The Journal of the Siam Society Vol. LXIV, Part 1-2, 1976 - Khamkoo

AMERICAN DIPLOMATS TN SOUTHEAST ASIA 73
was by now critical even of American missionaries like McDonald and
Dr. William Dean ;136
A Consulate not in antagonism to the majority of Citizen
Residents and commanding the respect from the Community
formerly devoted to them, is a novelty of which they do not
approve and which they are prepared to work even with the
disreputable ones to undermine.
In August Sickels' successor arrived in Bangkok, and Sickels wrote
complaining that his efforts to expand American trade "have not been
appreciated by the Department of State" and objecting to "my removal
from office, for frivolous reasons."l37 Sickels praised his successor,
General Halderman, whom he said was pledged to pursue "the same line
of policy which I adopted soon after my arrival: viz., treating the Siamese
like human beings with rights inherited from their Creator."i38 At the
same time he held Torrey "mainly responsible for the errors of my
administration of the Consulate."i39
When Sickels departed Bangkok, The Siam Weekly Advertiser
published a letter from an unspecified group of American residents
praising Sickels' conduct in Siam and the paper itself commended Sickels'
136) Bangkok Despatches, January 8, 1880.
137) Bangkol~Despatches, September 7, 1880.
138) Bangkok Despatches, September 12, 1880.
139) Bangkok Despatches, October 15, 1880, In another despatch (October 5, 1880)
Sickels called Torrey "The author of much mischief in Bangkok," while
Torrey complained to Washington of "the incompetence of my principal."
In the same despatch (August 15, 18 80), Torrey cautioned against the appointment
of missionaries at the consulate, saying that .while he personally admired
them the Thai looked upon the missionaries with "good-natured contempt."
(Torrey's advice may have been influenced by the fact that he wanted to
remain as vice-consu1-Halderman's statement that he "desires to be relieved"
(August 30, 1880) not withstanding-but Halderman instead nominated the
missiona.ry. McDonald.)