The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-16

The statement published by Mr.. Charles
Pretoria, shows what asses sometimes
break into the American consular service.
He seems to nave begun the demonstration
at his post of duty. but to make it COM
plete and effective he journeyed all the way
from Africa to the United States, posing as
a lion, and then betrays his true character
by a sonorous and prolonged bray. If the
secretary of state should think it worth
while, as doubtless he will not, to make
any defense Of Macrum's removal from
office, re need only point to this statement,
for 1T shows he was a troublesome, prag-
NAUTICAL, insubordinate official. without any
proper conception of his duties or his rela-
lions to the department. His statement
seems to have been framed for the double
purpose of defending himself for having
deserted his post of duty and of putting
the State Department i'm the wrong for
having tried to make him obey ~instruc-
lions. The trouble with Mr.. Macrum evil
IDENTIFY was that he regarded himself, if not
as a coordinate branch of the govern
ment, at least as a diplomatic official Of
large discretionary powers whose duty it
was to regulate the foreign policy of the
United States, whereas he was nothing but
a plain consul whose duty was to mind his
business and obey orders. According to
his own statement the services Of a con-
sui at Pretoria had no sooner become i'm
portant than he began to importune the
State Department by cable for leave to
come home. He says:
The misrepresentation which had been
going on before the war and after ii opened
were or such a serious nature and would
require such detailed explanation that on
the 9Th of November / filed a cable to the
department in code. stating that wished
leave of absence in order TO visit the
States.
whatever they were or from whatever
source they emanated. were none of his
business. He evidently thought 1t his duty
to post the State Department regarding the
Boer side of the controversy. and therefore
asked for leave to come home. The de-
| partment replied that his presence at Pre-
toria was important to the public interests.
With a man of sense and an official with a
proper understanding of his relations to
the department that would have ended
matters. but Macrum cabled the depart
ment again on the Sth of November. a
third time on the 18th, a fourth time on
the 18th and a fifth time on the 18th. Such
importantly. amounting to INSTRUMENTATION,
could not be tolerated. and the department
finally cabied him that he might come
home. This was really a dismissal, but
Macrum construed it as an invitation to
come home and take the department into
his confidence regarding the situation in
the Transvaal. MY one object" he says,
was to lay the Information before the de-
partment as to the true state of affairs in
South Africa" AS the post which he de-
serted is now filed by another man the de-
partment will probably be able to get along
without Mr.. Macrum's views regarding
1.-THE true state OF affairs in South Africa
A word as TO his statement that some of
his official mail was opened by the British
censor at Durham. He says that among
some mail that reached him shortly after
the war began II had the humiliation, as
the representative OF the American gov
eminent. OF sitting in my office in Pretoria
and looking on envelopes bearing the off,
cial seal of the American government
opened and officially sealed with a
sticker. notifying me that the contents
had been read by the censor at Dur
BAN" This might have occurred once
through the ignorance or mistake OF SOM
subordinate official. and Macrum does not
say 1t occurred more than once. Official
communications OF a neutral power in time
of war are. OF course. not subject TO Gen.
sorshIp. II Mr.. Macrum's mail was opened