The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-05-20
O'BE|RNE FAILS
To CONVINCE HAY
That We Could intervene in
the Transvaal
AND KEEP OUT OF A ROW
O'Beirne Visits officials in the B0er
Delegates Interest.
TO SUBMIT THEIR CREDENTIALS MONDAY
Delegates 10 be Presented Afterwards. They
Hold Levee at The Arlington. This
Government Won't Ask Eng.
land 10 Stop the War.
(By the Associated Press.)

10y the ASSOCldleu 1FeSS.)
Washington, May 19.-Three very tired
Boer ENJOYS stood up all the morning in
their apartments at the Arlington.
shaking hands with a constant stream OF
visitors, acquiesing in the numerous re-
quests and suggestions of the Washing
ton reception committee and cautiously
parryng the rapid fire of inquiries from
a small army of newspaper correspond
ents.
Mr.. Fischer. as usual was the spokes-
man for the party, talking in excellent
English.
Commissioner Fischer talked freely
with the correspondents and emphasized
his wish to be as frank as possible with
out giving offense to the American Gov
eminent
We are playing wholly unaccustomed
role as diplomats said he "and we must
be careful. 1t has been suggested to us
since we reached America that we have
hurt our chances with the State Depart
ment by accepting the hospitality of the
several committees that have welcomed
us But ! would like very much to have
the case fairly stated to the public. Our
Government has turned to the United
States as to a great and powerful nation
whose people We believe our friends We
have a mission to perform to the State
Department, and there are things con-
nected with that mission which the State
Department has a right to know before
we discuss them in public We have con-
sistently refrained from saying to the
press what should first be laid before the
officials of this Government, but when
we are met by committees made up, as
we are assured CT representative men who
sympathiZe with u.s. it would be churlish
TO turn our backs on these friends and
refuse the courtesies they offer us.
I'VE have been criticised for accepting
an invitation to the meeting at the thea
tire tomorrow night before we have been
received at the State Department, but we
have promised to appear and make our
bow upon the guarantee of the committee
that it is simply a friendly welcome ex-
tended by our sympathiZers and will be
free from all partisan politics. If we
believed there would be q word uttered
there for fractional or political purposes
we should rot attend. but we have been
assured it is merely a friendly welcome"
Asked what were the nature of the
com:cissions credentials, Mr.. Fischer
replied
They are from our Government and we
believe are ample to enable us, through
the good offices Of a friendly government.
to stop the bloodshed that is going on in
our home country. Further than that l
would not like to discuss them"
Regarding the terms on which he
thought peace possible, Mr.. Fischer said:
I'VE have not come with any hard and
fast proposition. but we believe an hon.
Orable peace is possible and we believe
the United States is the one country so
situated as to be able to bring it about.
would the recent victories of the Brit
ish in South Africa have any effect on
the terms you would be willing to ac-
cept," he was asked.
Possibly he replied. ''yet that is a
matter that I can't discuss now
When asked if he expected to see any
OF the representatives of Great Britain in
Washington, he said;
I'VE may possibly. We shall not go
after them, but we should be glad to talk
10 any fair minded Englishman for if the
English people had known the truth in
the South African situation this war never
would have been begun.
'Will the Transvaal entertain any peace
proposals that recognize the suzerainty
of England" he was asked.
IF England wants suzerainty over the
republics, he replied, ''she will have to
come and take it," His two tall swarthy
companions nodded assent
Colonel OBeirne, who, some months
ago vainly sought recognition as a Dip
lomatic representative of the Boer Re-
publics, yesterday appeared at the State
Department in the interest of the three
delegates.
Colonel O'Beirne has previously had
short talk with the President. who d.
rected him 10 the State Department
Secretary Hay listened to the reasons WV
the United States Government should act
TO bring the war to a close. Colonel
O'Beirne, like the Boer delegates felt that
the mere direction of the United States
would suffice to induce England to cease
hOStilties. He argued with a good deal
Of eloquence, but without convincing the
officials that the United States Govern
ment could intervene in the manner pro-
posed without becoming at once involved
as party to the war. 1t can be set
down as certain that the present deter
mination of our Government is not to
request England to stop the war.
The credentials OF the Boer delegates