The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-20
MISSION OF B0ER DELEGATES.
TREY WANT AN INTERVIEW WITH
STATE DEPARTMENT.

They Say Their Credentials Are Am
pie to NegOtiHte - Declare They
Want an Honorable Peace, hut
They Say if England Wants Suzer-
ainty, She VIII Have to Take 1t.
They Think United States Should
Take Hand.
Washington, May 19.-Three very tired
Boer ENJOYS stood up all the morning in
thelr apartments at The Arlington shak-
ing hands with a constant stream cf vis-
itors, acquiescing in the numerous requests
and suggestions of the Washington recep-
ton committee, and cautiously parrying
the rapid fire of inquiries from a small
army of newspaper correspondents.
Mr.. Fischer, as usual was The spolxss-
man of the party talking rapidly in ex-
cellent English.
Commissioner Fischer talked quite freely
with the correspondents and emphasized
his wish to be as frank as possible without
! giving ofTense to the American govern
| ment.
I'VE are playing a wholly unaccustomed
role as diplomats he said, land we must
be careful. It has been suggested to us
SiiASC VIC l6dCueu America tDaI we nave
| hurt our chances with the state depart
ment by accepting the hospitality Of the
| several committees that have welcomed
| Us. But l would like very much 20 have
| the case fairly stated 10 the public. Our
government has turned 20 the United
| States as to a great and powerful ma
| ton whose people, we believe, are our
| friends We have a mission to perform
| with the state department and there are
things connected with that mission which
| the state department has a right now to
| know before we discuss them in public
We have consistently refrained from say
ing to the press what should first be
! laid before the officials of the govern
ment, but when we are met by commit
| tees made up as we are assured of repre-
| sentative men who sympathize with us,
| 1t would be churiish to turn our backs
on those friends and refuse the courtesies
| they offer us.
| 1--WE have been criticised for accepting
| an invitation to the meeting at the The
ater tomorrow night before we have
! been received at the state department,
! but we have promised to appear and make
our bow upon the guarantee of the COM
mittee, that 1t is simply a friendly well
| come extended by. our sympathizers, and
will be free from all partisan politics. If
we believed there would be a word ut
tered there for factiOnal or political pur-
poses, we should not attend, but we have
| been assured it is merely q friendly well
come"
Credentials Are Ample.
Asked what were the nature of the COM
missions credentials, MIR. Fischer re-
piled:
''They are from our government, and
we believe are ample to enable U.S. through
the good offices of friendly government,
to stop the bloodshed that is going on in
our home country. Further than that I
| would not Ike to diScuSS them -
Regarding the terms on which he
| thought peace possible, Mr.. Fischer said:
I'VE have not come with any hard and
fast proposition But we believe an hon
orable peace Is possible, and we believe
| the United States is the one country so
| situated as to be able to bring it about"
Would the recent victories of the Brit
| ish in South Africa have any effect on the
terms you would be willing TO accept?"
he was asked.
Possibly" he replied, 'yet that Is a
matter rcant discuss now
When asked if he expected to- see any
of the representatives of Great Britain
In Washington, he said:
1--WE may possibly. We shall not go af-
| ter them, but we should be glad to talk
to any fair-minded Engiishman, for If the
| English people had known the truth Ia the
South African situation this war never
would have been begun"
"Will the Transvaal entertain any peace
proposals that recognize the suzerainty of
| England?' he was asked.
"If England wants suzerainty over the
republic" he replied, "she will have to
come and take H."
His two tall, swarthy companions nodded
assent.
They Want an Interview.
Col. O'Beirne. who some months ESQ
vainly sought recognition as a Diplomatic
representative Of the Beer republics, yes
terday appeared at the state department in
the interest of the three delegates Col
O'Beirne had previously had a short talk
with the President, who directed him TO
the state department Secretary Hay ls-
| tened TO the reasons why the United stat
government should act to bring the war to
close. Col O'Berne, like the Boer DEL
| egates, felt that the mere direction of the
United States would suffice 20 induce Eng
| land to cease hostilities. He argued with
a good deal of eloquence, but without con-
| vincing the officials that The United States
| could intervene in the manner proposed
without becoming at once as party TO the
| quarrel q can be set down as certain that
the present determination Of the Uni. ed
| States government is not 10 request Eng
| land to stop the war
The credentials of the Boer deleRates
will be submitted to the Secretary OF State
| Monday next. Col. O Eeirne called at the
state ccpartme mt this afternoon and ar
rarg with Secretary Fay that the Boer
credentials should be submittsd in ad-
vance of the presentation of the gentle
men themselves. This is In accordance
with the usual rule governing the presen-
tation of foreign ministers. So Mr.. Bruyn,
the private secretary of the Boer delega-
tion is expected to bring the credentials
TO the state department Monday where
| they will be submitted for the careful ex-
| animation of the department which dces
not at present know anything Of their
| character.