The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-02-16

year, could take charge OF the Office until nv
return. In reply TO this dispatch, which was
forwarded without any delay, l received from
the department a reply advising me that nv
presence at Pretoria, was important TO public
interests. On the Sth / telegraphed again ac-
mowledging the receipt of the cable and adj
vsing the department that the situation was
not critical; that Mr.. Atterbury was compe-
tent; that my presence in America was i'm.
portant.
No reply was received and wired again, on
the llth stating that no reply had been re-
ceived and again urged a favorable reply
No reply was received to this On the l4th of
November again wired the department, stat
ing that could not leave without permission !:
that would forfeit my post IL the reasons
which would make to the department did not
prove satisfactory. This cable was DELAYED by
the censor until the I'd Of December, when I
had advices that 1t had just been forwarded
On the 18th of November / again filed a cable
stating that three of my cables had been unan.
swered and stating that substitute would an.
swer as consul during my absence and request
ed a reply.
To this l received reply immediately, which
was reiteration of the reply to my first cable
Upon receipt of this reply, which was on the
10th of November, l Immediately wrote to the
department accepting the refusal to grant my
leave, and stating in that letter that would
abide by the decision Of the department and
departments guidance on conditions there in
mail dispatches. On the 4th of December re-
ceived a reply from the department to my
cablegram Of the 18th, which, had been in.
formed two days previously, had just been for
warded. 1t read as follows:
you may come home. Put Atterbury TEN
porarily in charge. Department will send man
from here"
This was signed Hay" Thereupon cabled
the department as follows:
Sail 18th by Naples"
This cablegram was sent on the Sth, and in
the meantime prepared to CO. A few days
later received telegram 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 Dec. IL and was thoroughly posted
in the routine Of the office. and introduced
10 tue nsads of all government depart
ments and to my consular colleagues.
left Pretoria the night of Dec. 16. went
straight to Paris, notified the department OF
my presence there while waiting for the Amer
ican line boat to sail for New York. l arrived
in Washington on Monday, the 5tb of Feb
ruary, and reported to Assistant Secretary
Hill of the state department, who officially in.
formed me that Secretary Hays son had been
appointed in my place and that he was on his
way to Pretoria.
appreciated the seriousness Of the condi-
tiOilHslil Africa 10 eAb6llU Ulldb Oh
way to Washington, believing that was still
the consul to Prctpra I refused to make any
Itatement that would in any way involve the
department or embarrass it. Ny one object
was to lay the information before the depart.
ment 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, l expected to be remuner.
ated and return to Pretoria, leaving the de-
partment to act as it saw fit upon the facts
which laid before it.
Instead Of this / find that Secretary Hay,
whether acting upon the reports in the news.
papers or upon advice from the British govern.
ment OF some other motive do not know, saw
ft not to wait until l could present my reasons
in person, and has been a silent or conniving
partner to discrediting reports of my official
acts l come home to find an attempt has been
made to tear down MY personal reputation.
wish to state right here that when ac.
ceptcd my post as consul knew nothing of any
secret alliance between America ard Great
Britain, and that had seen nothing, in the
regulations which made the consul of the
American republic subject to the whims and
caprice of an English military censor at Dur
ban. / came TO America with motive OF
which am not ashamed.
There Is not Que soul who can point to a single
official act OF mine which departed from the