New-York tribune., 1870-10-21
WAR MISCELLANY.
BISMARCK AND FANRE.
LETTER FROM BISMARCK TO THE PRUSsIAN EN-
RAsSADORS-THE PEACE INTERVIEW.


LETTER FROM BISMARCK TO THE PRuSsIAN EN-
HAssADORs-THE PEACE INTERVIEW.
WASHINGTON, Oct 20.-Baron Ger0lt received
m the last European mail the following letter addressed
by Count B smarck all Prussan ambassadors on the
uhect of the conferences between himself and Jules
Favre:
FERRIERrs. sept 27.The report addtessed by NJ jules
F,vrc 20 bis colleagues the s instant regarding the
conversation he had with me, induces me to make your
FVcellency communication which WIN enable you W
form an accurate idea OF the these converao
took II must he acknowledged that, on the whole'
Favre has Cndcavored TO render correct acco''oi "
took place between us II he has not been always 60
cessful il must he ascribed TO the length OF our .n
ences and the peculiar circumstances under VIZ" ~ con
occurred. l must however, object U" uo . ,rat IN.
dency OF his exposition, and insist OH ' -, opc,u-
nrincino, snbject We had TO discuss was ho' 'uo ~,
sion of a treaty of peace, but that of "n "i""''
which il was TO he preceded. =, ,oDoo ho,ore
In recard 10 the demandswe should au'a -.
ii, , definite treaty OF peace, expressiy s'a'ou 70
N r,cs Fovrc that declined 10 enter lh'o 'ne eg.'
-, t nav, frontier claimed by us till the prncpie VI
o.t,n of territory had openly Acknowledged py
roo In connection with this declaration the Iorna
tjcn OF new department. OF the Mosene e9h,ais sn n
~ cription OF Saarburg, Chateau sans saalge
m,nd Metz aud Thionyille, was mentioned by me q. an
in cpnsOnance with our ntcntlons Dut, at
tbe same time in way renounced our right TO make
additional stpuations In treaty OF peace ~ propOIUmTn m
Io the sacrifices which should be imposed on us ny
eucihening the war. Strasbourg, place descrDeu ny
N Eayrp az KEY OF the hOuSe--du eXlfessrn
ieft il st doubtful whether France was the house I'm in
,ueston-was expressly declared by nyseh 20 bc tHe
Key OF house which therefore dd not desire 10
0nr frsf conversation in the Castle OF Haute Mason,
near Moutrv did not 90 beyond academieal dlsquls
% on he present and the past pith and marrow OF
which were contained In declaration on the part OF NJ
irons While he refused to entertain the idea of cesson
of territory When spoke OF such cesson as being IN
ii,penSahe he declared that negotiations Tor peace
would have prospect Of success ana maintained ,hat
10 part with any portion OF her territory Woulu pe
I;oSg end 1iehg
able TO convince him that conditions the fulnnmenii
Of which II France h2d having been at war
with either these ecounresconditons which France no
doubt would have imposed on us had We been conquered
ana which had been the inevitable consequence of nearly
every war, even In modern times would not De lgnoi
ous to country which had succumbed after brave re-
something essentially different from that of all other
Fsyre thatthe restoration of strasbourg implied
dshonor than the cesson OF Landau or Saar L9p anu
the violent and unjust conc nests OF LOUIS NV Were
closely bound up with the honor OF France than
those Of the first Republic or the iIst Empire ,aros
where exclusively discussed the Question OF an ar
carcd would accept an armistce under no cirSuI r
stances whatever. The manner in which NJ Jules faEre M
onestons ii foudrdit drnstiee, ct je men reur
aucun p,I and other things Of the same kind, obges
me TO rify his statements and add that III similar CON
VersatOns have made use, and never do employ
phraseology that personally wish or REQUIRE OF
approve OF anything constantly speak OF the lnten-
and demands Of the Government, whose IepfeSen-
I'm this conversation both parties agreed in considering
the necessity of giving the French nation an opportunity
he prcsn Government powers sufficient oenabe them
conclude peace sanctioned by nternatlonal a" h
of an armstice called attention TO the act
that an armistice always military disadvantage
for an army engaged in victorious advance; that in the
present ca il most important gain IN point or
lime for the defense of France and the reorganiza-
tOn of her army; and that We. we Therefore ifiSre
equivalents offered. As such mentioned the sur
render OF the orreses which impeded our cOmmunica-
lions with Germany; for truce wOnld prolong the
period during which we had to support our army con
cessiODs facilitating the transport or supplies must be
the preliminary condition of granting ~ StIasoouig,
ToUl smaller places the objects of this
since the gaeis had been crowned, its capture must
shortly be expected and therefore thought the mill
while those who held the other fOrtres.es would be
uittod to march ont with the honors Of war.
Another difficult question referred to Paris. Since we
had completely surrounded the city we could only permit
new provisioning of the did not weaken own
military position and protrac the period necessary to
authorities accordingly offered, the command of His
hales,y the King the nc fo0Tihg sernstVes az Win re-
cedod 70 by the surrender of commanding part OF the
forthcatiOns in which prepared to permit
intercourse with Paris, and not hinder the new
provisioning of the city:
however we could not consent to give up the IN
vest stmtnt but must insist the continuation of the mil
nrmistee as 4h Otherwise at the end of that period we
should be opposed to Paris being provsoned and armed
NJ Favre distinctly rejected the first alternative,
tsinng the surrender OF part of the OrtcatiOns OF
Paris well condition that the garrison OF stras
bourg should be made prisoners of war On the other
hand be promised to consult his colleagues TO the
~cc0nd alternative containing the retention OF the mill
tary S0iHs quo of Paris.
The programme which NJ Favre took back with him 10
the result OF conversation, and which has
discussed there accordingly, did not contain any
thing whatever TO the terms of the future peace but
the granting of arInisce of from fortnight
weeks to prepare the way for the election OF a
National Assembly under the following conditions:
T. The continuation of the status qtO i'll and before
Paris.
H. TIE continuation Of hosttes in and around Metz
% certain distance, the extent Of which still to be
determined.
Ill The surrender OF SrasbOurg the garrison Of which
were he made prisoners of war; and of TOul and
Bitchc. their garrisOns being permitted to march out
with the hOnOTs of war.
believe that our convictions that made very
conciatOry offers will be shared by all neutral cabinets
the French Government has resolved not TO the
oppOrtu nifty offered of proceeding the election Of
MAJ ona Assembly, even within the parts of France
difficulties which prevent the conclusion OF peace in
r0rdance with international law and not to listen to the
pubic opinions of the French people. That free and
t8 elections would lead to results favorable to peace is
conviction which forces itself upon here and which
hardly have escaped those in power in Paris take
The Hbert OF requesting your Exeeency To bring the
present circular 90 the notice OF the Government 10
which sou are accredited. Won BISMARCK.
TIE IMPERIAL SECRETS.
THG SECRET POLICE OF THE DEFUNCT EMPIRE.