ately concern us, the first
is one of self-congratulation--the diggers and other inhabitants of
Griqualand accept the British Government with heartfelt satisfaction.
Sir Henry says nothing of the unaccountable and daily increasing
dissatisfaction with that Government, and perhaps he knows nothing of
it, as it would be an act of suicide for the Commissioners, which they
would not be guilty of, to report about the prevailing feelings."

On the 30th May, 1872, the _Diamond Fields_ said:--

"There can be no doubt that the population of the Diamond Fields are
strongly opposed to annexation to the Cape Colony.

"If anything like a plebiscite could be taken, the votes against being
put under the Cape Government would be in the proportion of nine to one
... even the Free State Government would get two votes to one if the
Cape Town Government were the only other candidate."

In December, 1871, scarcely a month after the dispersion of the Free
State authorities and the constitution of Sir Henry Barkly's junta,
lynch law broke out. Lawlessness and general insecurity prevailed
everywhere (see _Diamond News_, 17th January, 20th March, 17th July,
1872).

One reads in the _Diggers' Gazette_ of the 26th April, 1872:--

"No one would wish to ask for a continuation of the existing state of
affairs. Only entirely mischievous people could wish for the
continuation of such a failure as our Commissioners of British rule have
brought about on these Fields. We have formerly expressed ourselves
openly about this matter, and our local contemporaries have done the
same."

The following remarks were made in the _Diamond News_ of the 16th
December, 1871:--

"A description of Du Toit'span by night lately appeared in the _Diamond
News_ as it used to be under the admittedly unsatisfactory Free State
police, and, by way of contrast, as it now is, after the withdrawal of
that police. The comparison is not flattering to the strength of mind or
administrative capability of our present rulers, and a comparison of
Free State administration with Cape administration would in no way be
more favourable to the latter.

"The British Government, so highly prized, which would put everything to
rights and would do so much for the diggers, has brought the camps back
to their original position of having to protect themselves."

In the _Diamond News_ of the 10th July, 1872 (eight months after the
constitution of Sir Henry Barkly's rule), the following criti