ABSTRACT
The rigidly exclusive franchise of the South African Republic had its contrast and its counterpart in the Cape franchise with voting rights determined on a basis of property and civilization, not colour. If it was more liberal in principle than in practice, it derived none the less from a fundamentally different view of race relations. The root of the problem was to find a way in which the humanitarian aims of the Liberal Government towards the non-Europeans might be reconciled with their policy of generosity towards the defeated Boers in the form of restoring self-government to them. This conviction, recorded before the announcement of the intention to restore self-government, remained in the mind of the Transvaal political leaders of all parties as one of principal gains to be secured when self-government was achieved. The Transvaal would have control of the native policy and this was something which the overwhelming majority of European Transvaalers were prepared in no circumstances to sacrifice.
