ugh after 1854 the sole power of legislation was vested in the
colonial Parliament, subject to the right of the British crown to
disallow an act,--a right which is of course very rarely used,--the
executive power still remained with the Governor and his council, who
were appointed by the home government, and not responsible to the Cape
legislature. It has, however, become a settled principle of British
colonial policy to grant to each and every colony not only legislative
power, but responsible executive government so soon as the white
population of the Colony has become relatively large enough and settled
enough to enable that kind of constitution to be properly worked. In
1872 the whites of Cape Colony had come to exceed 200,000, and the need
for a change had been emphasized shortly before by a conflict of opinion
between the Governor and the legislature as to the best means of setting
right the finances of the Colony. Parliament having been dissolved, the
new houses declared for responsible government, and the home government
wisely assented to their wish. Accordingly, the "cabinet system" of
Britain was established, the Governor's executive council being turned
into a ministry responsible to the legislature, and the Governor himself
becoming a sort of local constitutional sovereign on the model of the
British crown, that is to say a sovereign who reigns but does not
govern, the executive acts done in his name being done by the advice and
on the responsibility of the ministry, who hold office at the pleasure
of the legislature. Thus from 1872 onward the Colony has enjoyed
complete self-government, and has prospered under it despite the
antagonism which has frequently shown itself between the eastern and
western provinces, an antagonism due partly to economic causes, partly
to the predominance of the English element in the former and of the
Dutch in the latter region. The working of the cabinet system has been
even smoother than in most of the other British colonies; but while
setting this to the credit of the good sense and moderation of the
people, it must also be noted that the most exciting crises which have
arisen in South Africa have lain outside the scope of the colonial
ministry and legislature, being matters which have touched the two Dutch
republics or the relations of British territories to foreign Powers.
These matters, being international, belong to the British crown, and to
its local representative, the Go