The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-09-29

thinking that your Majesty was at Donchery.
After 1 had replied that your Majestys
headquarters were at the moment three
(German) miles distant, at vendresse,
the Emperor asked whether any place had
been fixed in the locality whittier he might
repair, and, in fine, what my opinion was on
the matter. ] replied that L had come here
when it was quite dark, the country being
unknown to me, and placed at his disposal
the,house occupied by me at Donchery, which
l would at once vacate. The Emperor ac-
cepted this, and proceeded towards Dom
cherry, but halted about 100 PAGES from the
Meuse bridge leading into the town, before a
working mans house standing by itself, and
ask ed whether he could not dismount there,
l sent Count Bismarck Bohlen, who, in the
interim, had followed him to inspect the
house, and after he had announced that its
internal accommodation was very poor and
narrow, but that it was free from wounded,
the Emperor dismounted and directed me to
follow him inside. Here, in a very
small room, containing one table and two
chairs, l had about an hours conversation
with the Emperor. His Majesty was ex-
tremely anxious to obtain more favorable
terms of capitulation for the army. I de-
clined to discuss this matter with his Majesty,
when so purely military question was pend
ing between General Moltke and General
Wimpffen. On the other hand 1 asked the
Emperor whether his Majesty was inclined to
negotiate for peace. The Emperor replied
that, as prisoner, he was not now in po-
sition to do so, and on my further question
by whom, in his view, the executive authority
of France was at present represented, his
Majesty referred ne to the Government at
Paris. After the clearing up of this point,
which from the Emperor letter of yesterday to
your Majesty could not be certainly Judged
of, perceived, and did not conceal this from
the Emperor, that the situation, to-day as
yesterday, offered no other practical ques-
tion than the military one, and 1 signi-
fed the necessity which therefore rested on
us of obtaining, before all things, through
the capitulation of Sedan, a material pledge
for the stability of the military results already
achieved. 1 had already yesterday evening
considered the question on all sides with
General Moltke whether it would be possible,
without prejudice to German interests, to
offer more favorable conditions than those
laid down, in Difference to the military feel
ing of honor of an army which had fought
well. After due consideration we had felt
ourselves obliged to settle this question in
the negative. When, therefore, General
Moltke who meanwhile had come from the
town, went to your Majesty for the purpose
of laying before you the Emperor's wishes,
this was not as your Majesty knows, with the
intention of supporting them.
The Emperor then went into the open air
and invited me to sit by him before the door
of the house. His Majesty submitted ito me
the question whether it was not practicable
! to allow the French army to cross the Belgian
! frontier, in order that they might be dis
armed and ''interned." 1 had already, the
previous evening, conversed on this eventu-
ality with General Moltke. AS regards the
political situation, l on my side did not take
the initiative, nor did the Emperor, except that
he deplored the misfortune of war, and
affirmed that he himself had not desired war,
but had been forced into it by the pressure of
public opinion in France.
Through inquiries in the place, and especi-
ally through a search by officers of the gene
raj staff, it had meantime, between and 10
o'clock, been ascertained that the Chateau of
Bellevue, near Frenois, was suited to the
reception of the Emperor, and, moreover,
was not occupied by wounded. mentioned
this to his Majesty, fixing Frenois as the
place which should propose to your Majesty
for the interview, and accordingly put it to
the Emperor whether his Majesty would wish
to proceed thither at once, as to remain
within the small workingmans cottage was
inconvenient, and the Emperor would pos
sibly require some rest. His Majesty gladly
acquiesced, and l accompanied the Emperor
"a guard of honor of your Majesty's body
cuirassier regiment preceding him-to the
Chateau of Bellevue, where in the interim the
| Emperor Sult6 duu tu0
arrival of which out of the town had till then
appeared uncertain, had come from Sedan.
General Wimpffen also arrived, with whom,
in expectation of the return of General
Moltke, the discussion of the capitulation ne
gotiations broken off yesterday was renewed
by General Podnelsky, in the presence of
Lieutenant Colonel Verdy and General
Wimpffen's chief of the staff, both which
officers drew up the protocol. I only took
part in them by sketching the political and
legal situation according to the explanations
given me by the Emperor himself. From
Count Nostiz, commissioned by General
Moltke, / received the announcement
that your Majesty would see the En-
peror only after the conclusion of
the capitulation-an intimation on
which the hope on the other side of obtain
ing other conditions than those laid down
was given up. rode off upon this with the
intention of informing your Majesty of the
position of affairs towards Donchery, but on
the way met General Moltke with the text
of the capitulation approved by your Majesty
and this, after we went with him to Frenois
was then accepted and signed without dis
pute. The conduct of General Wimpffen
as also that of the other French generals the
previous night, was very becoming. Thai
brave officer could not refrain from express
ing to me his great pain at being called on
forty eight hours after his arrival from
Africa and half day after taking the
command to subscribe his name to capitu-
l. r =