Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1900-02-16
MACRUM'S STORY
Former Consul to Pretoria
Tells Why He Desired to
Reportin Person.. =
Official Letters and Dispatches
Tempered With at Durham.
and'cape Town.
SAYS HAY GAVE PERMISSION
Z s .,.. ~, " -. -. a..
Only Learned Of His Removal
After His Arrival In the
United States.
Admits His Confidential Dis
patches We're Pro-Boer,
but Unbiased.
SAYS HAY GAVE PERMISSION

wv ti0I0o0A q,
WASHINGTON, Feb. 15.-Charles E.
Hacrum, formerly United States consul
ar Pretoria, has given out a signed
statement regarding his reasons for
leaving the Transvaal capital. The
statement begins as follows:
"The situation in Pretoria was such
that, first, I could not remain theirs
while my government at home was ap-
parently in the dark as to the actual
conditions in South Africa; second, that
as q man and an American I could not
remain in Pretoria sacrificing my SELF
respect while the government at home
continued to leave me in the position of
q British consul and not an American
consul.
Mr.. Maorum then tells of his attempt
to compel Americans to remain neutral,
but that in spite of his efforts they were
continually going to the front as burgh-
ers. Even the American vice consul re-
signed his position and took up arms for
the Beers.
His Mail Tempered With.
Regarding the difficulty of sending
and receiving mail and dispatches Mr..
Macrum says:
"It was over four weeks from the
time the war opened before I received q
single mail Or dispatch from my gov
erment or a single private letter. The
mail for the Transvaal had all been
stopped at Cape Town by order Of the
high commissioner. When this mail
vas formally forwarded to me, after
Captain Stowe, the consul general at
Cape Town, had secured it's release I
had the humiliation, as an American
representative, of sitting in my office
and looking upon envelopes of the
United States, officially stamped, sealed
with a sticker notifying mt that the let
tiers had been opened at Durham. I
looked up the international law and
failed to find that any military power
has the right to exercise it's Judgment of
examining the dispatches Of a neutral
government to it's representative. This
interruption continued all the time I
remained in Pretoria.
Requests Leave of Absence.
"The Misrepresentation which had
been going on before the wal and after
it opened were Of such a serious nature
and would require such detailed ex-
PLANTATION that on the 9Th day of Novem-
Der I filed a cable to the department in
code, stating that I wished leave Of alb
sence in order to visit the States. To
this I received a reply advising me that
my presence at Pretoria was important
to public interests. Iagain wired the
department. on Nov. 8 and II, but to
these dispatches I received no reply. On
Nov. IA I again wired the department.
stating that I could not leave without
permission; that I would forfeit my post
if the reasons which I would make to
the department did not prove satisfac-
tory. This cable was retained by the
censor until Dec. 2, when I had advices
that it had just been forwarded. To
this I received a reply r~eiterating the
refusal to grant leave of absence.
Agrees to Stick to His Post.
"Upon the receipt Of this reply, which
was IN Dec. Is, I Immediately wrote to
the department. accepting the refusal to
grant me leave of absence and stating
that in that matter I would abide BY
the decision Of the department. and that
I was unable to convey a definite &C.
count of the conditions there by mail.
Several days later I received a message
saying, You may come home signed
Hay"
Mr.. Macrum then tells Of his depar-
ture from Pretoria under the impression
that he vas still consul and of his ar
arrival at Washington on Feb. 5, when
he was informed that Secretary Hays
son had been officially appointed to sue
coed him. He had expected to make
his report and be returned to Pretoria.
Continuing, he says:
'Instead Of this I found that Score
tary Hay did not see fit to await my
personal report and has been q silent or
conniving partner to the ~discrediting
reports Of my official action.
Not Aware of 4the Secret Alliance"
II wish to state here that when lac.
oepted my post I knew nothing Of q
secret alliance between the United
States and England and I had seen
nothing in the consular Instructions
that made an American consul subject
to the whims and caprices of an English
military censor in Durham.
"There is not one soul who can point
to a single official act of mine which de-
parted from the strictest neutrality.
Ny confidential dispatches to the de-
partment contained information which
will show my sympathy for the repub-
bic, but which time will prove to be un-
biased as to actual facts.
"My acts as a public official are all
recorded at the department.. My acts
now as a private man can in no way in
volve the public service and I simply
make this statement in my own de-
fense."