No. 270.] No. 68. Mr. E. B. Washburne to Mr. Fish. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Paris, August 29, 1870. (Received September 14.) SIR: The decree of General Trochu, governor of Paris, which I have the honor to send herewith, marked No. 1, appeared this morning in the official journal, and was placarded over the city last night. Being so sweeping in its terms and so emphatic in its declarations, it of course created a very great degree of excitement among the large number of Germans yet remaining in Paris. The legation was besieged at an early hour by a large crowd of Germans, and although I had employed as many men as could work, yet the number was nearly as great at night as it was in the morning. I felt it my duty to call and address myself to the Prince de la Tour d'Auvergne in regard to both articles of the decree; the first in regard to the very limited time allowed for departure, and the second in relation to the application for the special permission for "séjour" in Paris. In this matter I should state that I acted in concert with Mr. Kern, the Swiss minister, protecting the Bavarians and the Badois, a diplomat of wisdom, experience, and energy. We saw the minister of foreign affairs separately, and who explained matters to each of us in the same way, but referring us to the minister of the interior, who was more particularly charged with the subject. Accordingly Mr. Kern and myself called on Mr. Chevereau at 7 o'clock this evening. In the first place we called his attention to the short time allowed to the Germans to leave Paris, and that even if they were ready to go, it would be utterly impossible for us to furnish them with the requisite papers. In reply, Mr. Chevereau said that although three days was the time named in the proclamation, yet no advantage would be taken of those who were unable to get away within that time. In the second place, in regard to the permission to be obtained for a sojourn in Paris, we explained to him that we could not, in our diplomatic capacity, make any application whatever to General Trochu, and that our dealings must be with the civil authorities; that if the terms of the proclamation were to be adhered to, we should be powerless to render any aid to the parties with whose protection we had been charged. I explained particularly to Mr. Chevereau the very large number of Germans under my protection who had lived for a long series of years in Paris, and had vast interests at stake; that many of those persons were connected in business with American citizens, and to compel them all to leave would be an incredible hardship, and would entail immense sacrifices. The minister replied very promptly that that question had been just considered by the government, and that our applications could be addressed to the prefect of the police, who had been charged specially with the whole business. He told us to make applications for whoever we pleased, and that they would be considered without any delay, and that whenever we submitted an application of any party for permission to remain in Paris we might consider it as granted unless we had special notice of its rejection. I have the honor to send you further a notice which appears in this morning's "Journal Officiel," and marked No. 2. It is an invitation to all persons in Paris who are not in a condition "de faire face à l'ennemi" to leave Paris. In my interview to-day with the Prince de la Tour d'Auvergne I asked him about this notice. He replied that while it was not to be construed as an order which would oblige Americans to leave, yet under existing circumstances he thought it would be well for me to recommend my countrymen to get away as soon as they could, in their own interests. Everything shows that the French government look upon a siege of Paris as probable, for it is making the most stupendous preparation in that direction. I have telegraphed you to that effect to-day in cipher, and also, looking to possibilities, I suggested whether you should not ask the Prussian government to protect Amercan property in Paris, in the event its army reached here. I need not tell you there is a very large amount of property owned by Americans in Paris, and I hope it will be respected by both sides as property of neutrals. E. B. WASHBURNE. No. 1. The governor of Paris in view of the law of August 9, 1849, on the state of siege; in view of the imperial decree of August 7, 1870, by which Paris and the department of the Seine are declared in a state of siege; in view of article 75 of the decree of December 24, 1811, which invested the governor of a place, in a state of war, with the necessary authority to expel strangers; in view of the laws of November 18, 20, and December 3, 1869, relating to measures of police applicable to strangers; considering that in the interest of the national defense, and also in order to guarantee the security of persons belonging, by their nationality, to the countries at war with France, it is necessary to remove strangers-decrees as follows: ARTICLE 1. Every person not a naturalized Frenchman, and belonging to a country actually at war with France, must leave Paris and the department of the Seine before the expiration of three days, and leave France or retire into one of the departments situated beyond the Loire. ART. 2. Every foreigner coming within the provisions of the preceding injunction, who shall not have conformed to it, and shall not have obtained a special permission to remain, emanating from the governor of Paris, will be arrested and delivered to the military tribunals to be judged according to law. PARIS, August 28, 1870. The Governor of Paris, TROCHU No. 2. Considerable reserves destined for provisioning Paris have been made under the care of the administration. They increase every day. The prefect of the Seine thinks it his duty to request the inhabitants to provide themselves in advance, according to the measure of their wants and resources, with the different kinds of food capable of preservation and lasting. The interest of the defense, even more than that of subsistence, requires that persons incapable of withstanding the enemy should remove themselves from Paris. The counsellor of state, general secretary performing the functions of prefect, ALFRED BLANCHE. No. 272.] No. 69. Mr. E. B. Washburne to Mr. Fish. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Paris, August 31, 1870. (Received September 15.) SIR: Referring to my dispatch No. 261, of August 17, I have the honor to inclose you an extract from the official journals, fixing the date of the commencement of the blockade of the North German coast at the 19th instead of the 15th of August. E B. WASHBURNE. [Translation.] (Extract from the Journal Officiel of August 30, 1870.) OFFICIAL PART. The notification inserted in the Journal Officiel of the 25th of August relative to the blockade of the coast of the confederation of North Germany in the Baltic, has erroneously fixed the 15th of August as the commencement of the blockade. It is only from the 19th of August that the blockade has been really effectual. No. 274.] No. 70. Mr. E. B. Washburne to Mr. Fish. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Paris, September 2, 1870. (Received September 15.) I have the honor to inclose you herewith copies of telegraphic dispatches from Count Bismarck to Count Bernstorff, sent to me by Mr. Motley, to be by me transmitted to the French government, together with my notes accompanying the same. E. B. WASHBURNE. Mr. E. B. Washburne to the Prince de la Tour d'Auvergne. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Mr. Washburne, minister of the United States, presents his respectful compliments to the Prince de la Tour d'Auvergne, and begs leave to inclose him herewith, copies of two dispatches which have just been transmitted to him by Mr. Motley, the minister of the United States at London, and which explain themselves. No. 1. Count Bismarck to Count Bernstorff. Palikao declares in the Corps Legislatif that franc-tireurs must be considered as soldiers. I beg you will communicate the following to Mr. Washburne: Only persons recognizable as soldiers at rifle-range can be considered and treated as such. Blue blouse is general national costume; the red cross on the arm is only to be discerned at a short distance, and can at every moment be removed and replaced; so that it becomes impossible for our troops to know the persons from whom they may expect hostilities and at whom they have to shoot. If persons who are not always, and at the necessary distance, recognizable as soldiers, kill or wound German soldiers, we can only have them tried by a court-martial. No. 2. Count Bismarck to Count Bernstorf. Please announce once more to Mr. Washburné that Captain Rochous, who was sent by General Alvensleben to Toul with a flag of truce, has been repulsed by successive shots, and that a trumpeter accompanying, yesterday, another flag of truce to Verdun has been killed. We protest solemnly against these repeated violations of international law, and declare that we shall be henceforth in the impossibility of sending flags of truce to the French army. Mr. E. B. Washburne to the Prince de la Tour d'Auvergne. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Mr. Washburne, minister of the United States, presents his respectful compliments to his excellency the Prince de la Tour d'Auvergne, minister of foreign affairs, and begs to inclose him a dispatch, which he has just received from Mr. Motley, the minister of the United States in London, and which explains itself. Count Bismarck to Count Bernstorff. CLERMONT, August 29, 1870. Will you kindly let the following be known to Mr. Washburne, which only now comes to my knowledge. On the 15th instant General Von Bothmer sent Captain Hanfstangel with a flag of truce to the commandant of the Fortress Mucal. The surrender of the fortress was refused. Before the captain was out of shot's range he was shot at from the fortress, and was severely wounded. This is the fourth case of breach of international law coming to our knowledge. No. 275.] No. 71. Mr. E. B. Washburne to Mr. Fish. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Paris, September 2, 1870. (Received September 15.) The greater part of the German population has left the city. This legation has visaed passports and given safe-conducts for very nearly thirty thousand persons, subjects of the North German Confederation, expelled from France. We have given railroad tickets to the Prussian frontier for eight thousand of these people, as well as small amounts of money to a much smaller number. From this statement you can form somewhat of an estimate of the amount of labor we have performed for the last few weeks, and the extra force I have had to employ to accomplish it. I shall, however, have the honor of writing you more fully on this subject at a future time. My time is now a good deal taken up in looking after Germans who have been arrested and thrown into prison. The number is very great. My applications are promptly attended to, and thus far every man has been released, for whom I have applied. McMahon totally defeated. Gapture of Sedan. Defeat of Bazaine before Metz: In Chamber Favre considered present government extinct; proposed military dictator. Unofficial dispatch to foreign minister that Emperor prisoner, another reports him escaped to Belgium. WASHBURNE. FISH, Washington: No. 73. Mr. E. B. Washburne to Mr. Fish, [By cable telegram.] SEPTEMBER 5, 1870. (Received September 5.) Chamber met at midnight. Favre proposed dethronement of dynasty. Provisional government to be appointed by Chamber, and that the war shall be continued. Republic proclaimed from Hotel de Ville. People still hold possession Chambers. Deputies Favre, Gambetta, Simon, Picard, and others, provisional government. Rochefort liberated by people. Republic proclaimed. Government of national defense announced this morning composed of deputies of Paris. Favre, minister of foreign affairs; Gambetta, interior; Picard, finance; Simon, public instruction; Cremieux, justice; Kératry, prefect of police; Arago, prefect of Seine; Glais-Bizon, director of telegraphs; Trochu, governor of Paris and minister of war. Paris quiet. Instruct me. New government fully installed. Trochu president. Paris tranquil. WASHBURNE, Paris. |