The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-01-13
Progress and Prospects Of tho Abyssininn


According to the latest advices from Colo
mel Mereweather, of the British Abyssnan
expedition, bands of natives supposed to be
hostile were prowling around the English
camp at Senate, and in consequence OF this
intelligence, which was transmitted by special
telegram from our correspondent at Alexan-
dria, in Egypt and published in Saturdays
HERALD, orders had been issued for all the
European troops temporarily stationed at
Annesley Bay and at the different points along
the line OF march from there to the interior to
advance to the front and join the headquarters
division ct Senate. To this news we APP
pended an account by the Senate correspond
ent of the London Times, of the English
camping ground at that point, and also an
account of the King of Abyssinia's army, to-
gether with the latest information respecting
the prisoners held by King Theodorus. Ac-
counts up to October IL had been received
from Mr.. Faad. The King bad carried off with
him from Zebra Tabor all Europeans, some in
chains and others free. Among the latter was
Mr.. Faad, who writes that the women and
children were all we'll, and that the prisoners
had of late been better treated by the King.
This improved treatment Of the prisoners
accords with the descriptions by Abyssinian
travellers of the originally amiable personal
character Of the King, Notwithstanding his
fanatical pride and ambition. Charity to the
poor and hospitality to the stranger are said
to be conspicuous redeeming traits Of the
Abyssinians II would no! be surprising if at
least one of these virtues-hospitalty to
strangers-should be checked rather than en-
couraged by the war waged by the English
upon Theodorus, the descendant of Solomon
and the Queen Of Sheba, the rejected sutton Of
their own Queen (Victoria), the head of the
English Church. And yet not one of the least
influential motives which determined the Eng
lish to engage in what may yet prove, as we
have already minated, as long and tedious
and costly as our own Indian wars, was avowed
to be o religious move-that is to say, the
British government had to exhibit to Queen
Victoria's subjects the religious side of the
Abyssinan question before war was decided
upon The prayers Of all pious people
in England are now enlisted in behalf of the
war, not only because they hope it will effect
the release of the missionaries among tn,
prisoners of King Theodorus, but that it will
result in either killing or converting him and
all his subjects, whether ignorant Jews, lax
Mosems or more or less devoted adherents of
the corrupted Christianity which, in purer
FORM was first introduced into Abyssinia in
! the fourth century, in the days OF Constan.
tine.
| 1t is probable that Constantinc's mission
aries brought the sword rs we'll as the
Gospel into Abyssnia, as tho missionaries
of Mahomet at later period brought the
sword and the Koran. But the missionary
army which Queen Victoria has sent against
her unsuccessful Abyssinian sutton and his
people is armed like that which was cent to
force the Chinese to swallow opium and Chris
tan dogmas at one gulp, and like that which
in India blew the Sepoys into kingdom come
because their own religious scruples forbade
them to use creased cartridges. This missionary
army is armed not only with The sword-which,
by-the-by, might be equalled by the blades
manufactured at Gondar or Kiaratza-but also
with the Bible and with all the most improved
and most destructive instruments of modern
wa rfare.
| If the British can only penetrate far
enough amid the Businesses of Abyss,nia
they may learn something Of bushwhack-
| ing" as il can be practsed in that Switzerland
| Of Africa. Their disciplined twelve thousand
may drive the undiscplined sixty thousand
who are said to compose the Abyssnan army,
together with The whole people, numbering
four or five millions, TO the remotcst wilds of
the tabled Mountains of the Moon. Their Bibles
and bullets and cannon balls may be brought
| into full play, creating more CONSERVATION than
| all the thunderbol.s OF Jovc when he descended
| from Olympus, and, accompanied by the gods.
made twelve days missionary expedition TO
the Philippians. II is a pity that Homer devoted
only three or four lines in the first book of the
Had to this heavenly Abyssinian expedition,
the original prototype of the one in which the
| British government is now engaged A fuller
and more minute description of it might have
enabled the engineers of the English army to
prepare the way to more speedy opening OF
q market In Abyssinia for ladies' thimbes,
Worcestershire saace, pistols, prayer books,
pocket handkerchiefs with the Ten Command
ments printed on them, and all other British
manufactures. Meanwhile, King Theedorus
will probably have to abandon his matrimonial
claims upon Queen Victoria the head of the
English Church, as well as his ambitious pro-
jects against Mecca and Jerusalem and the
philanthropists of Exeter Hall may do what
they can 10 abolish negro slavery in Abyssinia.
If the British missionary army does not find ii
pecnasarv To asamp outv and annihil1 ito the
Abyssinans entirely IL may be hoped that
one Of these days Ethiopia will stretch forth
her hands 10 God
General Mende's Doinas In Georgia.
| The white mans party OF Georgia, in sccur-
nrC u.