§ MR. O'DONNELLsaid, that as the Supply was in reference to South African proceedings, he felt bound to say a few words. He fully recognized the necessity of placing their position in South Africa beyond danger, and he fully sympathized with the friends of those who had lost their lives lately; but he thought he was called on to protest at every stage against the policy of the Government in South Africa. Considering the general feeling of hon. Members of the House, 2035 that there had been no hindrance to the Government in the strengthening and restoration of their position, he thought the Government were bound to give the House some satisfaction that the future policy to be pursued would cease to be a policy of selfish aggrandizement—a policy of inhuman butchery of the Native population. In the latest news from South Africa they had been given the glad assurance that the colours of the 24th Regiment had been rescued; but there was another item of information which ought to bring the blush of shame to the cheek of any man with a spark of humanity in his breast. They read of the destruction of a Native kraal and the burning clown of 250 Native huts. He would ask the right lion. Gentleman the Secretary for the Colonies, if he intended to propose that some decoration ought to be established to reward that branch of South African Service which consisted in the burning down of Native huts? No matter what might be said of the stolidity and intellectual darkness of a savage race, he could not but believe that the memory of those excesses would for many a year tend to keep alive the flame of dissatisfaction among the Native population of South Africa, and he considered the Government ought to give some assurance against their repetition. It was, perhaps, the brightest, proudest, most glorious page in the history of this country which recorded how, urged on by the heroic virtues of a Wilberforce, the chains were struck off the limbs of black men transported from their Native land. Were they now going to enter on a policy the reverse of that of Wilberforce, and to follow the black man to his native home, to steal the land from under his feet and reduce him to a state of permanent Helotry, even in those forests in which he might be supposed to remain safe from us. [Laughter.] It was easy to laugh at that. Hon. Members could sneer and laugh at protests from that side of the House; but the inhuman policy in South Africa would unquestionably have its consequences, just as the policy of Spain in South America had consequences which, in their day of exultation, the great conquerors of South America never dreamed that their haughty country would come to see.
§ Resolutions agreed to.