The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-16
MACRUM'S CHARGES TAKEN UP.
RESOLUTION IN THE HOUSE LOOK
ING TO INVESTIGATION.

State Department. Denies That He
Reported His Mail Had Been Tam
pered with by British Censors.
His Hint at n Secret Alliance Also
Caused Much hCOmment-House Res
Oiution Provides for an Investi-
CATION of Both Charges.
Washington, Feb 15.-The signed state
ment by former Consul Macrum respecting
his reasons for leaving Pretoria for the
United States brought forth to-day a state
ment from the state department In denial
of certain allegations made by the ex-
consul and resolution of inquiry in the
House as to certain of Mr.. Macrums
charges.
The state departments denial related
chiefly to an assertion that Mr.. Macrum
had reported that his mail had been tam
pered with by the British authorities,
while the congressional inquiry related to
this matter and another charge that an
alliance existed between Great Britain and
the United States
Mr.. Macrum had said:
ut was over four weeks from the time
"a
mail dispatch from my government or a
personal letter. The mail for the Trans
Vaal had all been stopped at Cape Town
by order of the High Commissioner. When
this mail was finally forwarded TO me,
after Col Stowe, the American consul
genSral at Cape Town. had secured it's re-
lease, l had the humiliation, as the repre-
sentative of the American government, Of
sitting in my office In Pretoria and look
ing upon envelopes bearing the official seal
of the American government opened and
officially sealed with sticker, notifying
me that the contents had been read by the
censor at Durham"
Hint at Secret Alliance.
He also charged unreasonable delay in
and supervision of his cable dispatches
and also of those of the Belgian and Ger
man consuls. The inferential allegation of
alliance between the United States and
Great Britain was made in these words:
'T wish to state right here that when l
accepted my post as consul / knew noth-
ing of any secret alliance between Anlerl-
ca and Great Britain and that / had seen
nothing in the regulations which made the
consul of the American republic subject TO
the working of the whims and caprice of
an English military censor at Durham"
No Report of 1t Found.
While the state department was averse
to-day to discussing the ex-consurs alle-
cations 1t made an authoritative state
nent to the effect that a search of the
records of the department failed to show
that Mr.. Macrum had ever reported to the
department that his official mail was be-
ing regularly tampered with by the Brit
ish authorities. The department said that
he did, in a general way, report that both
official and private mall intended for
American citizens, did not reach him
punctually and asked that protest be
made on account of this rather arbitrary
proceeding on the part of postal author
tiles. The department investigated the
matter and learned that no unnecessary
delay existed and it does not credit the
statement that any correspondence, Of
fetal or otherwise. was opened, inspected
and delayed by British authorities.
Regarding Mr. Macrums statement
that his vice counsel, Mr.. Van Ameringen,
closed up his business, took the oath OF
allegiance to the republic and went to the
front as a burgher, the department said
that the records show that when Mr.. AM
eringen applied for appointment as Vice
consul at Pretoria he stated that he was
born in Holland; that his legal residence
was at Pretoria, and that he was natur-
allied citizen of the South African Repub
lie. This application was dated Pretoria,
Nov. u, 1888.
Wants nm Investigation.
troduced the following resolution in the
House
whereas, Charles E. Maerum, late con-
sui of the government of the United States
at Pretoria, in the Transvaal Republic,
over his own signature, charges when
this (his) mail was finally forwarded to
me after Col. Stowe, the American Con-
sui General at Cape Town had secured its
release, / had the humiliation as the rep
resentative of the American government
of sitting In my Office in Pretoria and look
ing upon envelopes bearing the official
seal OF the American government opened
and officially sealed with sticker noti-
fying me that the contents had been read
by the censor at Durham and
Whereas he further states In the same
article, When / accepted my post as con-
sui I knew nothing OF any secret alliance
between America and Great Britain
therefore, be II
Resolved, by the HOUSE, That the Sec
rotary of State is directed to inform the
House of Representatives IL said Charles
e. Macrum, as consul of the American
government Informed the state depart
ment that his official mail had been OPEN
ed and read by the British censor at Dur
ban, and, if so what steps, If any, have
been taken to obtain an explanation and
apology from the British government
"sec. 2. He is further directed to in
form the House of Representatives what
alliance exists between the Republic of
The United States and the empire of Great
Britain"
The Speaker referred the resolution to
the Foreign Affairs Committee.
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