Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1900-05-25
NO HOPE is HELDOUT.
Boer Delegates Are Told What to
Expect.
Secretary Hay states the President,
Opinion - Policy OF Neutrality
Must he Maintained In the
South African Affair.


the coming to Washington of the Boer
delegation by declining to interfere in
behalf of the South African republics
in the present struggle.
The meeting between the delegates
and Secretary Hay was brought about
in the simplest manner. Gen. O'Beirne
had secured from the department last
Saturday promise to entertain any
credentials that might be presented
Monday. Monday morning note came
to the state department from the dele
\ gates asking that they be permitted
to present themselves at the depart
ment. a prompt acquiescence was re-
turned by Secretary Hay. and the hour
of 2:30 was fixed for the meeting. At
that time the three delegates appeared.
For his part, the secretary of state, was
more uncommunicative, but before
making any statement, made his way to
the white house and consulted the pres
ident' Then he gave out, through his
secretary, the following statement:
The Secretnry's Statement.
"Messrs. A. Fischer. C. H. Vessels and
A. ID. w. Woolmarans, the delegates in
this country of the South African repub-
lies. called by appointment at the state
department. They were cordially received
and remained with the secretary of state
Tor more than an hour. They laid before
the secretary at much length and with
great energy and eloquence the merits of
the controversy in South Africa and the
desire of the Boer republics that the Unit
ed States should intervene in the interest
oil peace and use its influence to that end
with the British government
Ihe secretary of state made the follow
ing reply: The president, in his message
to the congress last December. said:
rms government has maintained an
attitude OF neutrality In the unfortunate g
contest between Great Britain and the Roer
states of Africa We have remained faith
ful to the precept of avoiding entangling
alliances as TO affairs not of our direct con-
Germ. Had circumstances suggested that
the parties to the quarrel would have well
coined any kindly expression of the hone
OF the American people that war might
be aVerted. good offices would have been
gladly rendered.
AS the war went on, the president
Wnlle regretting the suffering and the sa
rifices endured by both of the combatants
could do nothing but preserve strict neu-
trality between them. This he has stead
lily and consistently done, but there never
mas peen moment when he would have
neglected any favorable occasion to use
his good offices in the interests of peace
On the 10th of last March we received
from Mr.. Hay, the United States consul
at Pretoria, this telegram:
i am ofhcially requested by the govern
ments OF the republics to urge your inter-
vention with a view to cessation of HOSTILE
ties. Same request made to representative
OF European powers
The president at once directed me TO
convey the substance of this telegram to
the British government and in communi-
eating this request | was directed by hin,
TO express his earnest hope that n way to
pring about peace might be found and to
say that he would be glad to aid in any
friendly manner TO promote so happy a re-
SUIT. The Transvaal government was at
the same time informed of the presidents 8
action in the matter.
Our representative in London promptly
communicated the presidents s instruction
TO LORD salisbury. In answer he was re-
quested to thank the president for the
friendly interest shown by him, and Lord
salisbury added that her majesty's gov
ernment could not accept the intervention
bf any power This communication also
was Immediately transmitted to our consul
at pretoria, to be communicated to the
president of the South African republic.
So far as We are informed, the United
States was the only government in the
world of all those approached by the South
African republics which rendered its good
offices to either of the combatants in the
interest of a cessation of hostilities
LAS allusion had been made to The Hague
conference, and as action had been sug-
gested based upon that instrument, 1t may
be well 20 quote phrase from Article ILL.,,
which states:
Powers stranger to the dispute may
have the right to offer good offices or me-
diatlon even during the course of hostili-
ties and Article ", which says: The
functions OF the mediator are at an end
When once II Is declared, either by one of
the parties to the dispute or by the me-
diator himself, that the means of recon-
Citation proposed by him are not accepted
Ihis would seem to render any further
action of the United States unadvisable
under existing circumstances. The steps
taken by the president in his earnest de-
sire to see an end to the strife which has
caused so much suffering may already be
said to have gone to the extreme limit
permitted to him. Indeed, If in his dis
sretion ne mad chosen not to present to
England the South African request for
good offices. he might have justified his
seton by referring to the following dec
iaration, which was made in the very act
OF signing The Hague convention by the
plenipotentaries of the United States:
Nothing contained in this convention
email be so construed as to require the
united states OF America to depart from
It's traditional policy of not intruding up
on, interfering with or entangling itself
with questions of policy or internal admin
istration OF any foreign state; nor shall
anything contained in the said convention
be construed to imply REIMBURSEMENT by
the United States of America of it's ira
ditionai attitude toward purely American
questions
THE president sympathizes heartily in
the sincere desire of all the people of the
United States that the war which is now af-
hicting South Africa may. for the sake of
both parties engaged, come to a speedy
close; but. having done his full duty in
preserving strictly neutral position be-
tween them, and In seizing the first op-
portunity that presented itself for tender
Ing his good offices in the interests of
peace, he feels that, in the present circum-
stances, no course is open to him except
to persist In the policy of impartial neu-
trality. To deviate from this would be
contrary TO all our traditions and all our
national interests. and would lead to con-
sequences which neither the president nor
The people of the United States should re-
gard with favor"
Arranging for Convention.
Kansas City, Mo-, May 22.-Dr. A. b
Lawrence, of Eldorado, Kan, is here
at the reuuest of Charles To,vna +ho