A MALAGASY FRITZ.

Evening Star, Issue 7403, 24 December 1887, Page 3 (Supplement)

A MALAGASY FRITZ.

Recent telegrams from the capital of V, Madagascar have caused widespread distress '/-[ among the many friends and well-wisheijß of that small but energetic and progressive State.' The little island' kingdom—". $ sapphire set in a silver sea"—has" once more ' seen trouble. The stability of the Government and the peace of the country have been ' menaced by false friends within its own borders,.and Madagascar (not for the first time in its history) has been in the fearfully . perilous condition of a '"house divided against itself." Political treachery, an old characteristic of the dominant race, has reasserted itself; and Ravoninahitrinarivo, Foreign Minister and late Envoy Extraordinary to Europe and America, who made many friegds when he was in England in 1884-85, has been disgraced, deprived of hia honors, reduced from the military rank of field-marshal to. that of a common corporal, and exiled practically for life, after long and arduous service, for batering his country's honor for French gold. Bavoninahitrinarivo was # the son of Rainimaharavo, Chief Secretary of State, and nephew of Rainilarivony, the famous Prime Minister and Napoleon of the great African inland. There is no doubt that the leanings of the exiled statesman were 'towards alliance with foreigners. He was a welleducated man, with a fair knowledge of English and a good French speaker. From his earliest years he has cultivated the acquaintance of European visitors or residents in Madagascar, and always evinced the " greatest interest in the most recent developments of scientific and mechanical knowledge. He was of polished manners, Vivacious and acute in speech, and of imposing appearance, if we except the defect in the left eye, which gave his features somewhat of a sinister cast when seen in profile. 'I had occasion to visit him this year at Antananarivo, and I was very much struck with the beauty and extreme solidity of the palace he was at that time building for himself near tho Court precincts. It was of stone, wellworked and finished, and Italian in style, with splendid bra&swork, marble mosaics, . and stained glass. The ex-Foreign Minister * was then at the height of his power, and was on all sides regarded as the only possible successor to the Premier. That he was sincere in his anxiety for the true prosperity and progress of his country I had no doubt. Ravoninahitrinarivo was the first noble of rank to take an active- part in the abolition' of domestic slavery. In a remarkable speech, which he delivered on his return from his. European and American mission, > in 1885, he said that no real greatness could - come to Madagascar till slavery was abol- ' ished for ever from the land. The interest v taken by the young statesman (he is now about fifty years of age) years ago in the ' work of the churches in Imerina was most cieditable to him. He was one Of the ; ! preachers at the Royal Chapel, and also at _; the chapels in Andohalaandelsewhere; and in 1877, when he led an army against the Sakalava, the "insolent foe" of the Hova, Sunday was always strictly observed, quarter, was given in battle for the first time, and ' . women and children and the aged'were . protected by special order of the commander of the expedition. The wounded were".;' tended with care, without respect of Tace, and to the astonishment of the SakalaVa'all ' prisoners were treated with humanity, and no indignities were 'offered .them. 'The return of Ravoninahirinarivo at the head of ' this victorious army was a great event at the ' capital, and the Christian Church had reason: to rejoice that at least her teaching had' [ softened and ameliorated the conditions and' " practices of war between these inveterate ? and unyielding enemies. In the old'dayaa.' Malagasy general returning .defeatebT ffbm battle had to perform Upon himself a tirid of * "happydespatch:" Certain > death'awaiteoT him at the capital; and inevitable if returning under adverse ' His relatives, and friends would r , 7 i meet him a day's journey from Itperina, and \ present him with a cunningly mingled pbtioir."_ which destroyed him in a few honrsi 'ThTsi'[method of evading judicial condemnation' was considered a ; praiseworthy and ptary method of settling matters. A sforjr 0 is told of Ravoninahitrinarivo in connection with the Sakalava expedition which shows " the character of the man. A Christian l soldier was detected with a sampy (a charm/' blessed by a Native supanaody or priest)"' bound to his left arm beneath his clothing. ' The man had his Bible at the same time' in' " his pocket on the right side, so as to be pro* ' t&cted by. both heathenism and Ghris- ' tlahity in the perils- which lay' hefore . him. The general ! had the 'mair ; brought before'him, and reproached him bitterly for his cowardice and vacflla-' tion. "Which is it to be?" said ti*e;'; indignant commander; "you cannot serve" two masters. A double-minded man is ton- - stable in all his ways." And seizing the v sampy he cast it into the fire, and wanted. - 1 the man of the fearful nature of the vice oi '■' insincerity in religious matters. But this double-minded and' moral timidity is a> purely Malagasy trait of character. With the gradual elimination of much that was ' defective in these people, this weakness remains to hinder real progress, and to'cause the best friends of the Malagasy sometimes ■ almost to despair of ever seeing them " nobly I and really free." The FrencL have 16ng ago seen this weak point in the disposition of ; the Hovas, and they have not failed to take ' every advantage of it, and to foster it, with a view to further their own interests, and to \ secure for themselves a firmer and more' : lasting hold upon the long-coveted Cuba of Africa.—« Pall Mall Gazette.'