The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-12-27

King BADAHUNG, of Dahomey, is as all men may
know, ferocious barbarian and despot of the
most absolute type. The principal and most cher
ished ornaments of his Majesty's residence,-a
palace constructed strictly after the African order
of archtecture-are human skulls. The ceiling
of the royal apartment is decorated with skulls
The floor of the main court is paved with skulls,
and whenever the ceiling needs additional orna
mentation, or the court new pavement. his Maj
esty issues an order for the delivery of such num-
Der of the heads of his subjects as will furnish
the supply which may be found requisite to COM
plete the improvements in the most thorough and
artistic manner. If under this right royal order
a superabundanCe of material is collected together
it is not regarded as a matter of much Importance
African heads are a cheap commodity, and if an
extra hundred or two should happen to be Topped
by over Jealous officials, from the sable shoulders
that supported them, those to whom they once
belonged are in no condition to complain of the
e solution of continuity" and his Majesty is
altogether indifferent about it. There are very
few other monarchs who are in the enjoyment of
such extensive privileges and prerogatives as
King BADAHUNG. Every year the women o
Dahomey are required to assemble before
him, that he may make his choice. He
retains for himself quite respecta BILE number-for
the members of his Harem constitute his body
guard and are trained to warlike exercises-and
the rest be parcels out among his Subjects who
are expected to receive with thankfulness the new
wives which are thus unceremonously thrust upon
them, and are, moreover required to pay to his
MAJESTY whatever sum he may demand for
the trouble he has been at in making the seec-
ton. This is one of the means whereby the roya
BADAHUNG replenishes his Exchequer. But as his
own wives number from three to FIVE thousand
and as the expenses of his household are CORES
pondingly large he adds to his revenue by occa-
sonal slave-hunts, which furnish him with cap
tives, of whom ten thousand are annually sold on
the Coast at an average price of about five dollars
each. But, although intent upon gain, ''Maiesty
"BADAHUSG" is not wholly insensible to glory
also, and especially that sort of glory which is
derived from doing honor to his ancestors, over
whose graves, to keep their kindred virtue
fresh in the memory of the people, be annually
offers human sacrifices and holds high festival
To this barbarian the African Aid Society has
written letter which bears internal evil
oence OF the fact that the Society regards him
as spoiled child who must be caressed into good
behaviour, ana who, by reason of his tender years
must DC 'aiheu 10 IN words of one and two sylla-
bes such as are used in the nursery, and in those
little books with large letters that are known "a
Primers. For example, the letter commences
MAJESTY BuDAHUNG-The great English ro.,or :; 49,
nv sad 1t does not like your ways They arc IN Va
They bad. You might be King. But But
what you do will not make you great King. You do
yery much harm for a very little money. To be grsat
King you should do much good, and make ii bring o
great deal Of money"
The profundity of the moral reflection contained
in the first part Of the last sentence quoted