_

They were evidently much disappointed.... Our meeting separated with
no more definite decision than that they must report to the 'people,'
and be guided by their decision as to what was to be done.

If I may judge from the gentlemen composing the deputation, and
others of their class, whom I have had the honour of meeting since
coming to the Transvaal, the leaders are, with few exceptions, men
who deserve respect and regard for many valuable and amiable
qualities as citizens and subjects....

Of the results of our meeting it is impossible at present to say more
than that it must have cleared away misconceptions on all sides If
they have learnt anything as to the finality of the act of
annexation--that I have no power to undo it, and do not believe that
it will ever be undone, in the only sense in which they will ask
it--I have, on the other hand, been shown the stubbornness of a
determination to be content with nothing else, for which I was not
prepared by the general testimony of officials who had been longer in
the country, and who professed to believe that the opposition of the
Boers was mere bluster, and that they had not the courage of their
professed opinions.... I feel assured that the majority of the
Committee felt very deeply what they believed to be a great national
wrong.... But my conviction is that the real malcontents are far from
being a majority of the whole white population, or even of their own
class of Boer farmers.

I have no doubt whatever that if the Executive were in a position to
assert the supremacy of the law, to put an effectual stop to the
reign of terrorism which exists at present, the discontented minority
would cease to agitate, and would soon cease to feel grievances which
a very brief discussion shows to be in the main sentimental; not the
less keenly felt on that account, but not likely to survive
the prosperity and good government, with a fair measure of
self-government in its train, which are within their reach under
British rule.

And, again, he wrote to Lady Frere:

PRETORIA, _April 20, 1879._

My last letter had not been gone many hours by the mail express when
Lanyon ran into my room, to tell me that the Boer camp was actually
broken up and the Boers dispersing.

I need not tell you how thankful I was. The one thing I dreaded was
civil war and bloodshed, and had a single malcontent been shot, I
should have considered it a greater misfortune than the death of a
doz