"Ramseyer to Basel"

The Governor has explained that while the English Government has provision for assisting slaves freed on the sea, there is no provision for assisting slaves freed on land – however he made a (presumably personal) donation of £20. He was present at a Durbar when the Governor visited Kumasi. He heard him speak severely to the Kumasi chiefs for trying to make contact with Prempeh. He also said they should give up using the Great Oath of Asante. The head Kumasi chief protested at this, later came privately to Ramseyer to ask him to intercede for them on this point. Ramseyer in a private talk with the Government informed him that the Great Oath was not private to Prempeh as the Governor had thought, but very old, and also that the universal complaint was that the chiefs had no more authority, and would have none if the oath was prohibited. The Governor therefore later called the chiefs and told them they could use the Great Oath but only in Kumasi. Ramseyer remarks that they were all the while trying to maintain the authority outside Kumasi. He thinks the Kumasi chiefs feared that Prince Twereboanda might be made king over them. He claims that is advising the Governor over the Great Oath as he did he was not mixing in political matters - he simply felt it was his duty to make available to the Governor his knowledge of the situation in Asante.

30.08.1897

30.08.1897

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