The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-15

warded.
REPLIES FROM HAY.
ION the 18th of November 1 again filed
q cable stating that three of my cables
had been unanswered and stating that
substitute would answer consul during
my absence, and required reply. To this
I received a reply Immediately, which was
a reiteration OF the reply 10 my first cable
On receipt Of this reply, which was on the
10Th of November, / Immediately wrote TO
the department accepting the refusal TO
grant my leave and stating in that letter
that I would abide by the decision of the
department and attempt TO convey an in
telligent idea for the departments guild
ance of the conditions there in mail dis
patches. On the 4th OF December i re-
ceived reply from the department TO my
cablegram of the 18th, which 1 had been
informed two days previously had Just
been forwarded 1t read as follows:
"'You may come home. Put Atterbury
temporarily in charge. Department will
send mail from here
This was signed Hay Thereupon ca
bled the department follows: Sail 18th
by Naples This cablegram was sent on
the Sth, and in the meantime l prepare'
to 60 A few days later i received a tele
gram from Mr.. Hollis, consul at Delagoa
bay, stating that he had been instructed
to come to Pretoria to take charge of my
Office during my absence and until man
should arrive from Washington. Mr.. Hollis
arrived on the 14th of December and was
thoroughly posted in the routine of the
office and 1 introduced him to the heads
of all government departments and TO my
consular colleagues. 1 left Pretoria the
night of Dec. 16. / went straight to Paris
and notified the department of my presence
there while waiting for the American line
boat to sail for New York. / arrived In
Washington on Monday, the 5th of Feb
ruary, and reported to Assistant Secretary
Hill, of the State Department. who OFF,
cially informed me that Secretary Hays
son had been appointed in my place and
that he was on his way to Pretoria.
at appreciated the seriousness of the con-
ditions in South Africa to the extent that
on my way to Washington. believing that
I was still the consul in Pretoria, 1 re-
fused to make any statement that would IN
any way involve the department or en-
barrass 1t. My one object was to lay the
information before the department as to
the true state of affairs in South Africa.
If the department thought these facts
were of a value sufficient to warrant the
expense of the trip had taken / expected
to be remunerated and return to Pretoria,
leaving the department to act as 1t saw
fit on the facts which laid before it.
Instead Of this 1 find that Secretary
ha ir
the newspapers or upon advice from the
British government or some other motive
I do not know, saw fit to wait until could
present my reasons in person and has been
a silent or conniving partner to discrediting
reports of my official acts. come home to
| find an attempt has been made to tear
down my personal reputation. I wish to
state right here that when / accepted my
post as consul knew nothing of any secret
alliance between America and Great
Britain, and that had seen nothing In
the regulations which made the consul OF
the American Republic subject to the
whims and caprices of an English military
censor at Durham. came to America with
| a motive of which 1 am not ashamed.
There is not one soul who can point
to single official act of mine which de-
parted from the strictest neutrality. My
confidential dispatches to the department
contained information which will show my
sympathy for the republic, but which time
| will prove to. be unbiased as to actual
| facts.
my acts as public official are all re-
corded at the department. My acts as a
private man can in no way involve the
public service, and I simply make this
| statement in my own defense as against
| those which have come from the depart
ment secretly and officially"