The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-12-08
ASHANTEE is DOOMED
England Determined to Con-
quer and Annex 1t.
PLENTY OF PRETExTS FOUND.
King Prempeh Rules Over n Rich Coun-
try With 1000, 900 People and
Much Gold Dust.
New York Sun.

10 the BrTtsh the other day that ne pre-
ferred war 10 their terms OF peace. and
he wa. ready for war. So England Is
getting ready 20 give him all he wants OF
y. II IS reasonably certain that he viii
not sit much longer on the gold stool
which Is the Ashantee substitute for a
throne. Three months from now, II he is
alive, he viii know a great deal more
than he does today.
Some highly colored stories are being
printed about this young man, his haren
or 800 women, and other accessories
which, some writers think. should dis
tinguish the court OF an African potentate.
The truth is that he is only q years Old,
and he began to be polygamous not over
four years ago. HIS seraglio IS OF modest
dimensions, and as yet, he is the father
Of only four children When his family
mourn his untimely downfall there can be
no such volume OF wailing as has marked
the ruin of some other African kings who
have defied European guns TO their sor-
row.
This young man rules over about 20o0, 90
Esht-colored and fne-looking people, good
fighters and better workers than most bar
barous nations. Their fertile soil yields
them good harvesis, and they are quite
skilled In house building, metal working,
and even silk weaving. But they no lon
ger form the powerful political and military
organization that up TO a generation ago
~~~-'N-~NS~N
tive enemies
The present king is still under petticoat
government. His mother is chief among
his advisers. Weak and tickle himself, his
councillors have shown no greater wisdom
Many OF the minor kings and tribes under
him have fallen away and accepted the
profered protection of Great Britain. lie
has been trying to compel these people
10 submit to him, and this is one OF the
causes OF the present war. He has given
no heed TO Englands demand that he let
these former subjects of Ashdntee alone.
The British say that he has practically
been deserted by most of the eleven states
that formed the old kingdom of Ashantee,
and that he keeps the country in a turmoil
by persistent annoy ance Of his neighbors,
who are trying to drop his acquaintance
and cultivate political relations with the
British Of the Gold Coast colony.
There are other grave charges against
him. The governor of the Gold Coast says
that King Prempeh continues the practice
Of human sacrifices IN which his pTede-
cessors. King Koffi and others. so freely
INDUCED. When Mr.. Stanley visited the
place of execution at the capital, Coomas-
sic. in 1873. he called It a great Golgotha.
He saw some forty decapitated bodies, the
latest victims, and countless skulls were
piled in heaps or scattered over acres of
ground. The main street of Coomassie
leads 10 tbs death grove, and the scenes
IL has Witnessed for many generations
past are the most appalling in human his
tory. While the Frenchman, Bonat, was
a prisoner at the capital he saw about 800
slaves beheaded at one time. Seldom less
than 900 persons are decapitated upon the
death OF a king. 1t is said these victims
or savage cruelty often meet their death
with stoicism. and even WITH cheerfulness.
My head belongs 10 the king, not 10
me-. many poor wretch has said as he
tR~as .fas.sl ~
In the treaty of peace OF 1874 the king
promised TO check the practice of human
sacrifices, with view to putting an end
to 1t altogether" He begged for the priv
ilege of killing at least few people every
year, for otherwise, he said, the Ashantee
nation would believe he had lost his power
ana would no longer own him as king.
There Is another reason for England's
| revival OF interest in Ashantee. Three
months ago the Mohammedan chief, Sam
ory, who has been worrying the French
on the upper Niger for years, marched
several hundred miles to the south At
last accounts he was still on his conquer
! ing way, with the ultimate intention, il
Is said, Of anneXing the king OF Ashantee
and all his possessions. The English like
Samory best at long range, and they want
| to get to Coomassie before he does and de-
prive him of the glory the capture of the
capital would give him.
II,
| its rich soil, its bright people, and its
proximity TO the coast. is something worth
having in this day when even African des-
| erts are not despised. The long and short
| OF the matter is that the Gold Coast au-
| thorites, backed by the imperial govern
| ment. have decided that IL is high time
| TO get rid Of King Prempeh. break up the
| Ashantee nationality. and open the coun-
try 20 British trade They have already
| projected a railroad TO tap Ashantee's
| most profitable districts. In these schemes
| they have been ably abetted by the king
| himself who has given plenty of plaus-
lble preteNts for military interference.
So last year the governor OF the Gold
| Coast sent letter to the king telling him
| that he must keep the peace. stop raiding
| for slaves. put an end to human sacrifices.
| accept a British prOtectorate, allow
| British resident 10 live at Coomassie and
| let the English settle all future troubles
| between him and his neighbors The let
| ter told him what lovely thing this
| would be for himself and his country. and
| promised him and his important chiefs
| liberal subsidies II they would submit to
| these terms. To this day the king has not
| paid the slightest attention to this COM
| muniCatton; bat a while after he received
| II, without notifying the British OF his
| intention, he sent an embassy to Lon
| don. consisting of hts three cousins. the
| Princes Proc. Albert and John TO tell his
| sue OF ttie Stor} 10 the eNlclAlS IN down.
| ing street There they are today. When
| ever they have knocked at Downing street
| nobody has been at home. Not a British
| official has consented 10 see them They
| have talked az much length 20 the news
| papers. have acquired great liking for
| British ale. and, having plenty Of money
/ 10 spend. they have had a good time But
| the mission OF the il-advised deputatlon
| has been a failure.
| "Ashantee VIII not consent 70 sacrifice
| cur king" they say. We will welcome
/ British trading enterprise AZ CoOmassie
We are willing that an English agent
| should live ar the capital. bat not with
| powers. and he must have no military
| escort The sort OF men the English have
| or the Gold Coast are nov particular
| whose property they lay hands on. II we
| We're 20 admit these armed men 20 the
| capital they would get into trouble with
! some ~ oar people. somebody would he
/ hurt and then our King might be deposed
| We must guard against that"
The princes are very indignant al the
| charge that human sacrifices are stlu
| practiced az the capital They say there
| has been absolutely nothing OF the sort
| during the present reign. They make the
| remarkable assertion thar IN seven years
! there has been only one execution in
| Coarnassie. an3 the victim was man who
had unlavfully cohahitet with a princess
| % the royal blood. II there is any truth
! io the atf1avIts the British have collect
| et. the princes, IN this particular. have
/ been i~SulEiug in diplomatic falsehood
| They also deny that tire king has ralded
/ for slaves. or that he has broken any Of
! his treaty engagements. and they want
| the EnEilsh people 70 understand that he