The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-02-24
MACRUM'S LETTERS MUTlATHD.


a week ago Charles E. Macrum, late U.
S. consul at Pretoria, is the subject
for adverse criticism by the adminstra-
ton organs. He has been ridiculed
and belittled in every possible way
for charging the British censor with
opening the official correspondence Of
the state department at Washington.
His critics think that England is in
capable OF offering such an affront to
the United States as Mr.. Macrum al
lcges. But he has the proof in the
shape Of torn envelopes that the United
States official mail was opened before
it reached him, and that no attempt
was made by the British authorities to
conceal their espionage He has one
envelope in his possession containing
mail matter from Consul General
Stowe at Cape Town, and on it is a
British sticker, resealing the letter af-
ter it had been examined, and bearing
the initials "V. r." which means Vic
toria rcigns. This letter took one
month i'll travelling from Cape Town
to Durham, according to the postmarks
and finally reached Pretoria in the
form described.
The circulars issued by the depart
nent at Washington never reached
him, being confscatcd by the censor
without any apology or explanation,
and as for personal mail he never
heard of any. He was entirely ig-
nored, and could only "grin and bear
it." AT last he sent cablegram in
code to John Hay requesting permis-
sion to come home, but before it was
received in Washington it had been
announced in the British papers in
Natal, hundreds of miles away from
Pretoria, that Mr. Macrum wanted to
leave his post at the Transvaal capital
In the face Of this evidence in the
possession of the ex-consul we consider
it nonsensical for Republican organs
to question his veracity. But John
Hay says that the young man never
reported to him that the mail had been
opened. How could he report when
the censor stopped his letters or tam
pered with his kilograms? When he
arrived i'll Washington Hay would not
grant him an audience, and Mckinley
would not receive him. He was treat
ed contemptuously from first to last by
Hay because he did not sympatlizc
with the British and act as a spy on
the Beers in return for similar ser
vices rendered by the British consul at
Havana during the Spanish-American
war.
MIR. Macrum did not know that a
secret alliance existed between the
Washington administration and the
London ministry, and though willing
to attend to British interests in a legit-
innate manner at Hays dictation, he
naturally rccoiled from doing any dis
reputable thing to please the English
authorities in South Africa. and hence
it was they treated him so discour.
teously But being an American consul
they insulted the United States, and il
Hay i'll Washington and Choate III
London can shield Mother England
there will be no apology rendered by
the British government in the Macrum
case.
Many supplemented Americans fool.
ishly imagine that British officials arc
too honorable to pry into the officia
affairs Of the United States govern.
ment. They appear to be in, sublime
ignorance OF the fact that it is an ole
trick of England to resort to such
reprehensible methods, and that paid
spies of perfdious Albion are every.
where watching every movement oil
other governments. The Irish people
who have had the misfortune of know,
ing England far better than the Amer.
lean people, are aware OF how the mai
has been utilized as medium OF acquir,
ing secret information. John Mitchell
in his "Last Conquest of Ireland" says
that "the postoffice was used syste-