord Shaftsbury. I cannot tell you how grateful I feel to you for all the interest you take in our cause.

Yours very truly
F Daumas

I write in great haste.

P.S.

I think that the two or three … if they could be introduced without to much trouble, I would be glad of it.

I have just seen Mr Macfie and he has signed the memorial with pleasure.