IsiXhosa Intellectual Traditions (IsiXIT) Digital Archive

IN the demise of the Very Rev. F . H. Williams, D.D Dean of Graham's Town, an important figure has passed away. Like the late Dr. Colenso, his unbending devotion to what he deemed right, and his intrinsic abilities had made him many enemies on public grounds, whoso pro¬ceedings, as very often happens in small communities, though dictated by the noblest of motives, very often partake of personality and acerbity. For his sturdy independence, ability, and fearlessness in championing whatever cause be happened to espouse, we admired the late Dr. Williams. We have never agreed with his views in politics, which appeared to us too stereotyped and inelastic, and utterly unworthy of a man of his culture and position. 'Though his wonderful abilities have all along been directed against our people, our native instincts have taught us not to spurn a man on that account. We have therefore never approved of the prosecution, not to say persecution on petty grounds, to which the late Dean of Graham's Town has been subjected, and to which he has probably fallen a victim. Dr. Williams may have had his faults and foibles, but few, yea, very few, mortals would have come out of the microscopic examination of morals Doan Williams was subjected to unscathed. We venture no opinion on the untoward ecclesiastical controversies in which he has so fatally played the part of the Mahdi. It is enough that we have recorded our respect and admiration of a public man whose name is destined to occupv an important place iu the ecclesi-astical and political history -of this country. THE Albert Record devotes a leading article on the suggestions addressed to us by the Christian Express. In the course of its temperate remarks it records, re-specting, ourselves, its follows The native journal, Imvo XabantsuMlii, has lately done much good in making known the native wants, and disseminating true accounts of what was going on around them, to those natives who read;, but, at the same time, we would ask its able con-ductor whether now is the time to argue and champion the vexed question of classical and higher education for the native races, to the exclusion of other more homely, perhaps, but more neces-sary matters ? Doubtless education, as we understand it, is the one great aid of sill civilising or christianising efforts; but, as it has taken centuries to prepare Euro¬pean races and nations before arriving at ' their present high standpoint, so, in the ordinary course of affairs, even the best well-wishers of the native tribes can hardly expect to raise them up to sin. educational level with their European brethern, in ten, fifty, or even a hundred years.' Seeing that so much importance is attached to the views of the Christian Express, we would urge upon our eon- temporary to bo particular with its asseverations. We may, for the benefit of our Burghersdorp friend, state that the assertion of the Chriilian Express that we are champions of classical education I for natives is entirely without founda- l tion in fact, we cannot hut think it was I solely made to prejudice us in. the eyes of i the public. • I A FRIEND of ours who went up at the i head of u party of natives to the Railway I worts, from the Orange River to Kimber¬ley, assures us that they are doing satis¬factorily, and that so far they have nothing to cornplain of at the hands of i the contractors. Considering the amount of dissatisfaction expressed by our people on account of the tommy-shop arrange¬ments, we think it due to the contrac¬tors and to the natives to announce that it has been found out by practical experience that such a system has now been put a stop to, OUR native correspondent in Basuto-land utters the following lamentation: ' Here in Basutoland we are most miser-able, for we see that our country is fast going to destruction. The cause of it all is the white man's brandy. Oh, brandy has burnt, and is burning, the brains of our chiefs. It is all gone with them. There is now no one to be depended upon, nor is there justice. People arc being killed without' a reason, on being smelt out their cattle are being confis¬cated. Three persons have been killed recently—a man, his son, and bis friend. The reason assigned is that they had caused the death of a chief, Chopo, the sou of Pushulu, whereas Chopo died from the effects of taking too much brandy. This lias caused much grief to Colonel Clarke the British Resident, who has warned Letsie of the consequences of such lawlessness.'