Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-08-25
interviewing an Emperor.

TO the Editor of he London Daily Telegraph:
SIR: Experience has warned me that au-
thoritatiye expressions of opinion emana-
ting from the protagonists in great pollt-
zeal crisis rarely find their way into foreign
newspapers. 1t is with the purpose OF
enabling your readers to form their own
Judgment upon the views now expressed
by the Emperor Napoleon, that | venture
to repeat the words which he yes
terday employed while speaking to a
friend and to myself during an interview
with which he honored us at the Tuleries,
| must begin by remarking that | have
known the Emperor for many years, and
have seldom seen him looking better. -
When last / spoke with him, five months
ago, he locked careworn and haggard with
a complexion more than usually sallow and
ash-colored. Yesterday his face looked
fuller, his eye bright, his cheek healthy.
wish in addition to premise, that, after he
had spoken, inquired whether we were at
liberty to repeat his words q halde Uoir -
he answered, II wish nothing better than
that should be represented to the people
OF England as holding these views
The Emperor after speaking with his
usual quiet kindness upon some private
matters, turned suddenly to the political
situation of France and of Europe. He
said. Zone fortnight before the utterance
of the Duke de Gramont in the Corps Leg
satii which utterance has, as it seems to
me, been 70 unjustly reflected upon by the
English press had no notion that war
was at hand, nor am /, even at this mo-
ment by any means prepared for it.
trusted that, when the Duke de Gr&mont
had set me straight with France by speak
ing manfully in public as to the Hog
henzollern candidature should be able
so to manipulate and handle the contro-
versy as to make peace certain. But
France has slipped out OF my hand. | can
not rule unless | lead. This is the most
national war that in my time France has
undertaken, and | have no choice but to
advance at the head of a public opinion
which | can neither storm nor check. In
addition, NJ de Bismarck, although very
clever man, wants too much and wants it
too quick. Alter the victory of Prussia in
1866, | reminded him that but for the
friendly and self-denying neutrality OF
France he could never have achieved such
marvels. pointed out to him that | had
never moved q French soldier near to the
Rhine frontier during the continuance
Of the German war. quoted to him
from his own letter in which he
thanked me for my abstinence, and SAID
that he had lett neither a PTussian gun nor
a PrLssian soldier upon the Rhine, but
had thrown Prussia's whole and undivided
strength against Austria and her allies. |
told him that, as some slight return for
my friendly inactivity | thought that he
might surrender Luxembourg, and one or
two other little towns which gravely men
ace our frontier to France. / added that
in this way, he would, by trid.ng sacri-
flee, easily forgotten by Prussia in view Of
her enormous successes and acquisitions,
pacity the French nation, whose jealousies
it was so easy to arouse, so difficult to
disarm,
NJ. de Bismarck replied to me- after
some della mot one foot OF territory,
wheth Prussian or neutral, can | resign.
But, perhaps, if were to make some fur
ther acquisition, / could make some con
cessions, How, Tor instance, if | were to
take Holland? What would France want
as a sop for Holland?
Il replied" said the Emperor that il
he attempted to take Holland, it meant
war with France; and there the conversa-
ton, in which NJ. de Bismarck and NJ de
Benedtti were the interlocutors, came to
an end"
l have repeated this conversation as
nearly as possible in the Emperors words.
While we were talking, the Duc de Trevise
brought a dispatch his Majesty, Which
the latter read, and which was to the effect
that "the Eleventh Corps Of the Prussian
army were at that moment troopino into
Treves" have little, sir, to add to this
recapitulation, These words, which !
have faithfully endeayored to interpret,
must speak for themselves. | am, sir,
yours, Sc AN ENoLsudAN
PARIS, Friday Evening, July 20.