Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-02-15
In Order to Protect the British Censor
at Ourbun.

at UurDln.
| WASHINGTON, Feb. 15.--The followin,
signed statement was given out by
Charles z. Macrum, former United
ttates consul to Pretoria:
The situation in Pretoria was such that, first,
rs an official, could not remain there while my
government at home was apparently in the
dark o. to the exact condition in South Africa.
Secondly, % man and citizen Of tho United
States, could not remain I'M Pfetorfs, sacrifc:
ing my own self respect and that Of the people
OF Pretoria while the government at homo con
tinusd to leave me In the position Of a British
consul and not an American consul. want tc
sny right here that there was not oGA single
request Hsde Of me through the department Of
state looking to the care Of British interests In
Pretoria which did not fulill and report upon
according to my orders. On tho other hand
american interests in South Africa were In
that condition which demanded that the dc
partment Of state should be cognizant Of them
issued statement received from the state
department that Americans must remain ner
tral. In the face Of this Americans were con.
tinuslly going to the front and taking up arm,
in the cause Of the Beers. could not help but
know that many Of these were citizens Of the
United States. also knew that many of them
IN utter despair at the apparent attitude OF oui
own government were taking the oath Of al
legiance TO the Transvnal republic. When nj.
fairs had reached that state that my vice con.
sui, Mr.. Van Ameringen, closed up his busi.
ness, took the oath of allegiance to the rcpub
lie, and went to the front as Burgher,
thought the time had come when I should
make report of these conditions.
1t was over four weeks from the time the war
opened before received q single mail dispatch
IN 70 vnN- I-AA
mall for the Transvaal had all been stopped al
Cape Town BY order Of the high commissioner
When this mail was finally forwarded to mo
after Colonel Stowe, the consul general at Caps
Town, had secured it's release. had the humil
istiop, 90 tho representative Of the American
government, Of sitting In my Office In Pretoris
and looking upon envelopes beoring the official
seal OF the American government opened and
officially scaled with sticker, notifying me
that the contents had been read by the censo,
at Durham. looked UP international law, but
failed 70 find anywhere that one military power
can use ito own discretion as to forwarding the
Official dispatches Of neutral government tt
tts representative in besieged country.
The mail service frpm Delagoa bay to Eyr
rope was continually interrupted by the action
OF British men-ofwar at that port servic,
was over two weeks longer than by the west
coast, and there were continual run,ors that
that port would be closed and communication
cable snrvjca ~ ~ ou' oh, Int
cut of was nrivat.i, ,,sar, 20 ~
rian and German consuis a. prn,"r,. py .he bef
eTnai cnt,,n 10 hv rrctoria mat theii
ba,,, re,,,sod ~, ~ . 70 .neir governments had
IN the ,ntsr.s; 70 o e'"sor niea one cept
,vhicb vvas retnsoa ,%.i,,tn,,. 20 IN rretoria
T,urban This ,.h,a -. ~ y s sen'o' IN
Mr Nclson m A,nsr;oan .s,,a Wv naheo Q. :
toria. sba Was On ha,. ,n. uuse's y. man nun III rre
from BnfYalo N n,han ~, " nousn ua, Airicu
Aocordjnv 10 a ,at,or ,rh,a,, NJ M UvAo out
oeiyed iust herore tho ,s.r nas Seison re
1uyins her trons.aap T., ehevm Erroa n, sue was
reSuested her 10 co,,,o hr ,l,N ~. ms caoe
med Mr. NoIsn,, ths. Az sanu S9ess' " men
been sent. his brother too,, nV ,L Sa".e hao no'
Jeriancc to tho ra-,hi,. ~ wy oa,n oI ~
Bnt these arc si,nriv ,ninnr meHI w 'ne rrohh
The Observation-Disclosures ,sh;ah -
ing on before tho war ana ,,tn. I, nnu paon 90
OF such a serious nature ana ,,i'a ~ opsneu Were
such detailed e.nlanat;nr tha, ~ wSnn M a rGqM,rs
a cable 10 tbe dcnsrtr,ar, -. T., Wv Nleu
inc that wisbai ,aaro o,n.h. ~ % IN code, stat
vtsit the stotea 7 sa, ,on.,a a.. NJ III 1ruer "
INV vice consuI had en,;st,a a., ~ ,s ceple tha'
that a M Attar,,,,rn s's' .' ~ .ne boer army
hnd known ysrv ,ar,r"h az H,ner'cah, @ wnom
year. could tnks charan nS M NJ more tnnh
return. In renlv to ri. d,srs,.,, sinh unui my
Forwarded without nnv deiar 7 ro,,a;aJ %s" . wss
the Department n ycn,v sdv,.,,,c ~. - .foiu
presence at pretor;r y.s ;n,,san. ,me 'nao ny
Interests. On the sth i teleprsnhad w. paone
,,ort.rt t"1' "S presence III America was I'M
M renlx ,x.s r...;rad .ra -,