ipation Act, by which Great Britain abolished Slavery in
all lands over which she had control, was passed in 1834.

The great grievance for the Burghers was this abolition of slavery by
Great Britain. According to a Parliamentary Return of March, 1838, the
slaves of all sorts liberated in Cape Colony numbered 35,750. The
British Parliament awarded as compensation to the slave owners
throughout the British dominions a sum of L20,000,000, of which, nearly
L1,500,000 fell to the share of the Burghers. Concerning this Act of
Compensation there have been very divided opinions; there is not a doubt
that the British Government intended to deal fairly by the former slave
owners, but it is stated that there was great and culpable carelessness
on the part of the British agents in distributing this compensation
money. It seems that many of the Burghers to whom it was due never
obtained it, and these considered themselves aggrieved and defrauded by
the British Government. On the other hand, there are persons who have
continually disapproved of the principle of compensation for a wrong
given up, or the loss of an advantage unrighteously purchased. It is
however to be regretted, that an excuse should have been given for the
Boers' complaints by irregularities attributed to the British in the
partition of the compensation money.

It has often been asserted that the first great Dutch emigration from
the Cape was instigated simply by love of freedom on their part, and
their dislike of British Government. But why did they dislike British
Government? There may have been minor reasons, but the one great
grievance complained of by themselves, from the first, was the abolition
of slavery. They desired to be free to deal with the natives in their
own manner.

Taking with them their household belongings and as much cattle as they
could collect, they went forth in search of homes in which they hoped
they would be no longer controlled, and as they thought, sorely wronged
by the nation which had invaded their Colony. But they did not all trek;
only about half, it was estimated, did so. The rest remained, finding it
possible to live and prosper without slavery.

They crossed the Orange River, and finally trekked beyond the Vaal.

From 1833, Cape Colony, under British rule, began to be endowed with
representative institutions. In 1854, the Magna Charta of the
Hottentots, as it was called, was created. It was a measure of
remarkable liberality.