Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-15
State Department Not Notified That
Macrum's Mail Was Opened.
ASSERTION NOT BELIEVED THERE
Authorized Statement Regarding
the Matter.
RESOLUTION OF INQUIRY

The following statement was made for
publication by direction Of Secretary Hay
today with the understanding that IT should
be used precisely as prepared and without
additions:
THE published statement of Mr. Macrrm
does not appear TO have seriously disturbed
the officers of the Department of State
While they do not think il necessary to
discuss his statement In detail or otherwise
dignity it by a specific refutation. yet one
OF them stated emphatically that MIR Ma
crum never reported to the department the
incident, upon which he lays so much
stress, that his official mail was being reg
ularly tampered with by the British, au-
thorlties, nor does the department place
the slightest credence in such statements
He did, in general way. report that
both official and private mail intended for
American citizens did not reach him pune
tually, and asked that protest be made on
account of this rather arbitrary proceeding
on the part of the postal authorities Every
report from Mr.. Macrum was carefully
studied, adm, so far as the department was
able TO ascertain the situation 1t was learn
ed that no unnecessary delay-none Ger
tainly beyond what might be expected dur
ing a state of war-existed Under these
naturally some Qt-dN Was
inevitable and unavoidable, but that any
correspondence official or otherwise, was
ever opened, inspected or delayed by the
British authorities the department does not
for an instant believe.
Certain 1t is that Mr. Macrum never re-
ported it.
Mr.. Macrum states that HIS vice consul,
Mr.. Van Ameringen. closed up his bust
,aaf af all 10 =
public and went to the front a burgher.
when Mr.. Ameringen applied for ap-
pointment as vice consul at Pretoria he
stated that he was born in Holland; that
his legal residence was at Pretoria, and
that he was a naturalized citizen of the
South African republic. This application
was dated Pretoria, November L, 1885,
Resolution of Inquiry Introduced.
Representative Wheeler of Kentucky to-
day introduced in the House the following
resolution:
Whereas Charles Macrum, late a consul
of the government of the United States at
Pretoria, in the Transvaal republic. over
his own signature, charges, When this
(his) mail was finally forwarded to me. az
ter Col. Stowe, the American consul gen
eral at Capetown. had secured its release l
had the humiliation as the representative
of the American government of sitting in
my office in Pretoria and looking upon en-
velopes bearing the official seal .nf rhe
American government opened and officially
sealed with sticker notifying me that the
contents had been read by the censor at
Durham; and
Whereas ne further states in the same
article, When l accepted my post as con-
sui | knew nothing of any secret alliance
between America and Great Britain: There
fore be it
Resolved, by the House, That the Secre-
tary of State is directed to inform the
House of Representatives if said Charles Z.
Macrum as consul Of the American govern
ment informed the State Department that
his official mail had been opened and read
by the British censor at Durham. and. if so,
what steps, if any, have been taken to OBJ
tain an explanation and apology from the
British government.
Section 2. He is further directed TO in
form the House of Representatives what
truth there is in the charge that a secret
alliance exists between the republic OF the
United States and the empire Of Great
Britain
The Speaker referred the resolution To the
foreign affairs committee