The Sun.
London, England, 1867-10-08 00:00:00

KING WEODORE.

The character of Theodore, Emperor of Abyssinia,
has become a subject of grave interest to the British
people. It is probable that on the individual quali-
ties of that man will hinge the nature of the war in
which the English are about to engage. When Ras-
Ali ruled at Debra Tabor about the year 1850, as
Grand Vizier of the Emperor in seeming, but in reality
as absolute monarch, a young man of humble birth
named Dedjatz Kaisai, was deputed, under super-
vision of the Queen, to govern certain provinces,
near Sennaar. Kaisai was King Theodore in em-
bryo, impressed with the conviction that he was
destined for a greht career. At Sennaar he attached
to himself a following, when he revolted against the
Queen and defeated the forces she employed to sub-
due him. While in open rebellion he managed to
blind Ras-Ali to his real intentions. Eventually he
presented himself at Debra Tabor, where he per-
suaded the potentate that he was his faithful ser-
vant, and the Queen the true enemy of the State.
After carrying on his intrigues for two or three
years he openly rebelled against the Ras,
and in several actions defeated the troops despatched
against him. In a final engagement, fought in the
open plain, to which he had challenged the royal
army, he broke the power of Ras-Ali, when he
aspired to the supreme authority. Übye, chief of
Tigre, was his formidable rival, and in 1854 he con-
sented to refer his claims to the council of notables,
binding himself by oath to accept the decision. He
brought a brain as clever in intrigue as in war into
play, and by pitting the Roman Jesuit Bishop
Jacobus against the Coptic Abuma Abba Salama,
who favoured his rival, he eventually brought both
the prelates to his feet. In 1855 Abba Salama
crowned him Emperor, under the title of King of
Kings of Ethiopia. It was then that Consul Plow-
den, who had been despatched to Abyssinia by the
Foreign Office, wrote of him in terms of the highest
admiration. He reformed the administration, de-
priving the feudal chiefs of despotic power, and
placing the country under responsible government.
He suppressed the slave trade, and introduced decent
habits into Abyssinian society, and altogether gave
hopes of a brilliant and useful reign. He ap-
pears, however, to have had a taint of madness,
which began to display itself. This was first
shown in a pride which betrayed him into excessive
follies. Thinking himself sent by God at first for
the blessing and regeneration of the country he
afterwards changed his mind, and became impressed
with the conviction that God had employed him as
a scourge to Abyssinia. After his last great victory
in 1861 he announced to the assembled clergy at
Axum that he had made a bargain with God.
" He (God) has promised," said Theodore, " not
to descend on earth to strike me, and I have pro-
mised not to ascend to heaven to fight with him."
The Spectator, from which we have obtained most
of these facts, says—" Since the date of the above
impious and insane remark the character of King
Theodore's administration has completely changed,
and all the old evils of the land have returned in an
exaggerated form. The country is delivered up to
a licentious soldiery, and the most fearful cruelties
are everywhere perpetrated. The Negus now be-
lieves it his mission to be a curse and a scourge to
his rebellious people, and he executes it with all the
energy of his character. He has given the pre-
tender to the throne, Tadela Gwala, an excellent
opportunity of rearing his head, and recent advices
make it extremely probable that King Theodore's
race is nearly run."
A letter from Lieutenant Prideaux was published
yesterday in the Pall Mall Gazette. It is dated
Magdala, July 21, 18G7. The King had proceeded
on a foray to a distant part of his empire, where he
had plundered the property of the Church. The
rebel peasantry infest the country, actually
attacking the royal camp and murdering every
straggling soldier. The European prisoners were
well treated, except Mr. Moritz, who offended his
Majesty, and was cast into the common gaol with
the native prisoners. The five Europeans who at..
tempted their escape are in chains, and the six
servants captured with them have been cut up
by the King's order. In six weeks his Majesty
has butchered 3,000 soldiers and peasants. The
villagers in the country attacked were burnt in
their houses, and whereever he meets a wayfarer
he orders him to be despatched, with the remark
" that he has no business to be knocking about."