John Paterson (Cape politician)
Encyclopedia
John Paterson was a prominent politician and successful businessman of the Cape Colony
, and had a great influence on the development of Port Elizabeth where he was based. He ran newspapers, established the Grey Institute
and founded South Africa’s Standard Bank
. As a politician he was somewhat less successful, playing a role in the failed separatist movement for the Eastern Cape
in the 1870s and backing Carnarvon
’s ill-fated confederation plan.
, Scotland
, Paterson emigrated to Port Elizabeth in 1841 to take up a position as a school master. Later he successfully persuaded Sir George Grey, then the Governor of the Cape Colony, to take an interest in his proposals for new boys schools and Grey made land and funding available to Paterson for their founding.
In 1845, he secretly started his first business, the Eastern Cape Herald newspaper, with his partner John Phillip as the official owner. As he was still contracted by the state this was an illegal activity so his involvement remained clandestine. After the two men fought, Paterson stopped publication and later sold the newspaper.
He was however already a successful businessman. Paterson had a life-long interest in boys schools, and founded several in his life, including Grey High School
, an elite school for boys in Port Elizabeth that he founded in 1856.
In 1862 he started Standard Bank
, now one of the largest banks in southern Africa.
who prevented the settlers of the eastern Cape from cheaply exploiting African labour. Deprived of cheap African labour, Paterson then moved a resolution to import indentured "coolie labour" from Asia to work the farms instead, but the government blocked that motion too.
Altogether, Paterson felt that the distant and overly-tolerant Cape government was "...the root of all the troubles with the kaffirs..." and that secession for the white eastern Cape was the only solution.
His leadership of the separatists brought him into a direct showdown with the strong-willed Prime Minister
of the Cape, John Molteno - a firm proponent of regional and racial unity in the Cape - who reacted in 1873 by passing the Constitutional Amendment Bill. This re-drew the borders of the Cape’s subdivisions, abolishing the last legal remnants of the East/West distinction. Together with Molteno's policy of drawing ministers from the Eastern Cape into his government, and the general rising prosperity of the whole country, this effectively crushed the separatist movement. Paterson fought the Bill bitterly, but nonetheless kept his seat in parliament as a member of the opposition once it was passed.
He went on to become the primary critic of the Molteno Ministry over the following years, even when the official head of the opposition John X. Merriman
joined Molteno’s unity government.
Not always popular, Paterson's views, and especially the way in which he delivered them, often provoked considerable hostility in parliament. This all too frequently left him isolated and unable to do more than temporarily obstruct government projects.
, Lord Carnarvon
, having recently federated Canada, began a project to impose the very same system of confederation
on the very different states of southern Africa. There was little local enthusiasm for the project, and its timing was particularly unfortunate – coming when the various southern African states were still simmering after the last bout of British imperial expansion. However Carnarvon was determined, and appointed Henry Bartle Frere
- an autocratic imperialist with little experience of southern African politics – as governor, with instructions to implement Carnarvon’s confederation. Molteno
turned the confederation idea down flat, saying it was impractical and badly timed, but Paterson saw an opportunity to ensure that his eastern province gained autonomy (albeit within the proposed confederation), and that he himself could win the position of leading it. In a series of letters between him and Carnarvon (The Confederation Despatch, 1876), Paterson discretely offered the British Colonial Office his support against the Cape government in exchange for vague suggestions of a future leadership position. When Molteno, by now furious with Paterson for what he saw as a betrayal of the Cape's independence, made it clear that he was willing to resign but not to endorse confederation, Frere used the authority of the British Colonial Office to suspend the elected Cape government and assumed direct control in 1878 (appointing Gordon Sprigg as his puppet Prime Minister, instead of Paterson who was considered too divisive a politician for the job). Paterson, disappointed, then travelled to London as a representative of the potential new Eastern Province, while Frere launched his invasion of Zululand
in 1879.
, the lifeboats became separated. The passengers were all later found and rescued. However, Paterson’s lifeboat was separately picked up by the Senegal which then ran aground and also sank. In the chaos following this second shipwreck, Paterson was reported to have been struck by the ship’s propeller and killed. He was the only casualty from the two shipwrecks.
In the same year, Bartle Frere was recalled to London to face charges of misconduct, and the confederation scheme (which had by now spawned a trail of wars across southern Africa
- including new frontier wars against the Xhosa
and the Pedi people
, the Anglo-Zulu war
, the Basuto Gun War and later the First Boer War
) was dropped.
Upon news of Paterson’s death, flags across the Cape were flown at half mast. His obituary in the Cape Argus
, while acknowledging the political controversy and hostility he sometimes caused, paid tribute to his zeal for what he believed to be right, and to his enormous achievements.
The village of Paterson in the Eastern Cape
, South Africa
was named after him.
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
, and had a great influence on the development of Port Elizabeth where he was based. He ran newspapers, established the Grey Institute
Grey High School
Grey High School is an elite school for boys located in the city of Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Grey High School is not to be confused with Grey College in Bloemfontein, Free State.-History:...
and founded South Africa’s Standard Bank
Standard Bank
The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited is one of South Africa's largest financial services groups. It operates in 30 countries around the world, including 17 in Africa.-History:...
. As a politician he was somewhat less successful, playing a role in the failed separatist movement for the Eastern Cape
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are Port Elizabeth and East London. It was formed in 1994 out of the "independent" Xhosa homelands of Transkei and Ciskei, together with the eastern portion of the Cape Province...
in the 1870s and backing Carnarvon
Henry Herbert, 4th Earl of Carnarvon
Henry Howard Molyneux Herbert, 4th Earl of Carnarvon, PC, DL, FSA, FRS , known as Lord Porchester from 1833 to 1849, was a British politician and a leading member of the Conservative Party...
’s ill-fated confederation plan.
Early life and business ventures
Born and raised in AberdeenAberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, Paterson emigrated to Port Elizabeth in 1841 to take up a position as a school master. Later he successfully persuaded Sir George Grey, then the Governor of the Cape Colony, to take an interest in his proposals for new boys schools and Grey made land and funding available to Paterson for their founding.
In 1845, he secretly started his first business, the Eastern Cape Herald newspaper, with his partner John Phillip as the official owner. As he was still contracted by the state this was an illegal activity so his involvement remained clandestine. After the two men fought, Paterson stopped publication and later sold the newspaper.
He was however already a successful businessman. Paterson had a life-long interest in boys schools, and founded several in his life, including Grey High School
Grey High School
Grey High School is an elite school for boys located in the city of Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Grey High School is not to be confused with Grey College in Bloemfontein, Free State.-History:...
, an elite school for boys in Port Elizabeth that he founded in 1856.
In 1862 he started Standard Bank
Standard Bank
The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited is one of South Africa's largest financial services groups. It operates in 30 countries around the world, including 17 in Africa.-History:...
, now one of the largest banks in southern Africa.
Eastern Cape Separatism
In 1854 he was elected to the first Cape Parliament as a member for Port Elizabeth, and from the beginning of his political career he made the secession of the eastern part of the Cape Colony a priority. He felt very strongly that the Xhosa people of the eastern Cape frontier were a severe threat to the colonists' safety and that this threat was not helped by the Cape government's relaxed attitude to the frontier. The Cape Town parliament at the time was also dominated by liberals such as Saul SolomonSaul Solomon
Saul Solomon was an influential liberal politician of the Cape Colony. A tireless defender of racial and religious equality, Saul Solomon was an important member of the movement for responsible government and an opponent of Lord Carnarvon's disastrous Confederation scheme.Saul Solomon was born on...
who prevented the settlers of the eastern Cape from cheaply exploiting African labour. Deprived of cheap African labour, Paterson then moved a resolution to import indentured "coolie labour" from Asia to work the farms instead, but the government blocked that motion too.
Altogether, Paterson felt that the distant and overly-tolerant Cape government was "...the root of all the troubles with the kaffirs..." and that secession for the white eastern Cape was the only solution.
His leadership of the separatists brought him into a direct showdown with the strong-willed Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
of the Cape, John Molteno - a firm proponent of regional and racial unity in the Cape - who reacted in 1873 by passing the Constitutional Amendment Bill. This re-drew the borders of the Cape’s subdivisions, abolishing the last legal remnants of the East/West distinction. Together with Molteno's policy of drawing ministers from the Eastern Cape into his government, and the general rising prosperity of the whole country, this effectively crushed the separatist movement. Paterson fought the Bill bitterly, but nonetheless kept his seat in parliament as a member of the opposition once it was passed.
He went on to become the primary critic of the Molteno Ministry over the following years, even when the official head of the opposition John X. Merriman
John X. Merriman
John Xavier Merriman was the last prime minister of the Cape Colony before the formation of the Union of South Africa in 1910.-Early life:...
joined Molteno’s unity government.
Not always popular, Paterson's views, and especially the way in which he delivered them, often provoked considerable hostility in parliament. This all too frequently left him isolated and unable to do more than temporarily obstruct government projects.
Enforcement of Confederation
Starting in 1874, the British Secretary of State for the ColoniesSecretary of State for the Colonies
The Secretary of State for the Colonies or Colonial Secretary was the British Cabinet minister in charge of managing the United Kingdom's various colonial dependencies....
, Lord Carnarvon
Henry Herbert, 4th Earl of Carnarvon
Henry Howard Molyneux Herbert, 4th Earl of Carnarvon, PC, DL, FSA, FRS , known as Lord Porchester from 1833 to 1849, was a British politician and a leading member of the Conservative Party...
, having recently federated Canada, began a project to impose the very same system of confederation
Confederation
A confederation in modern political terms is a permanent union of political units for common action in relation to other units. Usually created by treaty but often later adopting a common constitution, confederations tend to be established for dealing with critical issues such as defense, foreign...
on the very different states of southern Africa. There was little local enthusiasm for the project, and its timing was particularly unfortunate – coming when the various southern African states were still simmering after the last bout of British imperial expansion. However Carnarvon was determined, and appointed Henry Bartle Frere
Henry Bartle Frere
Sir Henry Bartle Edward Frere, 1st Baronet, GCB, GCSI, was a British colonial administrator.-Early life:Frere was born at Clydach House, Clydach, Monmouthshire, the son of Edward Frere, manager of Clydach Ironworks...
- an autocratic imperialist with little experience of southern African politics – as governor, with instructions to implement Carnarvon’s confederation. Molteno
John Charles Molteno
Sir John Charles Molteno KCMG was a soldier, businessman, champion of responsible government and the first Prime Minister of the Cape Colony.-Early life:...
turned the confederation idea down flat, saying it was impractical and badly timed, but Paterson saw an opportunity to ensure that his eastern province gained autonomy (albeit within the proposed confederation), and that he himself could win the position of leading it. In a series of letters between him and Carnarvon (The Confederation Despatch, 1876), Paterson discretely offered the British Colonial Office his support against the Cape government in exchange for vague suggestions of a future leadership position. When Molteno, by now furious with Paterson for what he saw as a betrayal of the Cape's independence, made it clear that he was willing to resign but not to endorse confederation, Frere used the authority of the British Colonial Office to suspend the elected Cape government and assumed direct control in 1878 (appointing Gordon Sprigg as his puppet Prime Minister, instead of Paterson who was considered too divisive a politician for the job). Paterson, disappointed, then travelled to London as a representative of the potential new Eastern Province, while Frere launched his invasion of Zululand
Anglo-Zulu War
The Anglo-Zulu War was fought in 1879 between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom.Following the imperialist scheme by which Lord Carnarvon had successfully brought about federation in Canada, it was thought that a similar plan might succeed with the various African kingdoms, tribal areas and...
in 1879.
Death
Paterson died on his way back to the Cape in May 1880 in a bizarre double-shipwreck. The ship he was travelling on, the Union R.M.S. American was dramatically wrecked when its propeller-shaft snapped, bent and tore open part of the ships plating. The passengers evacuated the ship in an ordered way before it sank but, adrift in the Atlantic oceanAtlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
, the lifeboats became separated. The passengers were all later found and rescued. However, Paterson’s lifeboat was separately picked up by the Senegal which then ran aground and also sank. In the chaos following this second shipwreck, Paterson was reported to have been struck by the ship’s propeller and killed. He was the only casualty from the two shipwrecks.
In the same year, Bartle Frere was recalled to London to face charges of misconduct, and the confederation scheme (which had by now spawned a trail of wars across southern Africa
Southern Africa
Southern Africa is the southernmost region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. Within the region are numerous territories, including the Republic of South Africa ; nowadays, the simpler term South Africa is generally reserved for the country in English.-UN...
- including new frontier wars against the Xhosa
Xhosa wars
The Xhosa Wars, also known as the Cape Frontier Wars, were a series of nine wars between the Xhosa people and European settlers, from 1779 to 1879 in what is now the Eastern Cape in South Africa....
and the Pedi people
Pedi people
Pedi, , has been a cultural/linguistic term. It was previously used to describe the entire set of people speaking various dialects of the Sotho language who live in the northern Transvaal of South Africa...
, the Anglo-Zulu war
Anglo-Zulu War
The Anglo-Zulu War was fought in 1879 between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom.Following the imperialist scheme by which Lord Carnarvon had successfully brought about federation in Canada, it was thought that a similar plan might succeed with the various African kingdoms, tribal areas and...
, the Basuto Gun War and later the First Boer War
First Boer War
The First Boer War also known as the First Anglo-Boer War or the Transvaal War, was fought from 16 December 1880 until 23 March 1881-1877 annexation:...
) was dropped.
Upon news of Paterson’s death, flags across the Cape were flown at half mast. His obituary in the Cape Argus
Cape Argus
Founded in 1857 by Saul Solomon, the Cape Argus is a daily newspaper published by Independent News & Media in Cape Town, South Africa. It is commonly referred to simply as "The Argus"....
, while acknowledging the political controversy and hostility he sometimes caused, paid tribute to his zeal for what he believed to be right, and to his enormous achievements.
The village of Paterson in the Eastern Cape
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are Port Elizabeth and East London. It was formed in 1994 out of the "independent" Xhosa homelands of Transkei and Ciskei, together with the eastern portion of the Cape Province...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
was named after him.
See also
- History of Cape Colony from 1870 to 1899History of Cape Colony from 1870 to 1899The year 1870 in the history of the Cape Colony marks the dawn of a new era in South Africa, and it can be said that the development of modern South Africa began on that date. Despite political complications that arose from time to time, progress in Cape Colony continued at a steady pace until the...
- John Charles MoltenoJohn Charles MoltenoSir John Charles Molteno KCMG was a soldier, businessman, champion of responsible government and the first Prime Minister of the Cape Colony.-Early life:...
- Henry Bartle FrereHenry Bartle FrereSir Henry Bartle Edward Frere, 1st Baronet, GCB, GCSI, was a British colonial administrator.-Early life:Frere was born at Clydach House, Clydach, Monmouthshire, the son of Edward Frere, manager of Clydach Ironworks...
- Saul SolomonSaul SolomonSaul Solomon was an influential liberal politician of the Cape Colony. A tireless defender of racial and religious equality, Saul Solomon was an important member of the movement for responsible government and an opponent of Lord Carnarvon's disastrous Confederation scheme.Saul Solomon was born on...
- Gordon Sprigg
- Grey High SchoolGrey High SchoolGrey High School is an elite school for boys located in the city of Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Grey High School is not to be confused with Grey College in Bloemfontein, Free State.-History:...