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"alienated from his government, and were and are under his "superintendance-the claim you put in, to interfere with any thing left on the Government Property, is one which could "not be for a moment supported: your father left no such "commission with you, and if he had, you could not have "acted upon it. It is not my intention by this explanation to "review all the circumstances which passed last week, let 66 us rather bury them in oblivion; but I wish to shew you' "from this plain statement, that you have misunderstood the import and circumstances of what passed on the road, when "Sir Rufane met you: it is true, that you met him in a state "of great irritation,-you are aware of the unusual interference "which had caused that irritation; but it is not correct in you "to assert that any 'unhandsome allusion was made to your "father' in any part of what Sir Rufane addressed to you on "that occasion. The impression Sir Rufane's observations "made upon me was, that he endeavoured to convince you of the "nature of the situation he filled, as I have above described it; " and that because your father had left a team of mules upon "the lands cultivated on his account at Newlands, it did not "therefore follow, that any other person than himself could "by any means be allowed to interfere with that team.

"In our many conversations since your return from the frontier, I have endeavoured to do away the opinion you "appeared to have unguardedly imbibed, that there was an "hostility on the part of Sir Rufane towards you. I cannot "understand whence this feeling has originated; you have "made no one application to Sir Rufane which he has not complied with, and of the many arrangements your father requested him to make, not one remains unexecuted. This is a better proof of his feelings in your regard, than what you may pick up from the idle talebearers of this inventive town; "to these I would have you, if possible, adhere; but, think "not, that I have any motive for giving you this advice beyond "that of your own interest, and that of the community we "live in.

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"It is your interest, and that of your father, that he and "Sir Rufane should meet upon apparently good terms; and I

"wish to convince you that you will do yourself an injury, by "attempting to impede it, as your letter to me insinuates that "it is your intention to do. The complaints which Sir Rufane, "not only on the late, but on many other occasions, has to "urge against your indiscreetness (for you know how every thing "is repeated here) are now smothered, and will probably re"main so; but flame only smothered is easily rekindled. Sir "Rufané goes home, and at home he has it in his power se"riously to injure you; I happen to know, that he

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If, therefore, Sir Rufane is goaded, it is impossible to foresee the extent of injury he may do in that "quarter; and it is to that quarter that you are to look for"ward for your rise in life.*

"Let me intreat you, therefore, to consider this well, and "to act with that discretion in consequence, which you would "be the first to recommend to any other person. It is not "decorous in you who hold a high station under the Govern"ment of Sir Rufane, to censure his conduct or administra"tion; it is not politic in you to open your mind on these "subjects indiscriminately to many persons, who repeat what "you may say, with exaggerations perhaps, which would "stagger you to hear.

"You may depend upon it, that it is, and must be, Sir "Rufane's wish to part from this Government in harmony with "the Authorities he will leave behind him; and this is and "should be your guaranteee for his receiving favourably those "acts of conciliation to which he is unquestionably entitled. "I only call upon you for forbearance, and to forbear for your "own interest and that of your family. I do it in the warmth "of friendship, and in gratitude for favours I have received "from your father.

"I beg you will not mistake my intentions, but believe me,

&c. &c.

(Signed)

"C. BIRD."

"To Captain H. Somerset, &c. &c."

*I appeal to all the Public Departments in England, if ever I have uttered or written one syllable to Colonel Somerset's prejudice since I have been in England, or before my arrival here.-R. S. D.

Colonel Bird has repeatedly told me, and written to me, that Lord Charles Somerset, from the moment he saw this letter to his son, determined on his ruin, and avowed the determination in the hearing of a person whom he is ready to bring forward. to confirm this upon oath. How differently are men's minds affected by the same circumstance. Had my boy been of an age to get into such a difficulty in my absence, and, had any friend of mine written to him such a letter as the above, I should have loved him as a friend, and honoured him as a man, to the latest hour of my life!

A strange piece of information was conveyed to me by the above letter, and of which I never dreamt till I got it, which is the opinion entertained by the Captain, that I was "his "father's representative"!!! He could have known but little of ME, and of my character, to have supposed for one instant that I could ever have placed myself in such a predicament! but another strange part of the story is, that Captain Henry Somerset, of the Cape corps, and a Deputy Landdrost, that is, a Judge and Magistrate, did not himself know, or recollect, in WHOSE name and behalf he had been so long dispensing justice from the judgment-seat as a Magistrate and Judge on the frontier! Certainly not in his father's name, when he was present; nor in mine, when his father was absent.

By way of concluding this affair of the horse-whip, and to show the fatal consequences which this honest and manly letter have entailed on Colonel Bird, I give an extract from a letter from Colonel Bird to me, dated

"Lord Charles has persecuted me ever since his return from “England in a way not to be credited, solely in consequence " of the support I gave to your measures, and the visits I paid 66 you when you were in the Castle. This he avowed; Wilber"force Bird told it me without hesitation or qualification; besides, he never forgave my having told him, that when his son said that you had shaken your whip at him on the Ron"debosch Road, he asserted what was not correct, as, no

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« such circumstance had taken place, which I, who was "present, could testify. This was the offence which I have "not yet expiated, although it has brought me and mine to "utter ruin; from that moment he withdrew all public and " private confidence, and never quitted me till he had crushed "me! I might, however, ask, whether the consequences have "been satisfactory to Lord Bathurst? Prior to this, things "went on quietly and orderly, and to the Secretary of State's "satisfaction, as he frequently expressed; mind, I speak of

nor

* * public affairs, not of private acts, nor of the * "of the * * *; with these I had nothing to do, and only "heard of them as others did.

"After I was removed from confidence, and when another "system was introduced by Wilberforce Bird's advice, instead "of the one I always acted on, and induced Lord Charles "Somerset to adopt, has any colony or government presented "such a scene of confusion, iniquity, and malversation? Upon "the answer of this query I will cheerfully stake my character "and reputation. It can avail me now nothing; but I look "back with pride. I might also ask, if the result has been "beneficial to Lord Charles? I think not; on the contrary, "he has, since our separation, been persuaded to acts and "measures which must, at no distant period, cause his ruin. "The only person who has profited is Wilberforce Bird, who 66 was rewarded with the Assessorship; * and with a second "situation, the Wine-tastership, for his son-in-law, Mr. Hare.

"I conclude by saying, that you are at perfect liberty to "read or shew this explanation wherever, and to whomsoever you may think proper.

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The preceding extract was taken from the close of the letter. Below will be seen an extract from the same letter, respecting Mr. William Parker.

*To the Court of Appeal, being at the same time Comptroller of the Customs. Cases of Appeal on certain Custom House questions occasionally came before the Governor into that very Court, of which W. Bird was appointed Assessor; all was of a piece!-R. S. D.

1 re-publish from the newspapers a letter I addressed last week to Lord Caledoh, on the subject of Colonel Bird, late Secretary at the Cape of Good Hope.

I am induced to do this, partly to give that letter a more extensive circulation, in justice to Colonel Bird, and partly as an introduction to an extract from a letter from Colonel Bird to me, which will throw some light on my letter to Lord Caledon, which, although plainly, and I hope intelligibly, written, as to its main object, yet still requires a short com. mentary on one part of it, (Mr. Buissinné's case,) which the extract I give will afford.

Subjoined are also some explanatory notices relative to Mr. W. Parker, and his complaints against the Colonial Government in general, and of Colonel Bird in particular.

"Park-street, Grosvenor-square, March 28, 1827.

"I shall make no apology for thus addressing you " without your leave. Your honourable and most useful admi"nistration of the Government of the Cape of Good Hope, "makes you public property whenever the affairs of that Colony

come under discussion, and I will say here, that during the "two years I held the Government of the Cape, I was in the "constant habit of hearing your name mentioned with a "respect, affection, and gratitude, which must, as long as "these feelings last, (and, I believe, they are still unimpaired,) identify you with the happiest and brightest days "of that interesting part of our colonial possessions, and "with the best affections of all its inhabitants.

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"I am induced to take this mode of addressing your Lord

ship, from the petition which I have presented to the House "of Commons against an undue return for Stockbridge, not "coming on for consideration until May, when, should I suc"ceed, it will be too late to raise my humble voice in that "House in connexion with what your Lordship is stated to "have said last night in behalf of a most honest, faithful, "and industrious public servant, Colonel Bird, late Secretary "to the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope, and whose name,