Colonel Van de Graaff had the reputation of being an able military officer, but his qualifications were small for such a situation as that of governor of the Cape Colony. He was arbitrary and headstrong in disposition, violent in temper, and careless in business matters. In addition to the salary and perquisites of his predecessor, which amounted to about £3,650, he had a special allowance of £1,500 a year. He had the official residence in the castle, the house in the gardens, and the country seat at Newlands. He was provided with carriages and horses, and had the produce of the farm Visser's Hok, besides the established table allowances.

On the 10th of May 1785 the memorials sent from the Cape five months previously were laid by the delegates of the burghers before the states-general of the Netherlands. By that body they were referred for report to the chamber of Zeeland. An informal conference of the leading members of the legislature and of the directorate of the Company was held, the result of which was that on the 28th of July the assembly of seventeen, while complaining that the Cape colonists gave more trouble than the inhabitants of all the Indian islands put together, announced that several changes would be made in the system of government.

The members of the council of policy were all to rank as senior merchants, and the secretary, who was not to have a voice in the proceedings, was to rank as a merchant.