The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-09-06
Napoleon lhe Third.
[centinr.d from a. Fgr,, mi

of the declaration of war by France reached
him through the agency of the public press, his
journey to Berlin being one continued ovation,
and his arrival at the capital the occasion of
reception which, for Wild bewildering eathusi-
asm, is without parallel in history.
1t was not, however, until the 10th of July
that the Prussian Government was formally
spprived of the action of France. On that day
the following document-he first official doca-
ment received from France since the rise of the
Hohenzollern imbroglio-was presented by NJ.
lie Sourd, the French Charge d'Affaires:-
The undersigned Charge d'Affaires OF France. has
the honor, in conformity with the orders he has re-
Ceived from his Government, to bring the following
communication to the knowledge of his ExcellencS
Kingof Prussia. The Government of his Majesty
the Emperor of the French being unable to view
the project or placing Prussian prince the
Spanish throne otherwise than as an action
directed against the security OF the territories OF
france, found itself obliged to demand of his
Majesty the King OF Prussia assurance that such a
combination could not he realized with his consent
His Majesty having refused to give a ny such guar
antee and having on the contrary, declared TO the
Ambassador of bis Majesty the Emperor of the
that eventually, as for any other the right to be
guided by circumstances, the Imperial Government
has been forced to see in this declaration OF the
King an arTiere pe,lsee menacing ia like manner to
France and the European equilibrium. This decla-
ration has been rendered worse by the commuuca-
ton made to the different Cabinets of the Kings re-
fusal TO receive the Ambassador OF the Emperor
and to enter into any further explanations with him
In conseouencet hereof the French CIovernment has
thought IL its duty to take Immediate steps for the
defense OF its honor and its injured interests and
has resolved to adopt for this object all measures
which the situation in which 1t has been placed rem
ders necessary. 1t considers itself from this moment
n state OF " ar against Prussia.
On the same day, July 10, the North German
Parliament was convened at Berlin. Count Won
Bismarck at once formally announced the de-
claration of war by France-an announcement
which was greeted by the most vehement
cheers. King William, who was received with
frantic applause by the deputies, opened the
session with speech, in which, after reciting
the alleged grievances of France and the action
of the Imperial Government, he said:-
''The more the Confederate Governments are con-
scious OF having done all our honor and dignity per-
mtted to preserve to Europe the blessings of peace,
and the more indubitable it shall appear to all minds
that the sword has been thrust into our hands, so
much the more confidently shall we rely upon the
united will OF the German Governments both of
the NorCh and South, and upon your love of coun-
try, and so much the more confidently we shall
fight for our right against the violence OF foreign in
vaders, inasmuch as we pursue no other object than
the durable establishment Of peace in Europe.
God Will be with us, as He was with our fore
fathers"
In response to this address reply was voted
unanimously, in which the deputies said-
"We place our trust in our own old and heroic
King, to whom Providence has granted that he
should In the eve Of life bring to close the war 10
which he fought in his youth. We place our trust
a@a IN Of Gq pT6 e wicked
pie viii attain its unity on the field Of battle in
which also at stake the honor, freedom, and
peace OF Europe, and the welfare OF It's people,"
This was followed by the voting of loan of
100 600 thalers unanimously amidst the
widest enthusiasm, and the enactment of
measures for vigorous resistance to the invaders.
Not only the States of the North German Con-
federation came to the hearty support of the
King but Bavaria, through her sovereign. sent
"a joyful echo" and, in common with Wurtem-
burg, Baden, and Hesse-Darmstadt, the other
South German States, who were allied to the
Confederation only by military treaties took up
the cause of Prussia the cause of the universal
German Fatherland and their own. The issue
was fully and finally joined.
Tho Course Of Foreign Powers.
The powers of Europe who were not parties
TO the quarrel, as matter of course attempted
to avert the calamity of war. Great Britain was
especially active in efforts at bringing about an
amicable solution of the difficulty, and her Min
listers at Paris and Berlin were kept busy in con-
sultations with the governments of France and
Prussia, and with the representatives of other
powers. But an amicable solution was out of
the question from the first, and on the 25th of
July developments we're made which rendered
such solution still further removed from the
sphere of possibility.
These developments were the publication by
the London Times of the project of treaty
which it was alleged that France submitted to
Prussia subsequent to the war of 1866. In this
treaty it was stipulated that Napoleon should
acauiesce in the territorial acquisitions made by
Prussia in the war against Austria and her allies;
that King William would facilitate the acquisi-
a. Il Al,oA
would not oppose federal union of the South
German States except Austria, with the North
German Confederation and that King William
would aid Napoleon by force of arms in acquir-
ing and holding possession of Belgium, in case
Napoleon should be led by circumstances to in
wade or conquer that country. In conclusion,
it provided for general alliance, offensive and
defensive, between the two nations.
The publication of this projected scheme for
the rectifcation of the boundary line between
France and Prussia took all Europe by storm.
England, especially, was thrown into consterna-
tion by it, and suspended her exertions in behalf
of peace, to become the champion of Belgian
neutrality and independence Explanations
were demanded from both powers. Prussia re-
sponded by alleging that Count Benedetti the
French Ambassador, had proposed the terms of
the treaty to Prussia, and that Prussia had in
dignantly declined to entertain them. The fact
that the original draft of the project, still pre-
served at Berlin, was in the handwriting
of Benedetti, gave credit to this ex-
PLANTATION, and will doubtless sustain
it before the impartial tribunal of history. But
France insisted that the project had originated
with Count Won Bismarck, at whose request
Count Benedetti had reduced it to writing, and
that the Emperor Napoleon had refused to
m