The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-05-22

JIM A. WOLMARANS. A. FISCHER.
laid before the secretary at much length
and with great energy and eloquence the
merits of the controversy In South Africa
and the desire of the Boer republics that
the United States should intervene in the
interests of peace and use its influence to
that end with the British government.
1.-The secretary of state made the fol-
lowing reply:
1.-The president, in his message to the
congress last December said:
This government has maintained an
attitude of neutrality in the unfortunate
contest between Great Britain and the
Boer states of Africa. We have remar-
I'd faithful to the precept of avoiding en-
tangling alliances as to affairs not Of our
direct concern, Had circumstances sug-
gested that the parties TO the quarrel
would have welcomed any kindly express
sion Of the hope of the American people
that war might be ayerted good Offices
would have been gladly rendered
AS the war went on the president,
while regrettiug the suffering and the
sacrifices endured Ivy both of the combat
ants. could do nothing but preserve a
strict neutrality between them. This he
has steadily and consistently done, hut
there never has been a moment when he
would have neglected any favorable occa-
sion to use his good offices in the interests
Of peace.
ION the 10th Of last March we received
from Mr.. Hay, the United States consul
at Pretoria, this telegram:
al am officially requested by the gov
ernments Of the republics to urge your
Intervention with view to cessation Of
hostilities Same request made to repre-
seDtatives of European powers
The president at once directed me to
convey the substance Of this telegram to
the British government, and In commu-
nicating this request | was directed by
him to express his earnest hope that
way to bring about peace might be found
and to say that he would be glad to aid
In any friendly manner to promote SO
happy result The Transvaal govern
ment was at the same time informed of
the presidents action in the matter. Our
representative in London promptly COM
municated the presidents instruction to
Lord Salisbury. In answer he was re-
Quested to thank the president for the
friendly interest shown by him, and Lord
Salisbury added that her majesty's gov.
eminent could not accept the intervention
Of any power This communication also
was Immediately transmitted to our con-
sui at Pretoria to be communicated to
the president Of the South African Re-
public. 30 far az we are informed the
United States was the only government
In the world of all those approached by
the South African republics which ten
dered its good offices to either of the COM
batapts In the interests of cessation of
hostilities.
1.-THE steps taken by the president In
bis earnest desire to see an end to the
strife which caused so much suffering
may already be said to have gone to the
extreme limit permitted to him. Indeed
II In his discretion he had chosen not to
present to England the South African
request for good Offices he might have
justified his action by referring to the
following declaration which was made in
the very act Of signing The Hague con.
vention by the plcnipotentiaries of the
United States:
Nothing contained in this convention
| shall be so construed as to require the
| United States Of America to depart from
Its traditional policy Of not intruding
upon, interfering with or entanglinr itself
with questions Of policy or internal nd
ministration Of any foreign state, nor
shall anything contained in the said con.
vention be construed to imply a relin.
quishment by the United States of Amer.
iea Of its traditional attitude toward
purely American questions
1.-THE president sympathiEes heartily In