The great grievance for the Burghers was this abolition of slavery by Great Britain.  According to a Parliamentary Return of March, 1838, the slaves of all sorts liberated in Cape Colony numbered 35,750.  The British Parliament awarded as compensation to the slave owners throughout the British dominions a sum of L20,000,000, of which, nearly L1,500,000 fell to the share of the Burghers.  Concerning this Act of Compensation there have been very divided opinions; there is not a doubt that the British Government intended to deal fairly by the former slave owners, but it is stated that there was great and culpable carelessness on the part of the British agents in distributing this compensation money.  It seems that many of the Burghers to whom it was due never obtained it, and these considered themselves aggrieved and defrauded by the British Government.  On the other hand, there are persons who have continually disapproved of the principle of compensation for a wrong given up, or the loss of an advantage unrighteously purchased.  It is however to be regretted, that an excuse should have been given for the Boers’ complaints by irregularities attributed to the British in the partition of the compensation money.

It has often been asserted that the first great Dutch emigration from the Cape was instigated simply by love of freedom on their part, and their dislike of British Government.  But why did they dislike British Government?  There may have been minor reasons, but the one great grievance complained of by themselves, from the first, was the abolition of slavery.  They desired to be free to deal with the natives in their own manner.

Taking with them their household belongings and as much cattle as they could collect, they went forth in search of homes in which they hoped they would be no longer controlled, and as they thought, sorely wronged by the nation which had invaded their Colony.  But they did not all trek; only about half, it was estimated, did so.  The rest remained, finding it possible to live and prosper without slavery.

They crossed the Orange River, and finally trekked beyond the Vaal.

From 1833, Cape Colony, under British rule, began to be endowed with representative institutions.  In 1854, the Magna Charta of the Hottentots, as it was called, was created.  It was a measure of remarkable liberality.  “It conferred on all Hottentots and other free persons of colour lawfully residing in the Colony, the right to become burghers, and to exercise and enjoy all the privileges of burghership.  It enabled them to acquire land and other property.  It exempted them from any compulsory service to which other subjects of the Crown were not liable, and from ’any hindrance, molestation, fine, imprisonment or other punishment’ not awarded to them after trial in due course of law, ‘any custom or usage to the contrary in anywise notwithstanding.’  Among other provisions it was stipulated that wages should no longer be paid to them in liquor or tobacco,