The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1900-02-19
MACRUM. CHARGES
SECRET ALLIANCE
Former Consul to Pretoria
Tells of His Recall to
Washington.
HE WAS TREATED BADLY
Macrum's Statement Of His Side OF
tho Case Shows His Own Sym
pathy and That Of the State
Department To Be
Antagonistic.

United states consul to Pretoria:
1.-THE situation In Pretoria was sucn
that. first as an official 1 could not re-
main there while my government at home
was apparently in the dark as to the ex-
act conditions in South Africa.
Second. as a man and citizen OF the
United States. l could not remain IN Ere
toria, sacrificing my own self-respect ana
that of the people OF Pretoria wniie tho
government at home continued to leave
me in the position of a British consu!
and not an American consul.
II want to say right here that there was
not one single request made of me through
the department of state looking TO inc
care of British interests In Pretoria, winch
| did not fulfill and report upon accord
ing TO my orders. On the other manu.
American interests in South Africa were
in that condition which demanded that
the department of state should be cog
INFANT of them
'I issued the statement received from
the state department that Americans must
remain neutral. In the face OF TINS
Americans were continually going to Inc
front and taking up arms IN the cause
of the Beers. | could not help but know
that many of these were Citizens OF lhe
United States. | also know that many
Of them in their utter despair at the APP
parent attitude of our own government
were taking the oath of allegiance to the
Transvaal republic. When affairs had
reached. that state my vice consul. Mr.
Van Ameriagen. closed up his business,
took the oath of allegiance to the re-
public and went to the front as burgher.
| thought the time had come when L
should make a report OF these conditions
Despaired of State Department.
ct was over four weeks from the time
the war opened before | received a single
mail dispatch from my government or a
personal letter. The mail for the Trans
vaal had all been stopped at Cape Town
by order of the high commissioner. when
this mail was finally forwarded to mo
after Colonel Stowe. tho consul general
alt Cape Town. had secured its release
had the humiliation as the representa-
tive of the American government of sit
ting in my office in Pretoria and looking
upon envelopes bearing the official sea-
OF the American government opened ana
officially sealed with n sticker notifying
me that the contents had been read by the
censor at Durham.
Il looked up the law. but failed to nnd
anywhere that ono military power can
use is own discretion as to forwarding
the official dispatches OF neutral gov
ernmcnt to IT'S representative In be-
S!egcd country.
THE Misrepresentation which had been
going on before the war and after II
opened were OF such a serious nature and
would require such detailed explanation,
that on the 9th of November / filed ca
bic to the department in code. stating that
| wished leave of absence in order to
visit the states. l set forth in this cable
that by vice consul had enlisted IN the
Boer army: that AIR. Atterbury. an Amer
lean. whom ] had known very favorably
for more than year. could take charge
of the office until my return.
''In reply to this dispatch, which was
forwarded without any delay, l received
from the department reply advising me
that my presence at Pretoria was i'm
uortant 10 public interests. On the Sth
| telegraphed again acknowledging the
receipt of the cable and advising the Ge-
partment that the situation was not critl-
cal: that Mr. Atterbury was competent;
that my presence in America was i'm
portant No reply was received and 1
wired again on the 18th, stating that no
reply had been received. and again urged
a favorable reply. No reply was received
to this.
Refused To Grant Leave.
81 received a reply Immediately which
was a rettera ton of the reply to the firSt
cable. Upon receipt of this reply. which
was on the 10Th of November. l immedl-
ately wrote to the department accepting
the refusal to grant my leave. and stat
ing in that letter that l would abide
by the decision OF the department, and
attempt TO convey an intelligent idea. for
the departments guidance, OF the condl-
lions there in mail dispatches. on the 4th
of December l received a reply from the
department to cablegram OF the 18th,
which / had been Informed two days
previously had just been forwarded. IL
read as follows:
"'You may come home. Put At
terbury temporarily in charge. De-
partment VIII send man from here
This was signed Hay. Thereupon I
cabled the department follows:
sail 18th by Naples
This cablegram was sent on the 18th.
and in the meantime l prepared to go. y
few DAYS later / received telegram from
Mr. Hollis. consul at DelaSoa Bay, stat
ing THAI he had been instructed to come
to Pretoria 10 take charge of my office
during my absence. and until a man
should arrive from Washington. Mr..
Hollis arrived on the 18th of December.
and was thoroughly posted in the rou-
time of the office. and | introduced him
to the heads of all governmental de-
partments and to my consular colleagues.
II left Pretoria the night of December
10th | went straight to Paris. notified
the department of my presence there
while waiting for the American line boat
to sail for New York. | arrived In
Washington on Monday, the 18th of Feb
ruary, and reported To Assistant Secre-
tary Hill, of the state department. who
officially informed me that Secretary
Hays son had been appointed in my
place. aud that he was on his way to
Pretoria.
If appreciated the seriousness of the
conditions in South Africa to the extent
that on my way to Washington. belleN-
ing that | was still the consul in freto-
ria | refused to make any statement that
would I'm any way involve the depart
nent or embarrass it, My one object
was to lay the Information before the
department as to the true state of affairs
in South Africa. If the department.
thought these facts We're of a value suf-
fcient to warrant the expense of the
trip / had taken. / expected To be remu-
uerated and To return to Pretoria, leaving
the department to act as it saw fit upon
the facts which | laid before il.
Secret Alliance Hinted.
"Instead of this, L find that Secretary
Hay. whether acting upon the reports in
the newspapers. or upon advice from
the British government or some other
motive, I do not know. has not seen fit