The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-11-11

who never smeit gunpowder. No, sir, (witn an
energetic gesture) won't do It, by God Why, my
replying 10 him would DO admitting his right to
sit In Judgment over me. Time win clear up the
case and work out truth and justice.
CoRREspoNDENr-Will you, Marshal, have the
Kindness to explain to me few circumstances
which preceded catastrophe so remarkable in tn Q
history OF wary
BAzArNE-Willingly. sir. Pray state your ques-
tons and you shall hear nothing from me but tle
plain truth.
CoRaEsPoSpEHr-Wn you please mention what
your relations were with the Prussian officers after
the surrender
BAzAINE-They were excellent Prince Frederick
Charles is an excellent man. He sympathized with
us deeply In our misfortune, ana we shall ever owe
him debt OF gratitude lie said to me In parting
"shoud your military honor, Marshal, ever be as
sailed call upon me ana VIII aid you In defending
it,
CoBREspoSDENr-Did you sir, proclaim the re.
public at Meter
BAzAISE--No did not. such a declaration
counted no longer upon even my best troops. When
my spies brought me In word OF the abominable
doings OF the 4th OF September sent inquiries to
Prince Frederick Charles to know whether the news
was true, and confess that did not believe even
him until he transmitted TO me copy OF the
Journal ODfcte,. then told my soldiers that the
Emperor was prisoner. that the Empress ana
the young Prince Imperial had left France.
and that General Trochu stood at the
head OF the Committee of National Defence.
Some time after that the names Of the members OF
the committee began to leak out We had agreed
In our council OF war not to communicate these
names to the troops, and, OF course consequent.
ly never proclaimed the republic.
LOYALTY TO THE EMPEROR.
CoREEspoNDENr-May / inquire, Marshal, what
your political creed Isl
BAzAINE Csternlyl-I have sworn loyalty to tho
Emperor and the constitution. The Emperor is q
prisoner but the constitution is In force and mel.
Their nor any Of my comrades VIII ever acknow-
ledge any other government until shall have pre-
viously obtained discharge from our oath at the
hands Of the Emperor himself.
CORREsPONDENr-Did You not keep up a cOmmu-
nication with the new government at Paris and az
ToursY
BAzATNE-I reported TO them everything that oc-
CURED at Metz, always stating the strict, naked
kind from them.
CoRREsPoNDEST-Do you. Marshal. ascribe to your
own arms any victorious engagement; during the
siege of Metzf
BAzAINE-No. sir The word ''victoryr OF neces-
sty includes the ultimate result OF an engagement.
have beaten the Prussians repeatedly and severely,
but the final result was always unfavorabIe to me.
WHAT LED TO THE SURRENDER.
you to open negotiations
BAzAIEE-Even had we not been forced by hun
ger l should have opened negotiations on the day
| when learned that 1t was not the republicans, bu
the mob, who governed at Paris, Lyons and Mar
seilles--on the day when learned that the arm
4 was insulted, that the memory OF men whom ven
crate was reviled Bur, as the case really stood, /
| was hunger, and nothing but hunger tina
compelled my surrender. You would be
greatly mistaken. however, were you to
thi NIX that took the responsibility or such step
upon myself acted only as the executive head Of
the council OF war; whose members took care to as
certain the opinions OF the generals, colonies and
majors under their command previous TO making
up their minds as to how they would vote.
VOTING OF THE COUNCIL OF WAR
CoRgEsPoNDKNr-Wil you, Marshal, tell me
something about the resolutions OF that councilY
BAzArSE-l WIN. Now, listen. After our bread
rations had been reduced to 600, then &c
800, and, at last, TO $50 grammes pei
diem, was informed by General Conniere,
on the 9th OF October, that our stores would
not hold out longer than another week. Now, oh
serve. had every day slaughtered $50 horses ffty
OF which gave to the inhabitants OF the town.
called the Council together on the 10th and again
the 18th OF October, and 1t was unanimously re-
solved that by the 14th must commence steps fol-
the capitulation. thereupon requested permission
of Prince Frederick Charles to send General Boyer
W VIC VI TIC hlHx. rcIluLSSiOn 10 &c
so was granted, after some delay You have GER
tainly seen in print that the Generals mission re.
suited e failure.
CoRREsPoSDENr-Wnat were the orders given
him by you, Marshall
BAzAINX-I proposed to march DOT with the army
and to pledge our honor that we would not fight
again in this war, but that should be permitted
to convene and protect the French Chambers against
the mob OF, as Bismarck called them, the street
ioafers | detest politics. We only wanted TO do
what Gambetta claims that he wishes TO do--that
Is, to re.estabsh legality by calling together the
Representative Body.
spaNn AM hat al n