Hockly, Daniel

To His
General Sir R Donkin /
Governor of the Cape of Good Hope /
7+. 7+. 7+. /

I have presumed to addres+s /
myself Immediately to your Excellency to state /
the most severe oppres+sion under which I labour. /
I am encouraged to this by the condescending atten=tion /
you Sir paid to the real wants 7+ best inter=est /
of every Man while on this Frontier {7+ that} /
7+ that you will award me that Justice which /
as an English Man 7+ Royal Subject I think /
I am entitled to. I shall proceed to state minutely /
my grievances 7+ earnestly implore your Excellency’s /
attention. I came to Southern Africa with the /
Party of Settlers under M\r/ Bayly 7+ being a Gold /
7+ Silversmith with a general knowledge of Mechanics /
was most ernestly pres+sed by many of the Inhabitants /
to come 7+ settle at Utenhage. I complied with this /
request with the consent 7+ will wishes of all Parties /
Commencing Bus+sines+s as a Gold Silversmith Tinman /
7+ Brazier in fact doing any thing that I was /
able for my benefit 7+ the advantage of the communi=ty /
(My Wife also has undertaken the Education of a /
select number of young Ladies) But I found the /
greatest obstacle to my success+s was tools which I /
could not procure at any rate 7+ from the kind /
expres+sion of your wishes for my welfare the first /
time you was at Utenhage I prepared a Memorial /
to ask your permis+sion to purchase a Set of Smiths /
Tools out of the Government Stores for Settlers. But /
out of respect to Authority I thought it my duty /
to Mention to Col Cuyler the object I had in view /
who stated he would name my case to your Excellency /
>
that there was no occasion for me to memorial. I waited /
3 or 4 Weeks after your absence unable from the multi=plied /
Engagements of Col Cuyler to obtain an answer /
to my requests to your Excellency. At last I determined /
to apply to the Store Keeper 7+ prepared to repair to Port /
Elizabeth on the 2\nd/ of this Month but again on the Tuesday /
I took a note to the private home of Col Cuyler apologiz+ing /
for the intrusion on the Sunday but that as I was /
going to Port Eliz+abeth early on Monday Morn\g/ /
it was of importance that I should know his /
Excellency’s answer to my request. I was called /
in 7+ Col Cuyler told me that Settlers could not /
have any advantage who had quitted their party /
The next Morn\g/ I repaired to Port Eliz+abeth to /
endevour to purchase a few tools the private /
property of Individuals which they had brought /
from England. But not being able to succeed I took /
the advice of a friend 7+ applied to the Store Keeper /
who informed me I could not obtain any thing /
on the credit of my deposit money but if I paid /
the money I might purchase a Set of Smiths Tools /
This I did on the 3\rd/ of the Month but on the 5\th/ the /
earliest period I could procure a Waggon I fetched /
them home. But while loading Capt\n/ Evatt came /
up stating I should not have the Smiths Tools but /
the others I might purchase 7+ at the same time /
ordered the Sergeant delivering goods to tell M\r/ /
Dawson to return my Money which I had paid /
2 Days previous to this. M\r/ Dawson replied he /
could not having paid the money over to the /
Commis+sary 7+ that he really had not any money /
therefore I took the tools. Capt\n/Evatt afterwards /
in the presence of several persons asked M\r/ Dawson /
how he could let me have things as I was a /
Damn\d/ 7+ Methodistical Rascal. I here must /
>
observe I have never troubled any Man in Africa /
with my religious Tenets 7+ that I never was any /
other than a Member of the Church of England /
though the remark may be unneces+sary as a Individual /
religious opinion. I feel deeply convinced would /
never influence your Excellency. To resume /
after repairing to my House 7+ fixing at con=siderable /
expence some of the tools and peacefully /
following my occupation I was ordered to wait /
on Col Cuyler on the 12\th/ of the month. being 7 /
days after I had the things home which order I /
instantly obeyed. I was first asked if I had my /
Colonial Pas+s to which I replyed yes Col Cuyler /
then proceeded // without one provoking /word\ or action on /
my part to call me a Damn’d Rascal a Villain /
7+ a Vagabond He thus placed my person {under} /
in charge of the Undersheriff with all his Men /
armed 7+ give my offence in writing to the Mes+senger /
with directions to proceed to my house 7+ seize /
all the property I had bought at the Bay I was /
then marched from one end of Utenhage to the /
other my house entered 7+ my property forcibly /
taken. Still being perfectly ignorant of the Laws /
at this place 7+ conceiving I had offended against /
no law I jet twice waited on Col Cuyler to request /
in respectfull terms my property or the money 7+ on /
each occasion was the above vile epithets liberally /
applied With his order to prepare to Quit the /
Colony. Conceive the feelings of an English /
Man who had just left his paternal Country /
its mild 7+ salutary laws to be here traduced /
7+ oppress+sed 7+ unles+s protected by your Excellency /
utterly ruined as I have a Wife 7+ 3 Small female /
children to support in a place where at present /
>
I have no friendly arm to rely in case of /
poverty or need as in my native Country /
Though I would not be an Egotist jet I think /
in this case I am called on to declare I have /
ever fulfilled the duties of a peaceful citizen /
7+ on no occasion in this course of my life /
resisted but always submitted to Authority /
as I wish fairly to state my case 7+ /not\ to give it /
no false colour I have enclosed /a\ copy of the /
charge against me as signed by Col Cuyler 7+ /
given to the Mes+senger with a list also of the /
goods I had from the Store In conclusion I most /
earnestly implore your Excellency’s attention /
to this to me most painfull subject 7+ submit /
Myself /
Your Excellency /
Most humble Servant /
July 18\th/ 1820 /
Utenhage /
Daniel Hockly /
P S Since writing the above I have heard /
the Landdros+s should say I bought them to make /
gain by Selling which I most solemnly as+sure /
is quite without foundation /