The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-11-19
Tho Arrnastieo Observation-Disclosures n asSsnsae
from, GSsa.t ninisnfSrs.4 ,,,fe5s*

Tho Arradses6U OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
from 0sans Blsahnss1f. fGns
The following ls shss ta1t 81 the sPrna;
sian Oabihet oircular, which has jHbG
been addrsssed by Count Bismarck TO
diplomatic; tatives Of the North
German Confederation serving at the
seat of foreign governments. The State
paper is dated at Versailles, November
8, aud reads as follows:
YouR ExcELLSEcY: You will learn By
this that NJ. Thiers, on the part of the
French people, expressed n desire to be
admitted to negotiate with the Cabinet
at headquarters, after having previously
different members of the Government of
National Defence ut Tours and in Paris.
In compliance with orders from his Ma
jesty, declared my willingness to grant
the interview which he sought. NJ.
Theirs was, in consequence of this de-
cision, allowed first to proceed to Paris,
which he did on the Both ultimo, return.
ing to the royal headquarters next day,
the 31st OF October. This was the first
time statesman enjoying such distinc-
tion and Importance as Nj. Theirs does
bad accepted plenipotentiary powers at
the hands of tho Paris Government.
This fact induced mo to hope that pro.
posals would be submitted to us by him
on tho purt of France. the acceptance of
which would be possible, and i'll the in
terest of the conclusion of peace I re-
ccived M. Thiers with that respectful at
tention and official demennor and con-
duct to which his distinguished position,
not to spcad Of any former relations, en-
title him.
During the interview Nj. Theirs de-
clared that France. induced Ly the es-
pressed desire of the neutral powers,
was ready to accept an armistice. Thus
his Majesty the King, had, in the face
Of the first declaration of M. Thiers, to
consider tho fact that any or every
armistice concluded during the war
would in itself bring to Germany all the
disadvantages which are connected with
which come during such moments of de-
which receives it's supplies, particularly
its supply of provisions, from distant
sources. Besides this, We took upon
ourselves the obligation to leave the Ger
man troops, which had becoma fully
available by the capitulntion of Metz, i'll
the positions which they occupied on the
day the armistice was signed. aud to re-
nonnce the occupation of further terri
tory of the enemy, which at present we
might achieve without any, or certainly
very little, resistance. The German
armies could not expect much in the way
of reinforcements or succor during the
next few weeks. On the other hand,
France would, by the conclusion of an
armistice, be enabled to develop its re-
sources and to complete the organization
of the army corps that are now forming;
and when hostilities should re-opon after
the armistico. she would be able to op-
pose to us troops which ut present do
not exist.
Despite all these considerations, the
personal desire which was felt by his
Majesty the King to take first step in
the interest of peace prevailed, and I
was empowered to make au advance to
Nj. Thiers by granting an armistice of
twenty-five, or, as M. Theirs afterwards
wished, twenty-eight days, on the basis
of the simple state in quo rs it existed on
the day of signing. During the inter
view, proposed to M. Theirs that I
would define by line of demarcation.
which should be regularly agreed to aud
adopted, the several positions OF the
troops. and to interrupt hostilities dur
luS opuoo VI CIiHCC W0chS, So CDuG
France could proceed to the holding of
parliamentary electionsifor the censtitu
ton of a national representation.
On the French side, this truce would
have resulted simply in efecting the
renunoiation of insignificant and, to
them, always disastrous army sortes, rs
also of useless and to us incomprehen-
sible waste of ammunition from the guns
of the forts around Paris during the
period of its existence.
With respect to the elections in Alsace,
was in position to declare that we
should not insist on any stipulation
which would call in question the right of
the claim of France to the German de-
partmcnts before the conclusion of
peace, and that we would not make or
hold any of the inhabitants Of these
parts responsible for their appearance in
a French National Assembly rs the con-
stitutional representatives Of their coun-
trymen.
I was surprised Mt the French Pleni-
potentiary M. Thiers) declining these
proposals, in which all tho advantages