Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-14
ENGLAND'S REPLY RECEIVED
Poers Wanted the United States to Act as
Mediator.
The President Expressed His willing
ness to Do Anything to
End the War.

The reply of Lord Salisbury to the mes
sage from Presidents Kruger and Steyn,
which was transmitted through our gov
ernment was received at a late hour last
night by Secretary Hay. through Mr..
White our charge at London. AS already
indicated in the London dispatches, the an
swer is a declination of the appeal 1t has
been transmitted to Mr. Adelbert Hay.
United States consul at Pretoria, who will
submit it to the two presidents. This act
marks the end OF the first overture toward
peace. 1t is believed here, however, that
another effort will soon be made by the
Beers to attain peace, though recourse may
be had to some other agency than the
United States.
The President decided that it is not prop
er now to make public the text of the
communications which have passed between
Pretoria. London and Washington relative
to the peace proposition Therefore the
Allen resolution, adopted by the Senate,
calling for the correspondence, must remain
unanswered for the present, though there
is reason to believe the cause for maintain
ing secrecy that point will soon disap-
pear 1t is admitted. however that the
press dispatches have indicated the salient
features OF the correspondence with suf-
ficient accuracy. About the only omission,
so far as can be learned, was the failure to
develop the fact that the appeal of the
Boer government that the United States
might be allowed to intervene was accom-
panied by an earnest expression by Presi-
dent Mckinley of his Willingness to do any
thing within his power to bring about the
termination of the war, which he hoped
might be attained. Lord Salisbury's reply,
while firmly declining the request of the
Boer government, conveyed his apprecia-
tion of the commendable sentiments which
inspired the Presidents utterances. and
closed that phase of the correspondence in
so courteous manner as to make the
declination entirely unexceptionable.
1nasmuch as there appears to be some
confusion in the public mind respecting the
various efforts made by the Beers to end
the war it may be stated that the particu-
lar correspondence passing through the
State Department was separate and apart
from the note addressed by Presidents Kru-
ger and Steyn to nearly all the continental
powers believed to be in sympathy with
their cause, and was also distinct from the
appeal addressed directly to Lord Salisbury
by the two presidents. which, with his lord
ships answer, formed the subject of the
communication made yesterday by him TO
parliament.
Comment of the London Globe.
LONDON, March 14.-Regarding the
United States offer the Globe says:
The incident is of interest only in the
light IL throws on American politics. Re
publicans ana democrats alike are always
prepared to risk the friendship of England
in the party game. We may preserve ami
sable relatiOns with the United States and
1t is to be hoped we always shall do 50, but
an alliance is impossible. We were brought
to the verge OF war four years ago for the
sake of Mr. Cleveiands reelection, and a
pretcXt for diplomatic quarrel will never
be wanting when the anti-English elements
Of the republic have to be conciliated."