Private and confidential

20 Cockspur Street
Charing Cross SW
February 4 1884

Dear Sir,

Samuel Moroka and William Sekue were with me yesterday and I had a long conversation with them about Mr Green. They are both most decided in their wish that he should not go back with them to Africa. They feel that he is not a man of sufficient importance to do their cause any good and they do not put entire trust in him. In fact, they rather distrust him. Mr Green has a brother and son in the Free State and if is evident that he has made up his mind to go out to see them at Samuel’s expense. After their interview with you, when Mr Green had told you Canon Bailey thought it a very good idea, Sekue taxed him with it as soon as they were out of your room saying that they could not afford the expense. Mr G answered that they had good friends and that Canon Bailey had said money should be forthcoming if requisite. They are both willing that someone should go with them if you advise it, but they are sure Mr G would not be the right man. I told them of my interview with you, and that you intended next time you saw them to ask what they wished to do about Mr G. I told them they must tell you distinctly before him that they do not think it necessary that he should go with them.

Mr G told them they could give him £100 to go and return.

The arrangement of pay with him is not very satisfactory. He agreed, verbally, to attend them and devote himself to them the whole time until their return for £8. But if their undertaking were crowned with success they might make it up to £20.

To this they agreed, but Mr Green has already drawn his £8 and now is trying to borrow more from them. This they have declined as yet. I don’t know how one can help them in the matter. No written agreement has passed between them. Mr Green has given a receipt for the … he has had.

I hope to send you the circulars on Thursday. The printers are very slow about them. In sending them to people ought one to ask them (if they sympathize in the matter) to send their answers, if they cannot attend a meeting, to Samuel Moroka, and allow them to be read at the meeting and printed? When do you expect to have the meeting? We are only having 100 copies of the circular struck off, do you think we ought to have more?

Would it be advisable to try and get letters of sympathy from Lord Carnarvon and Sir M Hicks Beach. I do not forget that the former annexed the Transvaal, and the latter was ‘in’ during the Zulu War.

Faithfully yours
Richard O Whitfield

F.W. Chesson Esq

Please forgive me for troubling you so much.