The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-03-29

ported as follows;
Under the date Of September 10th |
received from the United States ronslta:
agent at Bloemfontein. Orange Free STATE
letter which read as follows:
g I saw President Steyn this afternoon
by~,his request and he would like TO have
you lind out at once if your tny) Govern.
ment will consent for you to act as arbi-
traitor and if you can also find ou- ii the
High Commissioner would also consent.
The President appears to think what~
ever is done should be done st once, and
wishes 10 know if you can give mir this
information. ] replied by wire as follows
VIII reply by wire TO your letter of the
Goth this afternoon
after giving the above request care
full consideration ! called upon the iligh
Commissioner same date and in the course
Of conversation said
g When | dined with you the uther day
you stated your Government would never
consent to arbitration by outside powers
or representatives, and your publishe,,
dispatches so state Are you Of the same
opinion?
And he replied, What / might like
to do | canot do now as my hands are
tied.
Then | told him in substance what
had been asked by the President OF
the Orange Free State and the High
Commissioner said Please state the fol-
lowing as your reply which he dictated.
and which appears in the following copy
Of my telegraphic dispatch to the United
States Consular Agent at Bloemfontein.
in the words underlined to whi3h ! added
tho fret five words NOT underlined.
"-Cannot ask Government myself.
SEEN PARTY REQUESTED THOUGH
PERSONALLY FAVORABLE TO FUR
Their NEGOTIATIONS THINKS EE
CANNOT MOVE ON THE LINE PRO
POSED
Believing it a courtesy due to the
United States Consul Macrum ct Pretoria,
l sent the following dispatcn same date
our Government would consent sor me to
arbitrate and to see the High Com
missioner and replied:
Here follow the above dispatch, dis
patches sent in code.
Il also deemed it right 70 post Consul
Macrum as above, not ONLY FOR the iea-
son that the Orange Free State is in his
jurisdiction. but for the further reason
that he had said in a communication to
me of the same date, Nothing can be
done here for peace unless matters Set
tied at your end Over 10OC men sent to
border last night: if anything done must
be quickly done; the High Commissioner
should do something sor peace
1T was a question in my min1 il
ought to take any action at all on the
request of the Orange Free State I'resi-
dent. but the High Commissioner after
ward said to me that | had acted right,
and that he was grateful at my action.
MACRUM ANXIOUS TO LEAVE.
LAS you also inquired what there was
on file in regard 10 the departure of Mr..
Macrum from his post at Pretoria, | Rave
the honor to inform you that on the 18th
of November Mr.. Macrum telegraphcd re-
questing leave, Permission visit America.
Absolutely imperative, private AMI Off
cial business. American fighting; Attle-
bury, American, takes charge. Cattle
quickly.
ITO this | replied: Your presence Pre-
toria utmost Importance to public inter
ests'
HE then, on the 18th of November
cabled: No reply. Department Vii ap-
prove leave on explanation. Imperative.
Cable Immediately
1.-The next day he cabled again: Cable
received. Everything quiet. AttlebuIv
capable, experienced. My presence home
absolutely necessary
ION the 18th he cabled once more:
Three cables requesting leave unanswer-
ed Substitute sufficient lIere but not at
home. Please cable acquiescence quick.
Ship sailing soon.
I'm reply to this, or the 3Gth of No
vember, / answered: Your presence
Pretoria important TO public interests
con the LIST of December Mr.. Macrum
once more cabled me: No reply. De-
partment will approve leave on explana-
ton. Imperative Cable Immediately.
''And again same date Can't leave
without permission will forfeit post If
Department don't approve on explanation.
Please reply.
Upon this, inferring from these dis
patches that Mr.. Macrum was in state
of mind which would make his services in
Pretoria useless, I answered on the 2nd
of December: You may come home.
Put Attlebury temporarily in charge.
department Will SEM a man IRON mere
'SoOn after this | received several
newspaper articles and letters from &C.
sponsible persons asserting that Attle
bury, whom Macrum wished TO Ilace tom
porarily in charge of the consulate, was
a person of disreputable character and a
fugitive from justice. / therefore direct
ed Mr.. Hollis, Consul at Lourenzo Mar
ques, to proceed to Pretoria and take
temporary charge of the consulate Until
the arrival of Mr.. A. S. Hay, who bad
been appointed Consul.
want,
(Signed,) JOHN HAY.
A BALLOON THAT MAY BE STEERED.