The Portland daily press., 1900-02-15
FROM MACRUM.
Tells Why He Left
Pretoria.
His Dispatches Opened
By British Censor.
Cablesrams to Washington We're
Withheld.
Badly Used by Secretary
hay.
Hadn't Heard Of "Alliance"
With Great Britain.
Badly Used by Secretary
Hay.
Hadn't Heard Of "Alliance"
With Great Britain.


was given out tonight by Charles E..
Msorum, formerly United States consul
to Pretoria. In substance 1t says:
"The situation In Pretoria was such
that as an official / could not remain
there while my government WAS appar-
snt tly In the dark as to the exact con-
sitlons In South Africa. AsA man and
Citizen of the United States could not
remain In Pretoria, sacrificing my own
self respect and that of the people Of
Pretoria, while the government at homs
continued to leave me in the position Of
o British consul and not an A merican
consul. There was not one request made
Of me through the department OF state
look ing to the care of British interests in
Pretoria which did rot fulfil. On the
other hand, American interests in South
Africa we're In that condition which de-
manded that the department Of state
should he oognfzant Of them.
81 issued the statement received from
the state department that Americans
must remain neutral. In the face Of thi s.
Americans ware constantly going to The
front and taking up arms In the cause Of
the Beers. Many nf thess were citizens
OF the United States. Many OF them in
despair at the apparent attitude OF our
government were taKing the oath Of allie
glance to the Iransvasl. When my vice
consul, Mr.. Van Ameeringen took the
oath Of allegiance to the republic and
went to the front, thought the time had
come when 1 should make q report of
these con 1itionG
"It was over four weeks from the time
the war opened before received single
mail despatch from my government or n
personal letter. The mail for the Trans
vaal had been all stopped at Cape Town
by order Of the high commissioner. When
this mail was finally forwarded to me af-
ter Col. Stowe. the consul general at
Cape Town. had secured Its release, had
the humiliation as the represent Dtative OF
the American government, of looking up
on envelopes bearing the oftioial seal Of
the American government, opened ana
offioially sealed with q sticker notifying
me that the contents had been read by
the censor at Durham. The mail service
from Dslagoa bay to Europe was con-
tinually interrupted by the action OF
British men of war and there were
rumors that that port would be closed
and Communication with the outside
world entirely cot of. The cable service
for the Transvaal was absolutely cut of.
| was informed ty the b Jlgian and DER
man consIls at Pretoria that their official
aa In IN thar had
been refused by the CENSOR. f''nlsf one
oaple In the interest OF an American In
Pretoria which was refused by the censor
in Durham. This cable was to the dsncse
Of Mr.. Nelson, an American business
man In Pretoria. She was ON her way to
South Africa and the cable requested her
to come BY the east coast. When I in
Teen sent. his brother took the oath OF
alles lance to the republic and went to the
'front.'. The Misrepresentation which had
bsen going ON before the war and altar
1t opened were Of such q ssrious nature,
and would require such detailed sxplapA-
tion that. on November 9th, l filed q
cable to the department in code
tlab WAshca AoaNo Va aDtCbCc
order to visit the States. set forth that
my vice consul had enlisted In the Boer
army: that MIR. Atterbury, an American
whom had known favorably for more
than year could take charge Of the office
until my return. received from the de-
partment a reply advising me that my
pJssenoe at Pretoria was important 10
public interest. On the. 9th autographed
advising the department that my presence
In America was important. No reply
was received and I wired again on the
llth and again urging a favorable reply.
No reply was received 70 this. On No
vember 14th, agains wired the deTart-
ment stating that could not leave with
out permission; that wooli forfeit my
post II the reasons which would make to
the department. did not prove satisfs,-
tory. This eabio was delayed by the oss.
sor until Dssomhsr I'd. On November ie
/ ssai- hlad a cahla rsasivsd . reply
iinI edi ter, xhloh was q RELAXATION OF