Grahamstown Customs' Act

Grahamstown Customs' Act

Publications & Reports

Bleek condemns the Customs Indemnification Bill as detrimental to the Cape Colony's commerce. He problematises Governor Wodehouse's unchecked, arbitrary use of power and the worrying lack of foresight shown by public representatives who support bills uninformedly. Bleek claims that Grahamstown's geographic isolation and lack of "independent public opinion" make its representatives especially out of touch. He believes the colonial legislature belongs in Cape Town because its unique geography facilitates complex diversity integral to vibrant intellectual life and deliberative politics.

Printed newsprint glued on paper

07/05/1864

Two cut out columns of newsprint text, positioned vertically parallel, pasted onto a plus-sized A4 unlined sheet with visible warping. "Graham's Town Customs' Act" is subsequently handwritten onto the mount/paper backing.