The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-02-15
Ex-Consul to Pretoria Has Broken
Ills Long and Mysterious Silence.
HIS OFFICIAL DISPATCHES OPENED
ureat Britain Subjected Him to Indignities and His
American Manhood Would Not Allow Him
to Remain at His Post

In America was important, No reply was
received and wired again on the nth,
stating that no reply had been reeeiyed'
and again urged n favorable reply. No
reply was received to this. On the f4th
( OF November again wired the depart-
ment, stating that ! could not leave with
out permission: that would forfeit NV
post II the reasons which would make
10 the department did not prove satisfac-
Tory rms cable was delayed by tho CEN
sor until the End OF December On the
18th of November again Aled n oabIe
stating that three OF my cables had been
unanswered aud stating that a substitute
would act rs consul during my absence
and requested a reply, To this received
reply Immediately, which was re-
Iteration OF the reply to my nrst cable.
On receipt OF this reply. which was on
November co. | Immediately wrote 70 ths
department accepting the refusal TO grant
my leave and stating IN that letter Mint
would abide by the decison OF the de-
partmont and attempt to convey an intel
llrent idea for the departments guidance
oi the conditions therein On the ith Of
december received reply from the de-
partment 10 my cablegram OF the 18th,
which had been informed two days pre-
Niously had Just been sent. II read a,s fol-
lows. You ma, come home. Put Altar
bury temporarily in charge Department
WIZ send man from here This was
signed Day Thereupon cabled the de-
partmcnt as follows Sail 18th by Ma
! Pies
This oablegram wos sent on the sth
/ ana In the meantime prepared to 70. A
\ few days later received n telegram from
Mr. Hollis consul at neIagoa nav tnat
! ng that he had been instructed 10 come
10 Pretoria TO take charge OF my otnce
| during my absencs, and until man
/ should arrive from Washington MIR.
/ Hollis arrived on the 14th OF December
and was thereby posted In the routine Of
the office and | introduced hm 10 tho
/ heads OF all the governmental DEPART
ments and TO my consular colleagues. I
len Pretoria the night Of December l6. |
went straight to Paris. notified tho de-
pariment of my presence there while wait
ing for the American lire boat to sail for
Now York, | arrived in Washington on
inc 9Th af February and reported to AS
nlivanf Secretary Hill OF the state de-
phrtment who Informed me that Secretary
Hay had appointed my successor as con-
sui 70 Pretoria
y appreciated the seriousness NJ the
conditions IN South Africa TO the extent
that on my way to Washington, bcliev-
Ing was stil the consul at Pretoria |
refused to make any statment thar would
=" "Hf WY luNbtff lllo Impairment or EN-
barrnss 1t. My one object was 10 lay the
Information before the department as 10
We true diatc OF affairs In South Africa.
II the department. thought these facts
We're of value sufficient 10 warrant the
expense OF the trip had taken. ey-
pected to be remunerated and TO return
to Pretoria, leaving the department 10 ae.
os It saw Mt upon the facts which ! laid
before It.
lrstead of this ind that Sec
rotary Hay--whether acting upon the
reports In the newspapers, or upon advice
from the British government. or soma
other motive. don't know-saw AZ not
TO wait until could present my reasons
10 person and hes been silent or con-
living partner to discredtting reports Of
my official adts come home to find an
attempt has been made to tear down my
personal reputation. wish to state right
here that when accepted my post a.
consul I know nothing Of any secret al
lance between America and Great Britain
ana rhat had seen nothing in the regua-
lions which made the consul of the Amer
lean Republic subject 10 the whims and
caprice Of an English miiit.ry censor at
Durham l came to America with mo-
tive OF which am not ashamed.
There is not one soul who can polni
TO a single act OF niue which departed
from the strlciest neutrality. My con.
hdenflal dispatches TO the department
contained information which viii show
my sympathy for the republic, but which
time Will prove to be unbiased as 70 ac-
tual iaets. Ny acts as public official
are all recorded at the department My
acts now as private citizen can ~ no
= way Involve the public service and | sim
ply make this statement IN my own de-
Tense as agains; those which have come
from the department secretly ana 3fe-
elally Charles e. Maerlm."
, o o 0 o Q . 0 o O Q q q q m n q eaanan.aA.