The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-04
KING MTESA'S DEATH.
Facts from the History of Remarkable
Native Potentate.

Native Potentate.
London Times
The King of Uganda, whose death we an
nounced on Wednesday. was, for Africa, re-
markable man, probably the most notable poten-
tate of purely native orr gin that the Dark Con-
tinent has produced. According to the esti-
mate of Colonel Grant, who with Spoke, was
his guest twenty three years ago, Mtesa was
probably not more than forty eight years of age
+ at the time of his death. and, having succeeded
his father, Suna, in 1884, he has reigned twenty
eight years The Waganda have the names of
thirty-hve kings who have reigned down to
the time of Mtesa in regular succession,
and this, as Colonel Grant points out, may prob
ably account for the ''blue blood and vanity
which certainly ran in the veins of Mtesa. This
vanity comes out in all the narratives we have
from foreign visitors--Speke and Grant Stanley,
and Wilson and Felkin. 1t was excusable in a
potentate who had probably never been hun
dred miles from home, and who never came into
contact with any greater power than his OWE, to
send ambassadors to the Queen of England, and
to believe their reports of the insigniticance
of the British empire as compared with
Uganda. Probably, however, no other native
African prince, not even the Muata Janvo
himself has been able to organize a state so
completely and make so great an advance toward
civilization the king who has just died and his
predecessors. Colonel Grant who knew him
we'll speaks of him Proc Il. G. s.. vol. ", p.
49T) in terms of real respect, and his estimate is
essentially supported by such men as Sir Samuel
Baker and Mr.. Stanley. We have all read the
latters long interesting and dramatic account OF
his many conversations with Mtesa about civili-
cation and Christianity. AS we know the re-
suit of Mr. Stanleys visit was that Protestant
missions were established in the country. and,
according to the missionaries own reports, have
had gratifying successes.
But MteSa was much perpeXed when he
learned that there are two Christian religions,
the adherents of which are hostile to each
other as both are to Mohammedanism of
heathenism. For time. we believe, the Roman
Catholic emssaries succeeded in placing their
Protestant brethren under the shadow or
Mtesa's neglect, if not absolute displeasure, and
in the end he and his chiefs abandoned both and
reverted to Mohammedanism. AS might be
expected, the missionaries from their point of
view, do not speak so favorably of the late king
AS the explorers. Certainly. from the
European point of view, Mtesa was
guilty of great cruelties. but, as
Colonel Grant shows, these apparently indis-
criminate sacrifices OF human life were really
the recognized and organized modes of admins
tering justice in Uganda Mtesa himself was
evidently man governed largely by impulse
1t was a good point in his character that, when
Colonel Grant visited him, he made point of
visiting his mother every two days at least
When Baker as Colonel Grant reminds US, was
all but defeated bv the Wanyoro, force from
Uganda arriving in the distance was the cause OF
the dispersion of the enemy. Mtesa forwarded
letters from Baker to Livingstone by his swift
footed soldiers. who, after journey of 600
miles found the veteran traveller was dead
These and other facts. which may be read in the
pages of the travellers we have mentioned, show
that Mtesa was capable of taking real interest
in matters far outside the range of the ordinary
savage mind. His array, wonderfully organized
and disciplined, Mr. Stanley estimates at l00 900
men, and his fleet at 500 caEoes The population
of Uganda proper is probably about 1000 600,
but with neighboring dependent territories,
about 5000, 600. The capital is finely situated
on the slopes of the north shore of Lake Vic
toria Nyanza, from which, as Mr. Stan
ley's illustration shows, a broad path leads
up to the royal quarters 1t is gratifying to
learn that there have been comparatively little
violence and bloodshed at the change of mon
archy 1t used to be the custom at the corona
ton of q new king to sacrifice his brothers.
custom which the latter evidently regarded as
perfectly natural. Mtesa's brothers, at the time
of Colonel Grants visit went about in chains,
but all the same, and though conscious of their
fate seonversed. and attended picuics, and
boated, and played musical instruments with
their brother, the king, with perfect free
dom of action and of speech. What all the
/, outside influences have been that have had a
| civilizing effect on Uganda before it was dis
| covered by Europeans we do not know; what
| thew have been since we do know pretty fully,
| and the results so far have been on the whole
| good 1t is to be hoped that under the young
| prince who now succeeds his father, this native
| state may be allowed to develop itself along its
| own lines, without any undue attempt to force
| il into European grooves; above all things both
! prince and people, pray to be delivered from
| European protection"