MADAGASCAR.

Press, Volume III, Issue 285, 29 September 1863, Page 2

MADAGASCAR.

EEPOET THAT KING BADAMA IS NOT DEAD. Our readers may perhaps remember an account which we published of the revolution in Mada gascar and the assassination of the King. From the following, which is nearly a month's later intelligence, it will be seen that the actual fate of King Radama is involved in mystery. [From tho Colonial (Port Louis), July B.] A vague rumor, the precise source of which was unknown to us, had already come to our knowledge, to the effect that Radama 11. was not dead, but had been carried away by night from his palace by a band of conspirators, who keep him a prisoner in some concealed spot in his dominions. That wliich hitherto had been merely a vague report, now assumes sonic tangible shape, in consequence of the narrative which has been published in tho Echo dv Peuple by an old nativo of Madagascar, Jacques Saidc, recently arrived at Mauritius, and who, as he himself states, was involuntarily one of the actors in the more or less melancholy drama that lias just been accomplished. The narrative to which we allude contains details not -wanting in piquancy, and bears a certain stamp of truthfulness, whilst it corroborates private letters that have been received from Tamatave, to wliich many parties have refused to attach any credence, alleging that they had not been written by ocular witnesses, and were merely the echo of rumors that had reached Tamatave from the capital.

Everything that has of late taken place in so unforeseen a manner in the Great African Islands is of so strange a character, and is still enveloped in so much mystery, that we feel no slight diiHculty in making our selection from amongst so mauy conflicting reports. If that of Soide, the old Malagasy above alluded to, is exact (and why should this be doubted, since he positively asserts its veracity ?) it would go to prove at least one important point, namely, that r the conspirators have displayed more prudence and policy than was supposed. Would it bo astonishing that they should have reflected that the commission of regicide woidd have been, not only a great crime on their part, but that it would have constituted the greatest possible act of imprudence, by exposing them to terrible reprisals at the hands of those powers who were the allies of their Sovereign ? It is, on the contrary, more than probable that these weighty consideration must have been maturely pondered over-by them ; nor is it too much to presume that their foresight and their astute policy may have led them to accomplish their coup d'etat without rendering themselves guilty of on parable crime, tho consequenoe of which might have been incalculable! In such a case their object and their ulterior plans must have been traced out by them somewhat in this manner :— " Let us," they may have said, " put Radama out of the way and spread a rutaour of his death. If England and France quietly regard this as an accomplished fact —if we find that we have nothing to dread at their.hands—-the fate, pf the King will thenceforward have been decided fapoh. If on tbe. contrary, these powers display any design of avenging the presumed death of their frieud and ally, and we detect grounds for apfjrehension either on our own part or on that oi the country, we may then put a stop to their animosity by delivering up the King. In this manner we can incur but little peril. On the one hand, the alternative is entirely in our favor ; on tho other, it is completely nidi." Such may have been, and we may almost assert that such was, the project of the conspirators. Thus, then, the life or death of the King would depend on the attitude assumed by France and England towards the existing Government of Madagascar. We have no hesita- j tion in saying that the attitude of those two great powers should be at once firm and menac-j ing,in order to ascertain the truth, and, if there be yet time, to save the life of a Sovereign who, although he may have displayed some weakness of character, has furnished abundant proof" of praiseworthy intentions and the most noble j sentiments! . f

It must not be lost sight of that Radama did not stand alone Ul the accomplishment or. the promulgation of those measures which bis enemies have taken advantage of to bring about his * ruin. Others, who would share in the benefits those measures would bring about, have" co-operated therein, and may even have provoked them by their counsels. If the doubts now so painfully entertained were to be converted into a happy reality, all may yet be repaired. The legitimate sovereign of Madagascar, replaced on his throne by tho intervention of those powers, with whom he had concluded a treaty of poace and amity, woidd continue to be tho faithful ally of these latter, whilst by the introduction of Bahitary measures, he might remove the causes of discontent which have 4clivered bim up, defenceless, to the blind hatred of his personal enemies! If, which we consider to be impossible, England and France were to abstain from taking in unison such steps as the importance of the circumstances demands, one or the other of these powers ought, iv our opinion, to act alouc ia the mutter.

We confess that, having carefully considered the subject, our hopes are strongly "aroused, not only by the mysteriousness which even now su. rounds this revolt in the palace, but above all by the calculations xve have suggested as affecting the probablo, or at all events the possible, scheme we have attributed to the conspirators. We have, from the first, entertained serious doubt as to the truth of the assassination of the king ; we havo - ' been unable to satisfy our mind that those who nre accused of the act of regicide, and who havo tho reputation of being both astute and intelligent, have, in fact, fully accepted the consequences of an act so irreparable, the whole bearing of which they must have carefully calculated beforehand. Wo feel great hesitation in admitting this; and yet wo have seen no alternative in presence of the letters that have reached us from Madagascar. It was, it is true, stated— although in the absence of any authentic document, and without any name being cited as an authority—that certain persons had affirmed that Radama had not been put to death. Now that this assertion is substantiated iv a considerable measure by the declaration of an eyewitness, some faith may be attached thereto, particularly in the absence of any official information, either from the English or French con- . sular residents concerning events of such weighty importance. The most recent private letters received announce that a general prohibition has been issued by the new Government against any person inquiring what has become of the King, or approaching tho tomb of the late Queen Mother. Such a measure would seem to be perfectly explicable by the fact of the secret captivity of the King at or near the sacred spot. The moro surely to secure the silence of tbe military escort under whose charge the King was removed—to -- set up an impassable barrier against their accusing testimony—these latter have, in all probability, been massacred. Nevertheless, an overruling Providcuce may have allowed one of their number to effect his cscapo to this island, in order that the truth might be divulged.