The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-02-28
Secretary Hay
ContradictS Macrum.
Pointed Denlals to Macrum's
Statements.

washington, Feb Il The answer
OF the house to the state department
calling for an investigation into the
charges made by the late Consul Ma.
crum was transmitted to the bouse
by the president. 1t is signed bv
Secretary Hay, and sfter reciting the
resolution, Gays:
Answer to the fret part of the
resolution The department of state
has been in regular communication
by mail and telegraph with Charles
= Macrum, late consul of the United
States at Pretoria. South African
republic. since his entrance upon the
duties of the Office Communications
made to him have been answered and
the execution Of instructions sent
has been reported by him. His dis.
patches to the department forwarded
through the consulate at Lorenzo
Marques, have during that time been
regularly received The only iu-
stance of complaint in respect to the
transit of the mails for Lorenzo
Marques and Pretoria was in Novem.
Der last. in which a temporary stop
page of the mails occurred at Cape
Town. sgains. which Mr. Macrum
and the consul at Lorenzo Marques
protested Arrangements were made
for the prompt delivery of the con.
suIar malls to the Uai.cd States
consul general at Cape Town, by
whom the mail for Mr. Hollis and
Mscrum was forwarded to Lorenzo
Marques The delay lasted few
days and has not REQUIRED 60 far
as the department lie advised.
Alter that time the departments
mail for Lorenzo Marques and
Pretoria was sent by q neutral
route which it appears was
known and open to Mr. Macrum
and Mr. Hollis as early as Nov
l6 last. No obstacle is known to
have existed since then to Mr. M.
crum's unhampered correspondence
with the department of state At DO
time while at his post did Mr.. Ma
crum report 10 the department an
instance Of violation of by opening
or otherwise of bis Official mail by
the British censor al Durban or by
any person or persons whatsoever,
there or elsewhere. Neither has be
80 reported since he left Pretoria, al
though having the smpIest opportun-
it's to do 80 by mail while on the way
home and 10 person when he report
ed to toe department upon bis
return
Answering the second part of the
aforesaid resolution, the undersigned,
secretary of state, has the honor to
say that there is no truth in the
charge that a secret alliance exiss be.
tween the republic of the United
States and the empire of Great
Britain that no form of secret
alliance is possible under the cousti.
tuition of the United States inasmuch
as treaties require the advice aud
consent Of the senate No under
standing exists between the United
States and any other nation
Department of state. Feb 20, 1900.
(Signed) John Hay
The presidents message conveying
this report gave categorical answer
to The questions embodied in the re-
solution and did no, refer to the
action of the department 10 relation
to the matter 1t has since been
given out at the state department
that inquiries set on foot Immediately
after the publication of Mscrum's
inst statement developed the fact
that the British government had no
knowledge of any Interference with
the correspondence of the United
States consulate at Pretoria, and the
additional fact that if any inter.er.
ence had taken place it was contrary
to instructions.