New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-17
THE RECREANT MAcBrrv
HIS NEGLECT OF ALI. AMEprc
TEREsTs IN JoHANNEsB1Re


Sir; The Macrum mystery does NJ.
be explained by the ex-Cons us statsr,s.. "
lished in full in The Tribune OF Fsbr,,a--' =,
On the contrary. like the Irishmans ~. - :.
thickens II clears "
He says that. as an official he coula -.
main there while his Government ar bor,a -
apparently in the dark as to the exact cona,,,.--
In South Africa He himself had renainad a
the dark as 70 the principal object OF his uro,.-
mission to South Africa from the time bs ~.
there, about September a year ago. 10 the nra,
ent moment. and he is now engaged in A.,
seminatins misinformation about the scens :,
his recent official activities
American interests We're centred in Joha,,..
burg. where three thousand Americans ~.
permanently located, most OF them OF .or,.
years residence there where they would renal,
practically during the remainder OF their Iva,
and where they did remain up to the exodus t,,,,
prior to the war. There were almost no Amer,-
cans in Pretoria. But from the time Macr,r,
went there. more than year ago. to the middle
OF last July he had been in Johannesburg b-.
once, and. except for a brief official call On -.
American Vice-COnsul at johannesburg. two o-
three days after his arrival without notice IA
saw practically no Americans but throuxhou,
his stay in johannesburg. spent his time with
some Beers who came with him from Pretoria
He seems to have been entirely in the hand,
Of the burghers at Pretoria, who wined hin
and dined him to occupy his whole attention. "a
the exclusion Of Americans. none OF whom a,
any prominence nad he even met up TO the tin,
of the acute stages Of diplomacy Just prior To
the breaking out of hostilities
HOW He HELPED AMERICANS.
When the famous Article LxxIv. Of ths
Transvaal Constitution, was passed last sum-
mer. to the effect that President Kriirer q,
consultation with the Cornmandant-GeneraLa and
with the consent Of the Executive Councu
might proclaim martial law. whereupon evsry
inha bitant, without distinction, whether burvh
ers not, would be obliged to assist in the de-
fence Of the State. there were over one thousand
Americans in Johannesburg liable to be i'm
pressed into service. They Immediately asked
Consul Macrum to come over from Pretoria to
Johannesburg to discuss the subject with them
but he did not come. pleading urgent business
matters at Pretoria as his excuse. In reply to a
letter on the subject from his fellow country
men in johannesburg. he informed them by let
ter Of August IL. 1890. that in case American
citizens in johannesburg met and adopted reso-
lutions Of sympathy with the Outlander move
ment or Endorsed the proposed demands OF ths
strued by the Government at Pretoria as an IN
friendly act, and would place IN jeopardy the
lives and property Of many OF our citizens. and
Macrum desired that the vice-ConsuI would
deprecate such a movement in every possible
manner, advising him with promptness Of his
action.
Here was a large influential and liberty Low.
ing group Of American and American born men
capable of bearing arms. settled in a foreign
country by invitation of that country. having
lands and vested rights acquired according %
law. but deprived of the elementary rights q
civilization; fellow countrymen Of Consul Ma
crum. whose freedom of speech was abridged
and whose right peaceably to assemble and 70
petition the Government for redress OF grisT-
ances was prohibited while their official rep
resentative. ignorant OF their situation careless
of their rights. was making himself the mouth
piece of the tyrannous Kruger regime. with the
gratuitous advice that by the passing OF reso-
lutions setting forth their just grievances they
might offend their opp-essors.
TRYING TO ANNEX THE ADMIRAL
Consul Macrum. while neglecting his plain
duties to his fellow countrymen. was not IN
mindful of his own glory as a turnkey OF Mr.
KRUGER and State Secretary Reitz with whom
he boosted OF dining twice a week. He even
aspired to have Admiral HOwison with his party
of six officers from the United States cruiser
Chicago then in Delagoa Bay follow in the
Macrum train TO the Pretoria Executive Man
sion the Fourth OF July last and in some
manner il was cabIed to New-York that tbs
Admirars party had special permission TO visit
the Pretoria Government In uniform and with
sidearms. and were entertained by the Govern
ment. and there engaged in serious talk about
America being asked to arbitrate between Great
Britain and the TransvaaI. The facts were that
the officers did not go in uniform, did not VSt
Pretoria, were not entertained at all oy tAs
Pretoria Government. and had nothing what
ever TO say about arbitration. 1t appears mat
MaCrum proclaimed in advance that the AonlIaA
would come TO Pretoria on his initiative. Wnen
Macrum found out that the Admiral had no
idea of coming to Pretoria, or paying an onclA
visit ne telegraphed to the Admiral in Johannes
burg that unless he and his officers visited Pre-
tOria a stringent explanation would be reQuireu
by the TranSvaal Government, TO which lhe
Admiral bIuntly replied that he was there IN
officially TO see the gold fields. that no explana-
ton of his visit would be required, ana Ger
tainly none would be given, that naval onceis
did not receive commands from consuls. ana
that II would be appropriate for MI MacruA
TO leave the movements of the Navy 10 others
The ludicrOus attempt OF Mr. Macrurn 10 oraps
the American nag with the Pretoria eHolsm o.
oligarchy and its ignOminious failure dld hos
teach Macrum modesty. When called upon on
the outbreak Of war 10 act as the al interim
OF British interests. IN accordance
with time honOred precedent he saw In II PROOFS
OF an AnglO-American alliance. and. having nls
love OF liberty stimulated by semi-WeeAiS ~
torian wine his self-respect would not permit
him TO act as such representative.
Thereupon in a great emergency. win ehoi-
nous interests in the Transvaal 10 De prO.
tected with destitute Americans there Wltnou'
to enable them TO leave the counIy.
he threw down his commission and started Ioi
home to enlighten the Administration at W SsI-
ington on the broad facts OF international a.
Uances and of intervention; but in doing so ~
exhibited himself in self-confessed ignorance =.
the plain facts Immediately within his proper
sphere in johannesburg He conveys tHe -.