The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-10-16
The kAGLc-aFalcAa wAa.

hthx fheOdore's IDS nasfy-Ats Famous Let.
ter 10 Queen Victoria and It's Consequences.
From the London STAR sept 2l.1
Tho dangers Of the expedition In progress against
Theodorus, OF Abyssna, the doubtful gain In Of
sny.hns bus the very fullest success as yaia! rum q
detail wth sufficient earnesness and warmth u seems
that In spite OF ali Tue OBLIGATIONS that have
been urged INST this unlucky the Ministry
determined 10 vindcats for themselves the reputation
OF being ssrong government. and 90 70 commit %
n: s, 70. h' ,oasns Esssss hoDo9
and upon this necessity the cry for war has
may % sD. no9
OF those who most eager 10 avenge the wrongs Of
English subjects upon King Theodoras could recsptu-
matter seemed trivial that oven men who dill
gent readers OF newspapers and who felt deeply inter-
OF the squabble between tho Abyssnan monarch
and his ysora We do not pretend TO be able to give
tons which involved us In this unfortunate compica
tion; but assist readers nj least 70 form
general idea about what are gong 10 for and the
degree OF iujnse which we have to complain OF ~ tho
hands OF our enemy and IN y the more need nj the
ses few days ago protested to give the facts OF tho
complication, aud very seriously missAted some ponta
Our relations vita Abyssinia commenced when the
country was plunged in even greater anarchy than at
pre- sent Tho Imperial House of Cubic boastsi myth
ioa descent from King Solomon and his fair vi
Queen OF oheba u maintained Theoretically high
preteusions and was looked upon with kind OF reve-
by the people But tho fsnednt character OF the
monarcs is family las long lost them the practical
exercise of power number OF petty chiefs usurprd
tered among themselves. With ono o these Ras
Ali, English Official named owden became intimate,
aud Al the ms IL this gentleman Lord Panerston
sanctioned ~ 1a4s tile Establishment OF British Consul
lao at dassowap the chei Abyssinan port on tho Rod
IN. PoSden was the ilrst Consul, and succeeded
IN making treaty wi Ras All; but on the fall OF hat
cnei ms succt had no idea Of oeng bound by MS
engagements, aud, TO Mr.. piJwden's great dsgasi,
showed very ittc respect Tor tho Consul or MS
ONCE Ia the year 1855 Theodorus, an ad,en-
turer, apparently Of considerable ability, boundless
,l06 aal nscfupa ousnass and uncontrolled passion,
Tho which prevailed 10 set ASIDE
the imperial line altogether. aud TO establish binsell
drmy 90 the throne Ney,s or Emperor He MAS ii
ry i've years OF ag, and his popus-
ry WAS great, especially With the army. He .as most
successful Tor time IN oserpoSeing all opposition
from ms rivals aud was pretty generally recognized n
tbe sovereign de jue and de ia o Of tue country.
marriage with The heress to the claims Of tho Old dy
nasty tended 10 Consolidate his power. thoagh II has
Tor restoring he gor} OF Ethiopia and seating himself
Tho throne OF Jerusalem dazzied the imagination oil
tnc AUyssnians II VIII DO readily conJeciursd chat
with pans and IDEAS he II be tte disposed TO
en- lure slight from any forelga Power
Meantime his relations with Mr. Plowden had CONT
nnei very amcabie. The Consulate At Aassowah vas,
however, soon involved in the reDelons which after
tle While tbreaercd the throne OF iheodorus. ard in
1850 Mr. Plowden wes unfortunately killed by some
Tspcls. The Emperor took cruel vengeance for this
by slaug erng half the had pcrpetrated
~ bat he proessed wholly from motives OF per.
sona friendship. lie regarded the British Consulate at
Ma soaah NTH susp con ana DISLIKE and when IN July,
1862 tho English Foreign Olice sent out as successor
10 Dir Powden, Cap an Cameron, who had discharged
some MINOR diplomatic Office in Turkey, and had served
peor Notwithstanding the pr sents wnch the new Con-
sai conveyed 10 tho Abyssinian capital ordered mia
soon recommended by Captain Cameron, VINO seems 70
have been OF sufficiently msddiesome dispos ton, ana
various kinds between Theodorus and his for
gu enemies. Proposals for OF the treaty made
wtn Ras Ali we're Put forward by Captain Cameron, ana
entertained WITH unexpected good hum0r by the EN-.
peror, who b ing at this timo hard pressed by the
9acns OF the Egyptians his northern frontier,
embassy to England, in tho hope,
doubt. of Obtaining English help against his enemlcs
lie wrote an autograph letter TO the Queen posng
send enpi 10 London and entrusted this portant
the immediate OF all the suoscq ient
TO tho Consul. was despatched BY him as
boon alleged b. an unsafe and route
and delayed on It's passage In consequences by some
Il tho rebel bands which infested the pctoa OF ADys
siuia through which it to be carried II did not
reach England for than six months, that Is till
February, 1888 When II did come 1t unfortunately
thought OF slight importance by the officials al the
without answer or CONSIDERATION until tho news OF the
anger and cruetes OF rheodorus compelled
The DELAY IN replying to ,hls letter the ars
OF offence which Tneodorns insisted upon He began 70
pick quarrels nenccforward would seem, With Captain
Cameron, whose Interference IN negotiations vi the
Egg ptan Invaders he bad At first solicited rGe onsui,
In undertaking this interference bad evidently plunged
INTO unnecessary dangers The Egyptian government
his action In the dispute AL and
hs found himself compelled assume n1ction bch
Ibsodcrus ooubt wrongly Interpreted debs.
rate hostility. In this uneasy condition matters
NAMED Till November, 1863, when an event occurred
which, without any apparently ADEQUATE reason threw
with an intense hatred OF England.
Offended pride at the neglect with which bis letter to
The Queen mad been treated had probably before this dis
In fortunately preiext for The outpouring Of his AMI
mostly nov given him. The Society for Promoting
among the Jews bad sent out 10 Ably ssn
time before . missionary named Slern, who had
criticised OF the nperor somewhat severely
In pamphlet in whch he had spoken Of the Abyssn IAN
monarch coid booded murderer. Mr. stern alter q
visit Europe, had returned TO Abyssna accom- panied
by brother missionary Mr. Rossnthai and had sought
al INF A
encs, stated by himself, he mado prisoner ANA
grossly narested, his only offence being mat no had
OF his Interpreters by the imperial toner's
he Abyssinians, on the othor hand, aege that both
tho Emperor and = is quito probable tna, the Ian;
euage employed in Mr. Stern's pamphlet had
become known 70 sho people 70 whom ne 50
believe through motives OF pure humanity reonstrs,
ed with the King IN the manner IN wnicn he mis- on-
aries and their families were treated. This was the
spark TO powder frishtfu ouibursl OF rage fol-
lowed. aud all the Europeans on whom tine troops OF
Theodore could lay hands we're thrown nto prsla.
Thai they wero treated with very savage cruelty -
not TO be disputed Mr. Stern, Mr. Rosenthal and Cap
tain aoroa were loaded with chains and hall starved
But, bad ns condition nr-t, was 10 DO
endured for the rage OF tue Emperor ~as agxrasae ell
when letter arrived for the Consul from tue Fore 80
once In which notice taken Of ibeodore's cSn-
mum alton ~ the Queen, and Captain Caneroh Was or
defed back with some asperty from Gondar 10 Masso-
Nah. Ths condition OF tho captives BECAME day by
day, more mi-. nols aud hopcess At last, 10 Fsoru-
airy, 1864 captain Cameron succeeded 10 sending let
home Win account OF tna captivity auu
That something should DO done him and
hts companions
ibis letter reached London tho 25h OF May 1854,
aud in a week after MIR. IL Dainty seymour asked
question about the affair In tile House OF CominonS
Al tho time, OF course, tho government know no de-
tails, and could make no reply But tho artiug cir
cumsancOs and the attention drawn 70 the mater In
brought Theod0ios letter 70 the Qeeu out
oil the ooscurity IN which it had been allowed 20 re-
pose. Ii Was deiermaed that plausible answer 10
TINS mssiye should DO sent out al once "a Abyssna,
With presents FOR the Emperor, ami an envoy Who
should bc instructed 10 request the release tno cap
tlvcs SIR WIN Co-hlan, whose diplomatic services "a
tho East bad been tied and were tavorabiy known,
was az first named by report for TITS delicate
duty; then Dr. BeSe whose acquaintance
with Abyssinia was undoubtod, was mentioned.
Finally, neither was chosen me post WAS gwen
10 gentleman who had assisted Hr Layard ia has
ploraons a Nineveh, ana who had served assistant
secretary to the porcs resident al Alden Mr. Rasssm
" no doubt clever dip0matst but there Is much force
In tue objection that bong an Arnonsn his appoint
uent must have appeared 10 The puIctiiiousiy VAN
Thoodorus not very respectful act hr. Russian, on
arriving at Massowah Ia Angus the letter under