The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-05-22
THE BOER PEACE ENJOYS.
HOLD A LONG PUBLIC RECEPTION AT
THEIR HOTEL.
THE OBJECT OF THEIR VISIT
Their Credentials to be Laid Before
the Secretary of State on Monday.
The ENJOYS, Later, TO befGiven q
Hearing by Secretary Hay-Their De-
sire Simply to Have the United States
Procure Peace Their Mission Likely
TO Prove Failure.

Washington, May 1s.-Three very
tired Boer ENJOYS stood up all the
morning in their apartments at the
Arlington, shaking hands with a con-
stant stream of visitors, acquiescing
in the numerous requests and sugges-
tions of the Washington reception COM
mittee and cautiously parrying the
rapid fire Of inquiries from a small
army of newspaper correspondents.
Mr.. Fischer, as usual, was the spokes-
man of the party, talking in excellent
English. Commissioner Fischer talked
quite freely with the correspondents
and emphasized his wish to he as frank
as possible without giving offense to
the American government.
I'VE are playing a wholly unaccus-
toned role as diplomats said he
"and we must be careful. 1t has been
suggested to us since We reached
America that we have hurt our chances
with the state department by accep-
ting the hospitality of the several
committees that have welcomed US;
but would like very much to have the
case fairly stated to the public. Our
government has turned to the United
States as to a great and powerful ma
ton whose people we believe are our
friends. We have a mission to perform
to the state department and there are
things connected with that mission
which the state department has right
to know before we discuss them in
public. We have consistently refrain
ed from saying to the press what
should first be laid before the officials
of this government, but when we are
met by committees made up, as we
are assured, of representative men
who sympathize with us it would be
churlish to turn our backs on these
friends and refuse the courtesies they
offer us.
I'VE have been criticised for accept
ing an invitation to the meeting at the
theatre tomorrow night before we have
been received at the state department,
but we have promised to appear and
make our bow upon the guarantee of
the committee that it is simply a
friendly welcome extended by our
sympathizers and will be free from all
partisan politics. If we believed there
would be a word uttered there for fac
tional or political purposes we should
not attend. but we have been assured
it is merely friendly welcome"
Asked what were the nature of the
commissions credentials Mr.. Fischer
replied:
They are from our government and
we believe are ample to enable US,
through the good offices of a friendly
government, to stop the bloodshed that
is going on in our home country. Fur
ther than that 1 would not like 20 dis
cuSS them"
Regarding the terms on which he
thought peace possible, Mr.. Fischer
said:
1--WE have not come with any hard
and fast proposition; but we believe an
honorable peace is possible and We be-
lieve the United States is the one
country so situated as to be able to
bring it about
Would the recent victories of the
British in South Africa have any ef-
feet on the terms you would be willing
to accept" he was asked.
Possibly" he replied, "yet that is
a matter that 1 can't discuss now"
When asked if he expected to see
any of the representatives of Great
Britain in Washington he said:
1--WE may possibly. We shall not go
after them, but we should be glad to
talk to any fair minded Englishman,
for if the English people had known
the truth in the South African situa-
ton this war never would have been
begun"
"'Will the Transvaal entertain any
peace proposals that recognize the
suzerainty of England?" He was
asked.
IF England wants suzerainty over
the republics" he replied, ''she will
have to come and take it." His two
tall swarthy companions nodded as
sent.
Colonel O'Beirne, who some months
ago vainly sought recognition as a
MI q 10 tot fix-a 0< h.
republics, yesterday appeared at the
state department in the interest of the
three delegates.
Colonel O'Beirne had previously had
a short talk with the president, who
directed him to the state department.
Secretary Hay listened to the reasons
why the United States government
should act to bring the war to a close
Colonel O'Beirne, like the Boer dele
gates, felt that the mere direction OF
the United States would suffice to in
duce England to cease hostilities He
argued with good deal of eloquence,
but without convincing the officials
that the United States government
could intervene in the manner propos-
ed without becoming at once involved
as party to the war. 1t can be set
down as certain that the present de-
termination of our government is not
to request England to stop the war.
The credentials Of the Boer delegates
now in Washington, will be submitted
to the secretary of state Monday next.
Colonel O'Beirne called at the state
department this afternoon and arrang-
ed with Secretary Hay that the Boer
credentials should be submitted in ad-
vance of the presentation of the gen.
tlemen themselves. This is in accord
ance with the usual rule governing
the. presentation of foreign minister's
so Mr.. Bruyn, the private secretary Of
the Boer delegation, Is expected to
pr1ng the credentials to the state de-
partmentMonday, where they will be
submitted for the careful examination
or the department which does not at