Confidential

Cape Town
1st Oct 1884

Dear Mr Chesson,

I was glad to find that the S.A. Committee has again been called into existence. There is great work for them to do, as you and they must have felt.

You will see the great expression of opinion here at the Cape, in which all nationalities have taken part. The meeting was a most exciting one. Leonard’s speech was most enthusiastically received; and as for myself they could not have been kinder or more encouraging. I take it to be a honest outspoken view of the people whose leaders had been saying the opposite; it was their protest. I have refused to identify myself with any political party here but am working on may one lines, those with which you are so familiar. If we could get a hold of the Christian principle of the Cape Colony on our side, Dutch as well as English, the victory would be ours and South Africa would be saved to us. You will see that I placed the same curb on my mouth here as in England. I did not declaim. I always feel that that goes without saying in my case. I want to give ideas, to widen men’s thoughts about these things.

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