1J Box 2
2Johannesburg
3Friday.
4
5Dear Laddie
6
7It has not been because you have not always been in my thoughts that I
8have not written. Things ^seem^ going well, but at this distance things
9are not very clear. Dear old Innes seems to have played a splendid &
10straight, & manly part lately: & to deserve well of South Africa. Your
11speech even as reported was splendid. Of course much turns on the ways
12in which we succeed in our petitions [papertorn] t we should succeed in
13the Barkly petition seems almost too great a good to be hoped for.
14Take care of yourself, dear, & try & not over work. Too late in life
15one realizes that for the sake of ones work one owed it to take rest.
16I would not take the attorney Generalship if I were you; it [papertorn]
17be [papertorn] more restf [papertorn] to your brain take other than legal
18work. Of course it may be necessary to keep the place open for Solomon.
19
20Cron is I expect half out of mind with delight at the turn affairs
21have taken. He has done good work up there. Burton & ?Highbury would
22never have taken up either of the two matters if he had not goaded
23them into it after the election was over. [papertorn] heart is papper
24wrapped up in political work, & I believe he would do valuable labour
25for South Africa. Do you think (I ask you this in strictest confidence
26your reply not to be breathed to a human creature) do you think there
27is any chance of your carrying your redistribution till next year? If
28so [papertorn] there were an [papertorn] place no [papertorn] Tembu-Land
29where the native electorate is large. I think he might stand a good
30chance of being elected. It you could give me an answer (but don’t if
31you prefer not) it would be of help to me. It is so bitter to me that
32he has to give up all his life’s [papertorn] terest & go as [papertorn] k
33into a [papertorn] ttorneys office here. If I knew there would be any
34chance of his standing perhaps next year, it might modify my plans.
35
36I’m broken down & can’t do any writing just now, the doctors say I
37must not for two years in the condition of my heart ^it is much large
38than a year ago^ but if I knew there is a chance of his possibly
39gettin [papertorn] parliaments [papertorn] t year in [papertorn] some way I
40might manage it. I want so before I die to help him a little: I feel
41sure he would contribute a valuable element to South African public
42life, because of his fearlessness & directness. It seems into an end
43of every thing to go into an Attorneys office, but if I can’t get
44better he mu [papertorn] he has is [papertorn] ther dependent [papertorn] him.
45
46I am looking forward with much hope to your period of office dear. If
47we can but bring some of these men who have bribed & corrupted
48
49[page/s missing]
50