Brown, John

District of Albany Caffre Clay Pitt
1 August 1825
Sir
I have the Honor to enclose a Memorial to His Excellency
which I respectfully request may be laid before him _
The subject of this Memorial has now become of so serious a
character as to compel me to offer a few remarks to your consideration
in the humble Hope that I may be so fortunate as
to excite your attention. _
In the peculiarly dangerous situation from the Caffres
in which I have been placed a residence among them would
have been less so). and obedience to the Laws has been the first
rule of my Conduct. in some instance, a deviation has been
absolutely necessary to preserve the lives of my Family. but to
the general obedience I have become a Victim, surely it is
impossible any branch of the British Government, will condemn
an unoffending subject to a punishment worse than Death, it
would indeed be Mercy to me, were the Caffres to close the Doors
of my House, consume it, my Family, and myself at once, rather
than continue a system which must reduce us to absolute
beggary .. The Robbery of yesterday has deprived me of every Milch
Cow I had, and I have now the painful task, to hear the entrieties
of a young Family for that Aliment, their tender years require
a deprivation of which, will in all probability be the cause of
bringing them to an early Grave. _
I have been charged as an illicit Trafficker, with the Caffres
and on this charge, previous to any investigation, suffered an
Imprisonment of more than three Weeks, so little ground appears

for this charge that I was liberated before the termination of the execution
but I believe it to be impossible for anyone to live here, without
encurring such a suspicion, had I been a Trafficker, I should have
been in a very different situation to my present one my means
have been ample for the purpose of my emigration. I brought
seven Hundred pounds to the Colony, and have drawn nearly One
Hundred more pr. Ann. since my arrival through the respectable
house of Ebden & Eaton. but these means are now exhausted in
consequence of my being left without Protection, and Beggary
stares me in the Face.
Protectis habil subjectionem & subjectis protectionem
has thus been the case, surely if the Humanity of the Government
did not, their Justice and Honour might prompt them
to interfere and grant Relief _
I regret my removal has not yet been effected. The Landdrost
has done all in his power to hasten it, he has informed me, Mr H
will on his return value my Premises. but without I have another
place to remove to. little progress will be made, and I am convinced
there is not a vacant place in this District. _
If Sir I have addressed you too freely, I must rely on your
liberality for Pardon, uncertaintly respecting my removal, and
the numerous losses I am suffering under, have almost driven
me to despair.
I have the Honor to be
Sir
Yours most respectfully
John Brown
Sir R. Plasket
&c. &c. &c.