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ful spirit and his interesting conversation. He seemed to appreciate his critical situation, and to be prepared for the worst. He had no word of bitterness or reproach for his persecutors, but on the other hand remarked that the world judged them to be worse than they really were. He was patiently awaiting the logic of events and praying that Providence might find a solution to these terrible troubles without the further shedding of human blood. He is confined in a cell about 6 feet by 10, possibly a little larger, which has the ordinary furniture of the Mazas prison, a wooden chair, a small wooden table, and a prison bed. The cell is lighted by one small window. As a political prisoner he is permitted to have his food brought to him from outside of the prison, and in answer to my suggestion, that I should be glad to send him anything he might desire, or furnish him with any money he might want, he said that he was not in need at present. I was the first man he had seen from the outside since his imprisonment, and he had not been permitted to see the newspapers, or to have any intelligence of passing events. I shall make application to the prefect of police to be allowed to send him newspapers and other reading-matter, and shall also avail myself of the permission granted me to visit him, to the end that I may afford him any proper assistance in my power. I cannot conceal from myself, however, the great danger he is in, and I sincerely hope that I may be instrumental in saving him from the fate which seems to threaten him. I have, &c.,

E. B. WASHBURNE.

No. 425.]

No. 134.

Mr. Washburne to Mr. Fish.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,

Paris, April 25, 1871. (Received May 10.) SIR: Though I stated in my dispatch, No. 433, upon whose application it was that I intervened on behalf of the archbishop of Paris, I think it better to send you a copy of the letter of his excellency Monseigneur Chigi, the papal nuncio accredited to the government of France, and also a copy of the letter of the vicar-general of Paris and his associates, both of which were addressed to me, showing the grounds upon which they based their request. I have just learned that the British embassy was appealed to in this matter, before any application was made to me, and that all intervention whatever was declined. This action, however, of the English legation, if it had been known to me, would have made no difference, for I should have considered myself perfectly justified in extending my good offices, officiously, in behalf of a man so eminent for his piety and so distinguished for his liberal sentiments and philanthropic views as the archbishop of Paris, now so cruelly persecuted. I have, &c.,

E. B. WASHBURNE.

Monseigneur Chigi to Mr. Washburne.
[Translation.]

VERSAILLES MANTREUIL, 2 Old Church Street, April 18, 1871.

MR. MINISTER AND DEAR COLLEAGUE: Permit me to request you to receive with kindness, in quite a confidential way, four ecclesiastic canons of the Metropolitan

Church in Paris, who come to implore your protection in behalf of the archbishop, incarcerated by the insurgents in Paris. Permit me to add my entreaties to those of the good canons, and to assure you of my deep gratitude for all you may be able to do, and to try, at least, to obtain that the life of Monseigneur Darboy be not in danger. Be pleased, Mr. Minister, to accept the assurance of my high consideration and my gratitude.

FLAVIUS CHIGI, Arch. de Mejren, Nonce Apostolique.

Mr. MINISTER PLENIPOTENTIARY: The sad events which are taking place in Paris have not failed to attract the attention of your excellency, and among other deplorable excesses which the civil war has caused in this unhappy city, the arrest of mouseigneur the archbishop and the principal members of his clergy, will have been particularly remarked by the different representatives of powers friends to France.

Taking ground upon this friendship, and upon the good relations that exist between the Government of the United States of America and our country, we, the canons and members of the Metropolitan Church Chapter of Paris, such that could assemble, take the liberty to beg your excellency to be so kind as to interpose your good offices in a manner which you may think proper, in order to obtain as soon as possible the deliverance of our archbishop, and that the cause of humanity and civilization may cease to suffer in his person, doubly respectable, as well in his dignity as by his merits, one of the greatest infringements which could ever have been inflicted upon him.

Every political idea, however, being excluded, we place ourselves entirely upon the law of nations, and upon the sympathy that such unmerited treatment cannot fail to inspire, and we venture to hope that your excellency may favorably receive our request, and that you will give it such results as we may wish.

In this hope and confidence, we have the honor to be, Mr. Minister Plenipotentiary, your excellency's very humble and obedient servants.

LOUVRIER,

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SIR: Before the Journal Officiel of the commune had reached the legation this morning, Mr. Malet, of the British embassy, called to see me in relation to a decree of the commune, which appeared in that paper of to-day, by which requisition was made of all the vacant apartments in Paris. As this was a matter of great importance to both English and American residents, who have furnished apartments in the city, we determined it was necessary to take immediate steps for the purpose of protecting such apartments from being occupied. We therefore addressed ourselves to M. Paschal Grousset, the delégue aux àffaires etrangeres.

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He is a man of intelligence, education, and genteel personal appear ance. He received us with genuine politeness, in the same room where I had been received by eight or ten different ministers of foreign affairs of the regular government. After explaining to him the object of our visit, he was very prompt to say that it was never intended that the

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decree should include the apartments of foreigners, though by inadvertence it was not so stated. He said he would have the correction made, and that orders should be given that the apartments of foreigners should not be molested; that if we should hear of any disturbance of such apartments, belonging either to the Americans or the English, and would inform him of the fact, he would take immediate measures to have the evil corrected. We thanked him for so promptly and so satisfactorily responding to our wishes, and took our leave. * From the foreign office I went in person to the prefecture of police, to obtain the discharge of several Germans, one of them a priest, incarcerated at Mazas. There I found a young man in charge, who very promptly complied with my request, and gave me written orders to have them set at liberty. Yesterday an American lady called at the legation to beg me to interest myself to procure the release from prison of two Sisters of Charity, (French.) This lady was herself a Sister of Charity, and a daughter of the late Governor Roman, of Louisiana. The two nuns in prison were her friends, and had been torn away from the convent by some members of the national guard, about three or four weeks ago. She, of course, felt the greatest uneasiness in regard to their fate. I told her that while I could interfere in no way officially, I would, as an act of friendship to her as an American, call the attention of the authorities to the case of her friends. I accordingly mentioned the matter to the man in charge of the prefecture, and without hesitation he gave me an order for their release also. This I took in person to the depot of prisoners at the conciergerie, and, after waiting about an hour to have some formalities gone through, I had the pleasure of seeing the two sisters safely outside the prison-walls. From the conciergerie, I went to Mazas, and there I found no difficulty in securing the release of the three German prisoners, including the priest. I availed myself of the occasion of again being in the prison, and called upon the archbishop of Paris, taking to him some newspapers and a bottle of old Madeira wine. I found him about the same as he was on Sunday, and manifesting the same cheerful spirit. I was sorry I could not communicate to him a favorable change in the situation.

I have, &c.,

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E. B. WASHBURNE.

No. 136.

Mr. Fish to Mr. Washburne.

No. 272.1

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
Washington, April 28, 1871.

SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your dispatch of the 8th instant, No. 413, inclosing the statement of the case of Mr. Albert C. Fougen, who claims to be a citizen of the United States, in regard to the appropriation and destruction of his property in France by the Prussian forces.

In reply I have to inform you that the Court of Claims, adopting the language of my predecessor, Mr. Seward, has decided it to be the law and usage of nations that one who takes up a residence in a foreign place, and there suffers an injury to his property, by reason of belligerent acts committed against that place by another foreign nation, must abide the chances of the country in which he chooses to reside, and his only chance,

if any, is against the government of that country, in which his own sovereign will not interest himself. Such has been the doctrine and practice of the United States and of the great powers of Europe, and this Government, therefore, cannot intervene in behalf of Mr. Fougen, or of any citizen of the United States, under the same circumstances. I am, &c.,

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Paris, April 28, 1871. (Received May 12.) SIR: There has been but very little change of situation in Paris since I had the honor of addressing you my last dispatch. The Versailles troops have been vigorously bombarding the forts of Issy and Vanves for the past two or three days, but they have not yet taken possession of either of them. Constant fighting has been going on at Asnieres and the surrounding villages since Wednesday, but I can hear of no results. The applications for passes by the Alsatians and Lorrainers continue to be made in large numbers. I have already given more than fifteen hundred. Yesterday I ascertained that the authorities of the commune had, from a day or two before, been requiring a visa from the prefecture of police for all the laissez-passers I had given, and a fee of two francs for each visa. I immediately sent to the prefect to make a remonstrance, and he very promptly agreed to waive the formality which requires the holder of a pass to appear at the prefecture and pay the fee, and to put the stamp of the prefect upon such blank laissez-passers as I might send him. In my No. 427 I spoke of the interview of Mr. Malet and myself with Mr. Paschal Grousset, in regard to the protection of the apartments of foreigners. The Journal Officiel of the commune yesterday contained a notice on this subject from Mr. Grousset, a copy of which I inclose herewith, and which you will perceive goes as far as any one could ask.

We are yet in the dark as to the design of the Versailles government, so far as regards the reduction of Paris-whether an attempt will be made to take it by assault or whether it will be besieged. It will be six weeks to-morrow since the insurrection broke out, and the prospect of its suppression seems as remote as ever.

I propose to go to Versailles to-morrow, and to return on Monday. While there, I shall endeavor to present my letter of credence to Mr. Thiers.

I have, &c.,

E. B. WASHBURNE.

No. 138.

No. 431.]

Mr. Washburne to Mr. Fish.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,

Paris, May 2, 1871. (Received May 16.)

SIR: Cluseret, having "strutted his brief hour on the stage," was suddenly withdrawn from public view on Sunday night last, having

been arrested by order of the commune and thrust into the Conciergerie. When his arrest became known yesterday, it produced a great deal of excitement in the city. There are various surmises in regard to the causes of this extraordinary arrest. The Journal Officiel of the commune of this morning says it is on account of his incapacity and his negligence, which had compromised the possession of the fort of Issy. There is another report that the late "delegate to the war department" was concerned in a plot to overthrow the commune; another, that he had sold himself to the Versailles government; and yet another, that he was a mere agent of the Orleans faction. At any rate, he is in jail, and a report is current to-day that he is to be sent to a military tribunal. Mr. Cluseret has been the leading figure in the insurrection for the past three or four weeks, wielding an immense power, and I am surprised that, having control of the army as he has had, he should have permitted himself to be thus "taken off." This arrest, together with a decree which appears in the insurrectionary Journal Officiel of this morning, organizing a committee of public safety, to consist of five members named by the commune, with the fullest powers and responsible only to the commune, has created a greater feeling of terror in the whole community than anything I have seen yet. Cluseret is succeeded by Colonel Rossel, who is a graduate of the polytechnic school, and an engineer officer in the regular army. He was in the army of the Loire, and, I believe, was recommended for a brigadier general, but the appointment was not made; whereupon he joined his fortunes to those of the commune.

It was believed at Versailles, when I left there at 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon, that the fort of Issy was taken, but the papers of the commune this morning deny it, and claim that they yet hold it. There are indications of a more desperate energy than I have yet seen. If the fort of Isry shall fall into the possession of the government, the forts of Vanves and Montrouge must very soon thereafter follow suite. When that takes place, I think we may expect a breach soon to be made in the walls of the city, and an attempt be made to enter. In the madness which prevails here, I will not undertake any prediction of what will happen in the event of an attempt to take the city by assault. I found at Versailles yesterday that a more cheerful feeling prevailed in the military circles, and great confidence was expressed that in one week the government would be master in Paris. From what I see and know of the situation here, I must say I have great doubts on the subject.

I regret to say that I consider the life of the archbishop of Paris in the most imminent danger. The report that Prince Bismarck had determined to intervene to save the life of the archbishop, having unfor tunately got out, caused great excitement. On Sunday last a party of the national guards made their way into the prison of Mazas, with the avowed purpose of shooting the archbishop. Most fortunately, a member of the commune made his appearance at the moment, and was able to prevent the purpose from being carried out. The regular keepers of the prison were very much alarmed, and removed the archbishop from the cell which he occupied to another in a different part of the prisonWhat was prevented on Sunday by the accidental presence of a member of the commune may happen any day. Having reason to believe that General Fabrice is charged by his government to do what he can to save the life of the archbishop, and charged as I am here with the protection of German interests, as well as in the interests of humanity, I have deemed it my duty to send him a confidential verbal message,

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