The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-02-15
STATEMENT BY Mr.. MACRUM


Thought State Department In Dark Re-
garding Exact tConditions-Lcft to Ex-
plain-Amcricans Were Enlisting
with Boers-British Interference
with Official American MaiI-Ma-
cIum's sympathy with the Beers
Attacks Secretary Hay.
Washington, Feb. 14.-A statement
was given out tonight by Charles e.
Macrum, formerly United States con-
sui to Pretoria. In substance it says.
1.-The situation in Pretoria was such
that as an official, 1 could not remain
there while my government was appar-
emily in the dark as to the exact con-
ditions in South Africa. AS man and
citizen of the United States l could not
remain in Pretoria, sacrificing my own
self-respect and that of the people OF
Pretoria, while the government at home
continued to leave me in the position of
British consul and not an American
consul. There was not one request
made of me through the department of
state looking to the care Of British in
terests in Pretoria, which did not full
fill. On the other hand, American in
terests in South Africa were in that con-
dition which demanded that the de-
partment Of state should be cognizant
of them.
Americans Took Up Arms.
II issued the statement received from
the state department that Americans
must remain neutral. In the face OF
this, Americans were continually going
to the front and taking up arms in the
cause of the Beers Many Of these were
citizens of the United States. Many of
them in despair at the apparent atti-
tude of our government were taking the
oath of allegiance to the Transvaal.
When my vice-consul, Mr.. Van Amer
igen, took the oath of allegiance to the
republic and went to the front,
thought the time had come when l
should make a report of these condi-
tions.
Official American Letters Opened.
"It was over four weeks from the
time the war opened before l received
a single mail despatch from my gov
ernment or personal letter. The mail
for the Transvaal had been all stopped
at Cape Town by order Of the high COM
missioner. When this mail was finally
to me after Colonel Stowe,
the CONSUL general at Cape Town, had
secured its release, / had the humilia-
ton as the representative of the Amer
lean government of looking upon envel-
opes bearing the official seal of the
American government opened and off,
cialy sealed with a sticker, notifying
me that the contents had been read by
the censor at Durham.
Iu,rrfr, rnces Wiih Mail Service.
1.-THE mail service from Delagoa bay
10 Europe was continually interrupted
by the action of British men-of-war.
and there were rumors that that port
would be closed and communication,
with the outside world entirely cut off.
The cable service for the Transvaal
was absolutely cut off. ! was informed
oy the Belgian and German consuls at
Pretoria that their official cables in code
% their governments had been refused
oy the censor. / filed one cable in the
interest of an American in Pretoria,
which was refused by the censor in
Durham. This cable was to the fiancee
If Mr.. Nelson, an American business
nan in Pretoria She was on her way
o South Africa and the cable requested
Ter to come by the east coast. When
informed Mr.. Nelson that the cable |
lad not been sent, his brother took the
,ath Of allegiance to the republic and |
vent to the front.
Communications with state Dept
"The Misrepresentation which had /
)een going on before the war and after
opened We're Of such a serious nature /
md would require such detailed ex- |
,lanation that on November 6 1 filed I
cable to the department in code, stat (
ng that I wished a leave of absence
n order to visit the state. I set forth
hat my vice-consul had enlisted in the
3oer army that Mr.. Atterbury, an
american, whom I had known favor
bly, for more than a year, could take
harge of the office until my return. l
eceived from the department reply
dvising me that nay presence at Pre-
oria was important to public interests.
IN the 9Th / telegra phed advising the
apartment that my presence in Amer
"a was important. No reply was re-
eived and I wired again on the 11th
nd again urged a favorable reply. No
eply was received to this. On Novem-
er IA ! again wired the department
tating that I could not leave without
that l would forfeit my
ost If the reasons which I would make
, the department did not prove salts
actory. This cable was delayed by the
ansor until December 2. On November
I again filed a cable. I received a
sply Immediately, which was a reiter-
ton of the reply to my first cable. 1
wrote to the department
ccepting the refusal to grant my leave
nd stating that 1 would attempt to
onvey an intelligent idea for the de-
guidance of the conditions
,ere in mail dispatches. On December
h I received a reply from the depart
lent to my cablegram of the 14th 1t
lad as follows:
"You may come home Put Atterbury
in charge. Department will
md man from here
This was signed Hay Thereupon |
lbled the department as follows:
Sail 18th by Naples"
consul Hoil,s Arrives.
"a few days later received a telegram !
ON Hollis, consul at Delagoa bay,
me to Pretoria to take charge of my