to be an official dispatch, and which gave an account of a great battle having been fought, in which the French had been victorious, taken forty guns, twenty-five thousand prisoners, among whom was included the Crown Prince. A spark of fire falling upon a magazine would hardly have produced a greater explosion. The assembled multitude broke out into the wildest shouts and the contents of the dispatch were repeated from mouth to mouth and men ran in every direction communicating the joyful intelligence. The people rushed into the streets; flags were everywhere displayed, men embraced and kissed each other, shedding tears of joy. Shouts, vociferations, and oaths filled the air and probably such a delirium was never before witnessed. Rue Richelieu, the Boulevards Montmartre and Italiens, and the Rue de la Paix were filled with people singing the Marseillaise. Everybody declared that the news was true; they had seen the official report; there could be no doubt of its correctness. Madame Sass, a distinguished opera singer, was found in the street and the crowd insisted upon her singing the Marseillaise from her carriage, which she sang three times amid transports of enthusiasm. In another part of the street the multitude forced another distinguished singer to mount to the top of an omnibus, also to sing the Marseillaise. After the first furore of the enthusiasm had subsided some persons began to suggest that it would be well to inquire a little further into the news, and of course the result was that it proved to be a stupendous hoax. The songs at once ceased, the flags were taken in, and the victims of the canard began to feel indignant. As it originated at the Bourse, the cry was raised in the crowd "a la Bourse," and away the people went, breathing vengeance against the moneychangers and speculators who, it was alleged, had taken advantage of the false report to get the benefit of a rise of about four per cent. in the stocks. Never were money-changers more summarily driven out of their temple. In a few moments all persons in the Bourse were expelled, some of whom, it is said, were thrown head and heels out of the windows and doors. In a short time, however, about half past three o'clock, the crowd left there, greatly exasperated at having been made victims of so cruel a hoax, and directed themselves towards Place Vendome, halting under the windows of the minister of justice. There they shouted for Emile Ollivier and demanded of him the closing of the Bourse from which the false news had emanated. M. Ollivier responded in a short and well-turned speech, closing by asking them to disperse, which they did. At about five o'clock in the afternoon a group of persons, numbering about three thousand, gathered in front of the ministry of justice and again demanded that M. Ollivier should show himself and make another speech, but the minister refused to do so a second time. The vociferations then increased every instant and hostile cries were raised against the minister by the multitude, who demanded the name of the author of the false news, and reclaimed the liberty of the press. Passing myself through Place Vendome at half-past five o'clock, I saw this turbulant crowd in front of the ministry and stopped to ascertain the cause of it. Soon M. Ollivier made his appearance at the window and commenced a speech, but the tumult, "noise and confusion," was so great that I could understand but very little from the position where I stood. It was evidently not very satisfactory, for the people did not disperse immediately, as he had requested, but began shouting in favor of the liberty of the press and raising hostile cries against M. Ollivier. The public hold him responsible for the terrible severity of the press law which prevents come through official channels, and is given out at such times and in such measure as may suit the purposes of government. In the evening of Saturday Colonel Moore, of this legation, went down town to watch the progress of events. At 10 o'clock he found Place Vendome literally crammed with both men and women, who were in the highest state of excitement, singing a new song called the "Press song," and raising menacing cries against the minister of justice. Afterward large crowds of people collected in Rue de la Paix, on the Boulevards, and in the Place de la Madeleine, all singing and shouting, evidently in very bad temper. They were, however, restrained from violence by large bodies of troops, who appeared in different parts of the city, and I can hear of no acts of actual violence having been perpetrated. The official journal of yesterday (Sunday) contains a dispatch of two lines, dated at Metz at 11 o'clock the evening before; it simply says: "The corps of General Frossard is in retreat. There are no details." That was enough to inspire the greatest uneasiness and anxiety. The dispatch gave no indication of where the battle was fought, or what was the extent of the losses, while the great Paris public was tormented with fear and suspense. A proclamation of the Empress and the ministry appeared at noon in the second edition of the official journal. This proclamation contained a bulletin from the Emperor, dated at Metz at half-past 12 o'clock Sunday a. m., announcing that Marshal McMahon had lost a battle, and that General Frossard had been obliged to retreat. Another bulletin from the Emperor, dated at Metz three hours later, announced that his communications with Marshal McMahon were interrupted, and that he had no news of him since the day before; and still another, one hour later, from headquarters at Metz, both of which were also contained in the proclamation to the minister of the interior, gave a very brief account of the battles of McMahon and Frossard, but said that details were wanting. It further stated that the troops were full of élan, and that the situation was not compromised, but that the enemy was on French territory, and a serious effort was necessary. Thereupon, the proclamation went on to say that in the presence of the grave news, the duty was clear, and that an appeal was made to the patriotism and energy of all; that therefore: "The chambers are convoked, we will place Paris in a state of defense; to facilitate the execution of military preparation, we declare it in a state of siege." A decree of the Empress regent convokes the senate and the corps legislatif for Thursday the 11th of August. Another decree by her Majesty places the department of Seine in a state of siege. I immediately telegraphed you as follows: "PARIS, 7th August, 1870-4 p. m. "General Frossard's corps beaten. communication with Emperor cut off. Legislative bodies convoked for 11th It is difficult to convey to you any adequate idea of the state of feeling which this extraordinary news from the battle field, to which was added the declaration of the siege of Paris, and the convocation of the corps législatif, has created. Paris has hardly ever seen such a day since the time of the first revolution. The whole people seems paralyzed by the terrible events which have burst upon them in such rapid and fearful succession. The rain that was falling yesterday may have had some influence in keeping the people from the streets, but on nd in went ound were Press fter oule evi vio the ted. going down town in the afternoon I found people collected in knots about the Grand Hotel and on the Boulevards, reading the newspapers, and discussing the situation. Afterward I saw large crowds proceeding in the rain toward the ministry of justice, in Place Vendôme, which seems to be the objective point, owing to the hostility which appears to exist against M. Ollivier. By a decree in the official journal of this morning, the time for the meeting of the legislative bodies is changed, and they are to meet to morrow. E. B. WASHBURNE. ia al. Le re LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, (Received August 23.) SIR: I have the honor to send you herewith a copy of a letter I addressed to the Duke de Gramont, together with the translation of his reply. The correspondence explains itself. E. B. WASHBURNE. SIR: In view of the fact that I have been charged with the protection of the subjects of the North German Confederation, Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, and Hesse-Grand-Ducale, residents in France, certain of those subjects have called upon me and expressed a wish to have some kind of a certificate from me, which they think will be a protection. I can see no objection to my giving them a proper certificate of this character, but before doing so I beg to submit, for the approval of your excellency, a form that Í have prepared, and which I send herewith. I take the present opportunity, &c., &c. His Excellency the Duke DE GRAMONT, Minister of Foreign Affairs. E. B. WASHBURNE. The Duke de Gramont to Mr. E. B. Washburne. [Translation.] 'PARIS, August 5, 1870. SIR: You did me the honor to inform me, on the 30th ultimo, that a considerable number of German subjects, placed under the semi-official protection of the legation of the United States at Paris, had expressed to you the desire of obtaining from you a sort of certificate, to which they seemed to attach a certain importance as regards their security. You deemed it proper at the same time to forward a draught of this document to me, to be submitted for the approval of my department. I cannot understand, sir, the utility of such a certificate, the possession of which, you will readily perceive, will add in no respect to the security of the German subjects to whom it may be granted, provided their conduct gives no cause for complaint, and which would have no effect in protecting them against the consequences to which they would be exposed by culpable actions. With this reservation, I will add that, in case vou should not judge it desirable to refuse a certificate to those Germans who may that all Germans resident in France are required to provide themselves, from competent French authorities, with a permission to remain. This police regulation appears to me to render all the more unnecessary the delivery of a certificate by the legation of the United States. French government decides North Germans, with certain exceptions, quit France. Advise Prussian government and instruct me. Impossible for great numbers of poor to leave without pecuniary aid. Will Prussian government place a credit at my disposition to assist poor in leaving? It seems necessary in the interest of humanity. WASHBURNE, Paris. No. 253.] No. 60. Mr. E. B. Washburne to Mr. Fish. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Paris, August 12, 1870. (Received August 23.) SIR: In view of the threatened, and, in some cases, the actual, maltreatment of the subjects of the powers now at war with France, I have been concerting measures with Mr. Kern, the Swiss minister, who is charged with the protection of the subjects of Bavaria and Baden, and with Mr. Okouneff, the Russian chargé d'affaires, who is charged with the protection of the subjects of Würtemberg, to secure from the French government that treatment and protection to such of those subjects as find themselves in France at this moment as is due under such circumstances to all subjects of a belligerent power. There are a great many threats, and occasional instances of violence, enough to inspire great terror among the Germans, who are coming in crowds to the legation. In all cases where they are pursued by threats or violence I promise them the protection of the American flag. The recent French defeats have served to embitter still more the feelings of the French against the Ger mans. The Figaro of the 9th instant, one of the most widely circulated journals of Paris, contained an article demanding the immediate expulsion of all Germans from Paris. It proposed that all Germans who were able to pay their passage should be embarked at Havre in twenty-four hours, and that all those who had not the means of leaving should be put under lock and key, a proposition at once savage and disgraceful. That article, which was so well calculated to inspire terror, was brought to me at noon on the 9th instant. It was the day of the meeting of the corps legislatif, and I immediately repaired thither, with the expecta tion of meeting my colleagues, Messrs. Kern and Okouneff, and to consult with them as to what we should do. I met them both in the diplomatic tribune, but before we left there we saw the ministry displaced and that everything was in confusion. In the state of things that existed my colleagues thought it would be impossible to see any member of the government that night, and that we should have to postpone action till the next morning. I went myself, however, to the foreign office and saw the Count Faverney, the chief of the bureau, and explained to him the situation of things, and asked that the French government should take immediate steps to secure protection to the subjects of those powers who had been placed under my protection with the assent of the government of his Majesty. He said the ministry had gone out and that it was almost impossible to have anything done that night; but, upon my suggestion, he said he would see the prefect of police on the subject. This whole matter having assumed a still graver aspect, my colleagues and myself called yesterday afternoon upon M. Chevereau, the new minister of the interior, to make our representations and see what the French government proposed to do in the premises. Mr. C. was just going to the chamber, and it was impossible for him to give us an audience; but he fixed ten o'clock this morning as the time at which he would see us at the ministry of the interior. On repairing thither we found he had been called away to a meeting of a council, and that he could not have an interview with us until half-past six o'clock this afternoon, and, of course, too late for me to advise you of the result by the dispatch-bag, which leaves to-night. In the mean time the report is rife that a decree is to be made, at once, expelling all Germans from Paris. I cannot, however, think such a thing can be possible; but if so, I shall communicate with you immediately by telegraph. * E. B. WASHBURNE. No. 254.] No. 61. Mr. E. B. Washburne to Mr. Fish. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Paris, August 12, 1870. (Received August 23, 1870.) SIR: In the tremendous rush upon me, I have only time to send you the accompanying printed list of the new ministry. I was in hopes to have been able to give you some account of them, but it is impossible to do so to-day. |