The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-23
The Strange State of Things in Burmah.

The details OF the frightful massacre per-
petrated some weeks ago in the Burmese
capital have at length come to hand, to-
gether with much curious information
touching the present state OF things In that
far corner of Asia. 1t appears that the
wholesale slaughter Of State prisoners,
whose numbers are varou-ly computed at
forty to eighty, was something more than
q resort to the atroclous Oriental policy Of
sclT-nsurance-that it had Il political as
well as dynastic aim. and was, i'm fact.
species OF barbaric comp fNdi by which
some recent checks on arbitrary govern
ment were violently set aside.
So far as the butchery at Manlclay in
cluded the kinsmcn - the young ruler and
their personal adhercnts il was but COM
piance with the d'tostlble custom which
has always prevailed iu Burmah. and which
was commonly pracU7 by the Ottoman
Sultans up to comparatively modern times.
Mild and benelicent a. the influence of
Buddhism ought theoretically 20 prove
and there is no doubt that this religion has
kept more Of Its pristine purity IN the valley
OF the lrawaddy than In Ceylon or in China
it has failed 10 secure Il Burmese do-ppt
from the constant peril OF assas siuation In
his own palace, or 10 avert the shocking
resort to sclf-protection by the massacre
Of all rivals. That a certain desire and en-
pacity however, for better guarantees of
order and moro enlightened civilization
had lately been developed in the higher
classes Of the Burmese. Is uttc-tcl by the re-
marSable events which directly preceded
and followed the beginning of the present
reign. That a deliberate attempt should
have been made lon the rccc-ses al Farther
India TO replace the traditional tyranny by
rude copy OF responsible government
bears signal testimony To- the amount Of so-
cial progress and political change which
has marked in that region the past quarter
Of Il century
Into that period tho predecessor Of the
present ruler condensed all the work re-
quired to transform a species Of Asatlc fou-
daism into the most rigorous, complete,
and efficient contradiction. The Mondoon
King, as he was called from the province OF
which he had been prince, took measures To
be his own lilCHELIEU or rather. allowing fNr
some obvious differences Of race aud creed,
he offered striking analogy 20 the Musco-
vito Car PETER, or 60 the ruling Khcdiyo
Of Egypt No sooner had he dothroncd his
brother, "tho cock-lghting king, in 1853,
than he determined TO sweep away the old
system under which each district was
turned over TO minister's concublncs, dane
ing girls, and favorites of all sorts, 10 be-
eaten, as the official term Of the country
phrased it, He seems TO have prosecuted
this reform with singular patience and
adrotness beginning with the lower grades
OF functionaries, until no intermediate pow
ers were left standing in the kingdom be-
tween the people and their head. The result
was that although the laborIng class was
stil subject To extortionate cXactions, their
condition had changed greatly for the better
and when the late King died. in October
Of last year. no part Of Asia showed more
prosperity than the valley of tho lrawaddy
Tho considerable royal revenues not loss
than seven and half million dollars were
annually derived from customs 0lone-hao
no doubt been wastclully applied u