The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-21
Cecil Rhodes and His Agents Accused
of DeceivinG the Colonial Office
and Everybody Else.
RAID MADE FOR GOLD AND LIES
ACCORDING TO HARCOURT, WHO
PARTICIPATED IN THE INQUIRY.
Denial of All Charges by Mr.. Cham
Observation-Disclosures of the De.
bate in the Lords.

LONDON, Feb 20.-The House of Com
mons to-day was crowded when David AL
fred Thomas, Liberal, moved the reopen
ing of the inquiry into. the jameson raid.
Among those in the diplomatic gallery was
the United States ambassador, Joseph III.
Choate. Mr.. Thomas disclaimed any per-
sonal animosity against Mr.. Chamberlain,
the secretary of state for the colonies. but
said the inconclusive nature of the first
inquiry had created widespread dissatis-
faction. which had deepered the indigna-
tion at the disclosures of the continental
newspapers. impugning the impartiality of
the committee. He said it was In the in
terests of the nation and the character and
reputation of the House of Commons and
Mr.. Chamberlain that there should be a
full and searching inquiry. Mr.. Thomas
further asserted that the previous inquiry
was a farce and that the fresh facts ad-
duced in the correspondence published by
the Independence Beige were. strong
grounds for fresh inquiry.
Samuel Thomas Evans, Liberal, seconded
the motion. In so doing he argued that
there We're strong grounds for suspecting
that the Colonial Office and Mr.. Chamber
lain had prior knowledge of the events
leading to the raid. Continuing, Mr. Evans
said it was a question whether the authors
of the raid had sufficient power or infiu-
ence to prevent a majority of the House
of Commons from having the opportunity
of getting a committee of inquiry ap-
pointed.
Here Mr.. Chamberlain interjected: 81
don't understand what the nember means
by the last sentence"
Mr.. Evans replied that he thought every
one else In the House understood that the
suggestion was that there were influences
which might be worked to prevent the gov
ernment from asking for the reappoint-
ment of committee.
Ministerial cries of ''What influences?"
followed this remark.
Suspicious OF COMPLETELY.
Mr.. Evans, proceeding. said that If the
Investigations of the committee had been
| more exhaustive it might have arrived at
a different conclusion. The conduct of Mr.
Chamberlain previous to the inquiry, ac-
cording to the speaker, aroused suspicious
of completely and ought to be explained,
as ought also Mr.. Chamberlain's sex
| traordinary declarations after the inquiry
that Mr.. Rhodess personal honor was not
affected" He also said that letter since
published showed that there was something
| to withhold.
Mr.. Chamberlain. amid profound atten-
| tion. said there was absolutely nothing In
| what had happened since 1898 which could
| possibly be raised as ground for a second
| inquiry. He explained that Mr.. Rhodes
was charged with two distinc. osrenses.
He was accused, first of conspiring to bring
about the raid, which he was found
| guilty and condemned In the strongest
| terms by the commission. The colonial
secretary blamed him as severely as any
| body. The other charge was that he acted
| from sordid motives, with the object Of
| promoting speculation and raising the
| value Of his property. This was an abora-
Unable charge, which should not have been
| made. and of which Mr.. P5odes was abso-
lutely guiltless. Another ground on which
l an inquiry was asked was on account Of
the precious collection of documents"
| published by the Independence Belge,
| which had been offered for sale to various
London papers that would not touch them
| with tongs. "At last he added, "they
| found a customer in a friend Of the Poers.
| who contrived to transmit them to DIR.
| Leyds, who paid, promised ID ray, cI00,
and they were then communicated to the
Independence Beige. There is nothing in
these documents, from first ID last" the
colonial secretary said. who dissectec most
| of the documents, pointing oat that they
| offered no ground for charges agains. the
| Colonial Office.
| THE LETTERS STOLEN.
Mr.. Chamberlain further declared. as to
| the kilograms exchanged between Nj.
Rhodes and his agent, that they were sent
| confidentially and he returned them, say
| ing he had no objection to their pubIica-
tion. Since June 6, 1896, he had not seen
the kilograms which were produced and
| examined by the committee. AS 10 the iet-
ters, Mr.. Chamberlain said they wero
| stolen from Mr.. Hawkesley's desk and DIR.
Leyds offered to pay s1OO for them they
contained nothing unknown to the COM
| mittee.
IF this matter had not been complicated
by political matters and personal animosi-
| ties Mr.. Chamberlain said, no man in
this House would have said there was a
shadow of ground for such an inquiry The
object of these personal attacks Is to pre-
| vent me from participation in the Trans
| vaal settlement
Mr. Chamberlain confessed that at one
| time he felt bitterly regarding the insinua
tions against him which ''those repeating
them did not dare TO assert they believed
should be brought against me after twen-
| ty-four years membership in the House
of Commons" Continuing. he said he was
! not hopeful that anything he or the House
| could say would silence his foreign critics.