Page:George McCall Theal, History of South Africa from 1873 to 1884, Volume 1 (1919).djvu/134

114 History of the Cape Colony. [1878 " 3. That the assumption of the command of colonial forces by Sir A. Cunynghame in January last, contrary to the advice of ministers, was not justified or advisable under the existing circumstances." Upon this Mr. Maasdorp moved, and Mr. P. Water- meyer seconded, as an amendment, that "the house, having before it the papers connected w^ith the late change of ministry, does not see that the doctrine that the gover- nor controls the colonial forces under the advice of his ministry has been called in question by the governor, but, on the contrary, is strongly affirmed ; and the house is of opinion that, under all the circumstances of the case, the removal from office of the late ministry was unavoidable." The debate was continued without any fresh argument being brought forward on either side, except that the ministers had agreed at the commencement of hostilities in, Galekaland that the colonial forces should be placed under the command of General Sir Arthur Cunynghame, which authority had never been withdrawn from him, and the contention on the other side that there was a marked difference between a war in extra-colonial terri- tory and rebellion in the colony itself. At this stage the notice of motion standing in the name of Mr. Boyes was withdrawn, and on the 3rd of June Mr. Moore moved, and Mr. Louw seconded, as an amendment to Mr. Maasdorp's amendment : " That in the opinion of this house the dismissal of the late ministry under the circumstances submitted by the government has not been justified." On the 6th of June the long debate came to an end. On that day Mr. Merriman's motion was rejected, and Mr. Maasdorp's was carried by thirty-seven votes to twenty-two, when Mr. Moore's amendment of course dropped. With such a large majority to support him, Mr. Sprigg had no difficulty in carrying the measures he deemed