carry it into execution, it would tend to put an end to all circulation in the city, for every man would be liable to be called upon by some overzealous national guard to show his papers at about every step.

The suppression of newspapers still goes on. Six or seven have been suppressed since my last dispatch. The Siecle, that old republican journal, which was the only one left of the papers which you had directed to be sent to the Department, is in the last list of those proscribed. A new paper appears this morning, under the title of Le Bulletin du Jour, and I think it is the Siecle under another name. I send you some numbers of this last.

Scarcely a day passes at our legation here without some singular incident. The man who commanded the whole of the national guard in Paris on the 18th of March, the day of the accomplishment of the insurrection, was Charles Lullier. He is a man of about thirty-two years of age, and was, up to within the last two or three years, a lieutenant in the French navy. He had been traveling in the United States, and only returned to France last October.

In the accomplishment of his purposes to release Germans from prison, Mr. McKean has had occasion to meet Mr. Delescluze, the new delegate at the ministry of war. He represents him as a most perfect type of the Jacobin and revolutionist of 1793. On visiting the war department, he found about forty officers awaiting their turn of admission to the presence of the delegate. He sent in his card, and was immediately admitted, finding Delescluze installed in the same room where we had some three or four weeks before seen Cluseret in all the pride of his power and authority. There sat Delescluge in the same chair.

The wranglings and dissensions continue in the commune. Twentytwo of the members have issued a manifesto, charging that the body has abdicated its power into the hands of a dictatorship, which is called the committee of public safety, and declared itself irresponsible, abandoning the situation to the committee. They consequently state that they will not again appear in the commune until a different state of affairs exists, but will go into the midst of their brothers in the national guard. There is no doubt that the committee of public safety has now absorbed about all the powers of the present insurrectionary government, and has become the authority of the commune greater than the commune itself. A new phase of outrage was developed yesterday. Α German, who had a shop in the Rue St. Antoine, had gone from the city, leaving his goods and effects in the charge of an agent. The agent appeared at the legation to-day to ascertain if protection could be given to him. The national guard had been to the premises of which he had charge and forced an entrance. He immediately sought a member of the commune, to protest against this outrage, saying that the proprietor was a foreigner, and that his property was entitled to be respected. The answer was that the property of no man, either a Frenchman or a foreigner, who had left Paris, had any right to be respected, and would not be, but that it would be confiscated to the commune. Satisfying myself that the owner of the shop was a German, who had a right to claim my protection, I gave a paper certifying to that fact, and stating that the property, being that of foreigner, was entitled to be respected and protected; and further, I informed the agent verbally that he might tell all persons who proposed to interfere with the property, that if any damage were done I should deem it my duty to inform General Fabrice of the fact, and he undoubtedly would take all measures necessary in the I have no opportunity to send to London to-night, and shall

case.

therefore retain this dispatch to go by the bag which I shall send out on Friday night next.

I have, &c.,

No. 142.

E. B. WASHBURNE.

No. 444.]

Mr. Washburne to Mr. Fish.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,

Paris, May 19, 1871. (Received June 1.) SIR: When I had the honor to address you my No. 437, under date of the 11th instant, I felt certain that before another week should roll around the Versailles troops would enter Paris. There was great demoralization in the city and among the national guard, and it seemed to me that if the government had attacked with any energy, its troops would certainly have been inside the walls before this time. Such, however, is not the case, yet the fighting for the past few days around the entire south side of the city has been very furious. Day by day passes and we see no troops of the line yet in Paris. The fort of Vanves was captured from the commune on Sunday last, and Montrouge must be at the end of its defense. Confusion increases in Paris; the commune is torn by intestine dissension, but yet the city is held, not so much, in my judgment, by the military strength of the insurrectionists as by the weakness of the attacking party. It seems impossible, however, for this condition of things to continue much longer. The insur rectionary authorities are more desperate than ever. In an official communication this morning, they say the committee of public safety is decided to blow up Paris and bury every one under its ruins rather than capitulate. Of course this is all wild talk, but it shows to what straits they feel themselves reduced.

I need not tell you how rejoiced I shall be when peace returns to this distracted and unhappy city, and when we shall have a more quiet state of affairs. The pressure upon the legation continues. As I am the only chief of a mission who remains in Paris, my good offices are sought for every hour of the day, not only by our own countrymen, but by people of other nationalities, who have an idea that I can be of some assistance to them. The Alsatians and German Lorrainers continue to come to seek my protection in increasing numbers. I reach the legation at quarter past 8 o'clock every morning, always to find a crowd of them assembled there. More than two hundred are now waiting in the street under my window, to receive their laissez-passers. The whole number of passes issued by me now amounts to four thousand four hundred and fifty. As each case requires a special examination, to ascertain whether the party seeking protection is entitled to it, by virtue of his having become a German subject, you can well imagine the amount of labor that is involved. I have ten persons employed in this service, not members of the legation. When the treaty of peace shall have been definitely ratified at Versailles, I hope that Prince de Bismarck will send a diplomatic representative here to relieve me.

The committee of public safety publishes a decree this morning sup pressing ten more papers, and forbidding the publication of any new journals during the war. Several of the newspapers suppressed this morning have been supporters of the commune. I believe that every

paper published in Paris before the insurrection, excepting La Verité, has been suppressed. Since I commenced writing this dispatch, I have again visited the archbishop, to communicate to him that it was impossible to effect his exchange for Blanqui. I am sorry to say I found him very feeble. He has been confined to his pallet for the last week with a kind of pleurisy; is without appetite, and very much reduced in strength. He is yet cheerful, and apparently resigned for any fate that may await him.

I have just learned that the treaty with Germany was ratified by the national assembly at Versailles yesterday, almost unanimously.

I have &c.,

No. 143.

E. B. WASHBURNE.

No. 445.]

Mr. Washburne to Mr. Fish.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,

Paris, May 22, 1871. (Received June 7.) SIR: The day of the 22d of May will become an important era in the history of Paris and of France. It was nine weeks on Saturday last since the insurrection broke out, and those weeks have run wearily on in the expectation that every week would be the last. I returned to my lodgings last night at about 11 o'clock, and had heard nothing, and could see nothing, that showed any change in the situation. But it now appears that, at half-past 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon, the first division of the army of the reserve, commanded by General Vergé, entered the gate of St. Cloud, which is on what is called the "route of Versailles." A breach had been made at that point, but I am informed that it was not the expectation of the regular troops that they could enter at that time; but they pressed forward, and finding but little opposition, they were soon within the walls. The national guard retired very slowly, and such was the state of things existing, and so loose was the military organization of the commune, that it was not known until into the night that the Versailles troops had passed the enceinte. The commune was reposing in fancied security, and it was not until after midnight that they were advised as to the full extent of what had happened. Then was there" hurrying to and fro," the tocsin was sounded all over the city, the generale was beaten, orderlies dashed furiously in every direction, but all to no purpose. The national guard, becoming demoralized, began to retreat hastily before the advancing forces. The entrance into the city having been inade at the Porte de St. Cloud, the consequence was that the commune troops that had been guarding the enceinte, and all the gates from that of St. Cloud clear round to the Porte des Iernes, found themselves taken in the reverse, and by 4 o'clock this morning they had abandoned all their positions and fled to the interior of the city. The gates of Auteuil, Passy, and La Muette being then left undefended, the troops of the line began pouring in through all of them. It was not until 6 o'clock this morning that I heard of what had taken place. My servant came to tell me that the troops were in, and that the tricolored flag floated on the top of the Arc de Triomphe. I hurried into the street and saw for myself the flag flying from the scaffolding supporting the machinery which had enabled the insurgents to draw up and plant upon the top of the arch five pieces of cannon. By this time, the head of the

column advancing into the city and passing along the right bank of the Seine, by the Coms la Reine, was vigorously attacking the Place de la Concorde. At the same time another column crossing the avenue of the Champes Elysées, near the Arch, was marching in by the Avenue de Freidland and down the Rue Faubourg St. Honoré. At about 9 o'clock the insurgent batteries at Montmartie began shelling the Place d'Etoile, and soon many shells fell in the immediate neighborhood of the legation, but fortunately we received no damage. The fighting has continued all day about the Place de la Concorde, and it does not seem that the Versailles troops have gained much ground. At 3 o'clock this afternoon, accompanied by a friend, I took a ride along all those portions of the ramparts which have been bombarded by Mont Valerien, the great battery at Montretout, and the several breaching batteries. We passed around from the Porte de Dauphine, which is so near my residence to the Porte of St. Cloud. I was at my house for the first time for two weeks, and found it but very little injured. Two pieces of shell had entered, and besides the breaking of considerable glass, there was no material damage. Some houses in the vicinity received many shells, and several of them have been pillaged. My servants who lived in the cellar were enabled to keep out the brigand national guards, although they made one or two serious demonstrations.

We

In going from the Porte de Dauphine, which had not been very severely bombarded, to the Porte de St. Cloud, (more generally known as the Point du Jour,) we passed the gates of La Muette, Passy, and Anteuil. Breaches had been made at all of them, and the destruction of property inside the enceinte has been immense. Nothing could live under the terrible fire of Mont Valerien and Montretout. An English military man told me he thought the battery of Montretout was the most powerful battery the world had ever seen. Never have I seen such a "wreck of matter;" guns dismounted, their carriages torn to pieces, barricades leveled, and buildings entirely demolished. saw along the line of the ramparts many dead bodies of the national guard, several of them in a state of decomposition. The firing was so dreadful that it had been impossible to get them away. Returning from the Point du Jours into the city, we saw additional troops coming in, and the streets of Passy were crowded with them. It is estimated that from eighty to one hundred thousand troops of the line will be in the city before to-morrow morning. In all our part of the city they have been received with unbounded joy by the few people remaining. The citizens are congratulating each other that they are at last delivered from the oppression and terror of the last two months.

As I write, at 10 o'clock at night, the fight seems to be going on as furious as ever at the Place de la Concorde. I shall continue this dispatch to-morrow, and shall hope to be able to send it over to London to-morrow night.

TUESDAY MORNING, May 23, 1871.-It seems difficult to get at any thing reliable this morning. The fight continues, and always in the same neighborhood. The firing was terrific all last night. Shells from Montmartie were continually falling in our quarter, but it is extraordinary how little the damage has been. We can see from the top of the legation building that the red flag, that hated emblem of assassination and pillage, anarchy, and disorder, still flies from the Tuileries and from the ministry of the marine. The insurgents are evidently making a desperate resistance.

A gentleman has just come to the legation who proposes to leave at noon to-day for London. I therefore close this dispatch suddenly to

send by him. I send also a telegraphic dispatch to be transmitted to you from London to-morrow.

I have, &c.,

E. B. WASHBURNE.

Mr. Washburne to Mr. Fish.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,

Paris, May 23, 1871. (Received June 7.)

SIR: On the other page I have the honor to send you a copy of a telegraphic dispatch, which I send to London to-night to be transmitted to you from there by Mr. Moran.

I have, &c.,

E. B. WASHBURNE.

FISH, Washington:

[Telegraphic dispatch from London.]
Mr. Washburne to Mr. Fish.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,

Paris, May 23, noon.

Desperate fighting for thirty-six hours. Still continues. Versailles gains ground slowly, but surely.

No. 144.

Mr. Washburne to Mr. Fish.

WASHBURNE.

No. 448.]

PARIS, May 24, 1871. (Received June 7.) SIR: My narration of the prodigious events which have been transpiring in Paris since Sunday last closed at noon of yesterday. As it was impossible to reach those parts of the city in which the fighting was going on, I only knew that the contest was raging with unparalleled fury in the central portion of it. At half past 5 or 6 o'clock of yesterday it was evident that an immense fire had broken out at the chancellerie of the legion of honor. Soon we saw the smoke arising in other parts of the city, showing but too plainly that the terrible threats of the commune of a general conflagration had commenced to be carried out. I was at the headquarters of Marshal McMahon, at Passy, at about 9 o'clock in the evening, for the purpose of soliciting the sending of troops at the earliest moment for the release of the Archbishop of Paris and other hostages in the prison of Mazas, and there I was told by an officer of the staff that the palace of the Tuileries was on fire. On my return I could discover nothing, and I hoped that he had been mistaken. At 1 o'clock this morning I was awakened by a friend, who told me that the palace was all in flames. I hurried to a position from which I had a full and complete view of the fire. It was a starlight night, calm and beautiful. An insurgent battery, which had been for twenty-four hours shelling our part of the town, was still sending its bombs into the immediate neighborhood of the legation every fifteen minutes. The roar