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Done at London, this Thirteenth day of August, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Fourteen.

(L.S.) CASTLEREAGH.

(L.S.) H. FAGEL. Parl. Papers, Convention, 13th Aug. 1814, Presented to Parl., June 1815, p. 2.

THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE ESTABLISHED.

No. 17. Proclamation.-By His Excellency General the Right Hon. Lord CHARLES HENRY SOMERSET, etc. [5 July 1822.]

WHEREAS it has been deemed expedient, with a view to the prosperity of this Settlement, that the Language of the Parent Country should be more universally diffused, and that a period should be now fixed, at which the English Language shall be exclusively used in all Judicial and Official Acts, Proceedings, and Business, within the same. The long and familiar intercourse which has happily taken place between the good Inhabitants of this Colony, and the very numerous British-born Subjects who have established themselves, or have been settled here, has already greatly facilitated a measure which is likely still more closely to unite the loyal Subjects of their common Sovereign. The system which I had previously adopted, with a view to this exigence of employing British-born Subjects, conversant in both languages, in the parochial duties of the Reformed Religion, as established in this Colony, has likewise paved the way to the amelioration now contemplated.

It has pleased His Majesty most graciously to approve that measure, and to enable me to act more extensively upon it, not only by having commanded Clergymen of the Established Church of Scotland (whose religious tenets are precisely similar to those of the Reformed Church of this Country), who have received instruction in the Dutch Language, in Holland, to be sent hither to be placed in the vacant Churches, but by having authorised competent and respectable Instructors being employed at public expense, at every principal place throughout the Colony, for the purpose of facilitating the acquirement of the English Language to all classes of Society.

These Teachers having now arrived, the moment appears favourable for giving full effect to His Majesty's Commands; and I, therefore, hereby order and direct, by virtue of the Power and Authority in me vested, that the English Language be exclusively used in all Judicial Acts and Proceedings, either in the Supreme or Inferior Courts of this Colony, from the Ist day of January of the Year of our Lord, One Thousand Eight

Hundred and Twenty-seven; and that all Official Acts and Documents of the several Public Offices of this Government, (the Documents and Records of the Courts of Justice excepted) be drawn up and promulgated in the English Language, from and after the 1st day of January, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Twenty-five; and that all Documents prepared and issued from the Office of the Chief Secretary to this Government, be prepared in the English Language, from and after the 1st day of January next, in the Year of our Lord, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Twenty-three; from and after which periods, respectively, the English Language shall, in such Judicial and Official Acts and Proceedings, be exclusively adopted.

[Etc.]

Procls., etc., p. 558.

THE FIRST COUNCIL APPOINTED. [2 May 1825.] No. 18. Proclamation.-By His Excellency the Right Hon. General Lord CHARLES HENRY SOMERSET, etc.

WHEREAS His Majesty has been graciously pleased, by Instructions issued under His Signet and Sign Manual, with the Advice of His Privy Council, bearing date at Carlton House, the Ninth Day of February, 1825, to order and direct that a Council shall be established in this Colony, to advise and assist in the Administration of the Government thereof :-And whereas His Majesty has signified His Pleasure that the said Council shall be composed as follows, viz.:

President, His Excellency the Governor or the Officer administering the Civil Government of the Colony for the time being.

Members, The Chief Justice; the Colonial Secretary; the Officer next in Command, for the time being, to the Commander of the Forces; Lieutenant-Colonel Bell; Walter Bentinck, Esq., Auditor-General; J. W. Stoll, Esq., ReceiverGeneral.

I do hereby make known and publish the same for the Information of all the Inhabitants of this Colony, and of all others whom it may concern.

GOD SAVE THE KING.

C. T. Gazette, 7 May 1825.

[Annexure.]

The Members of Council, appointed by His Majesty, . having been summoned to attend at Government House on

1

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Wednesday last, were there severally sworn in, by His Excellency the Governor, under a Royal Salute. His Majesty's Commissioners of Inquiry, and many other Persons of distinction, were present.

C. T. Gazette, Saturday, 7 May 1825.

THE PAPER CURRENCY. [6 June 1825.]

G. R.

(Signed)

C. H. SOMERSET.
No. 2.1

No. 19. Ordinance.-Of His Excellency the GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL, for making British Silver Money a Legal Tender in Discharge of all Debts due to Individuals, and to Government, at the Rate of One Shilling and Six Pence for each Paper Rix-Dollar.

WHEREAS His Majesty's Government has determined to establish the British Currency as the Circulating Medium of all the Colonial Possessions of the Crown, and has further been pleased to Order and Direct that the British Silver Money shall be a Legal Tender in this Colony, in discharge of all Debts due to Individuals and to the Public, at the Rate of One Shilling and Six Pence for each Paper Rix-Dollar, and so in proportion for any greater or less Sum,

His Excellency the Governor in Council is pleased to Enact and Declare, that from and after the date of this Proclamation or Ordinance, British Silver Money shall be a Legal Tender in this Colony, in discharge of all Debts due to Individuals and to the Public, at the Rate of One Shilling and Six Pence for each Paper Rix-Dollar, and so in proportion for any greater or less

sum,

His Excellency in Council has in consequence issued the necessary Instructions, that a Table or Scale shall be Printed forthwith, specifying the relative value of the Paper Rix-Dollar, and of all the lesser proportions thereof, with British Money, in order to regulate the Payment of the Established Government Duties, Fees, etc. until such time as New Schedules of Duties, etc. shall be made out.

The Governor in Council is further pleased to Order and Direct, that from and after the 31st of December next, all Heads of Departments in this Colony, and all other Civil Servants therein, shall render their Accounts in British Money; and that all Contracts entered into, or Purchases effected by the

1 The Cape ordinances were numbered consecutively from 1825 till 1833. In 1834 and subsequent years there is a separate numbering for each year,

Civil Departments, for the Public Service, after that Date, shall also be made in British Money.

And that no Person may plead ignorance thereof, this will be published and affixed in the usual manner.

GOD SAVE THE KING.

Given at the Cape of Good Hope, this 6th Day of June 1825.
By Command of His Excellency the Governor,
(Signed) R. PLASKET, Secretary to Government.
By Order of the Council,

(Signed)

P. G. BRINK, Act. Clerk of the Council.

P.R.O., C.O. 50/1.

EXTENSION OF HOTTENTOT LIBERTIES.

[17 July 1828.]

No. 50.

No. 20. Ordinance.-For Improving the Condition of Hottentots and other free Persons of colour at the Cape of Good Hope, and for Consolidating and Amending the Laws affecting those Persons.

WHEREAS Certain Laws relating to and affecting the Hottentots and other free persons of colour, lawfully residing in this Colony, require to be consolidated, amended, or repealed, and certain obnoxious usages and customs, which are injurious to those persons, require to be declared illegal and discontinued: Be it therefore enacted, by His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor in Council, That from and after the passing of this Ordinance, the Proclamations of the 16th day of July 1787,-9th day of May 1803,-1st day of November 1809,-23rd day of April 1812,-9th day of July 1819,-and 23rd day of May 1823, shall be, and the same are hereby repealed: [Provided that nothing herein contained shall affect any contract or indenture entered into in virtue of the said proclamations.]

II. And whereas by usage and custom of this Colony, Hottentots and other free persons of colour have been subjected to certain restraints as to their residence, mode of life, and employment, and to certain compulsory services to which others of His Majesty's Subjects are not liable: Be it therefore enacted, that from and after the passing of this Ordinance, no Hottentot or other free Person of colour, lawfully residing in this Colony, shall be subject to any compulsory service to which other of His Majesty's Subjects therein are not liable, nor to any hindrance, molestation, fine, imprisonment or punishment of any kind whatsoever, under the pretence that such Person has been guilty of vagrancy or any other offence, unless after trial in due course of Law ;-any custom or usage to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.

III. And whereas doubts have arisen as to the competency of Hottentots and other free Persons of colour to purchase or possess Land in this Colony: Be it therefore enacted, [all transfers of land made to or by such Hottentot or other free person of colour are legal; and it is lawful for such persons born in the Colony or granted deeds of burghership to possess land.]

IV. And whereas it is expedient to protect ignorant and unwary Hottentots and other free Persons of colour as aforesaid from the effects of improvident Contracts for Service : Be it therefore enacted, [that it shall not be legal for any person to hire by written agreement any Hottentot or free person of colour for a longer period than one calendar month at a time, except as hereinafter provided.]

V. [If any person and a Hottentot or free person of colour desire to enter into an agreement for a longer period, such contract shall be made in writing in the presence of a Clerk or a Justice of the Peace, the period of such contract not to exceed 12 calendar months. Liquor or tobacco given to a servant, not to be regarded as wages. At the expiration of the period, no goods or cattle of a servant shall be detained except by sentence of a competent court.]

VI. All such contracts to be made in triplicate, one copy to be given to each of the contracting parties, and one copy to be filed by the officer of justice.]

VII. [Procedure in cases of dispute as to whether wages have or have not been paid.]

VIII. [Contract with wife of Hottentot or free person of colour, to be executed by her; contract with children under 18, to be executed by parents. Provided always, that nothing therein contained shall give the employer of such parents any claim on the services of the said children or of any other children, beyond the period contracted for. No person shall have a claim to the service of any children merely on the ground that those children have been fed and clothed by such person or have been born during the period of their parents' service with such person. Procedure if this rule is disobeyed.]

IX. [On the death of a Hottentot or free person of colour, the contract with his wife and children shall become void within one month after such death.]

X. [A contracting Hottentot or free person of colour may keep his family on the premises of his employer without being forced to yield the service of children not contracted for.]

XI. [Any Hottentot or free person of colour being above the age of 18 may form a contract, as above directed.]

XII. [Any Hottentot or free person of colour may apprentice his or her children for 7 years or until the children shall reach

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