The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1870-11-03
HAwKEYE.

ave TO stay thcro tor q little while |
onger.
HAwKEYE.
ALetter of Napoleon's.
from tile State Register. ~
Below we are permitted to present
d English letter written By Napo-
eon in September. The translation
10 that Of Mrs. James Ellis, of this
city, q French lady Of accomplished
e saa:se:sst tion in s ssr own and aevsra,
other languages, and Of quito mt.
mate acquaintance with general
The letter will be read
with very general interest, and the
translation will be observed to be
excellent: Il
THE IDEAS OF THE EMPEROR.
immediately after The failure of
the negotiations with M. Jules Favre,
the Count Bismarck sent to Will
helmshohe the exact recital of these
Negotiations. The Emperor then
shut himself in his cabinet; and the
same evening N. de Castleman took
his departure for the general Prussian
quarters with the following note,
written entirely by the Emperor:
While being ;daiIt instructed of
passing events, since the day whom
Providence compelled me to deliver
my sword, the King seems to appeal
to his prisoner for the trials which
the Prussian armies impose on
France, for what he believes to be the
interest Of Germany. The commu-
nication of the Count confirms this
opinion. But is the timo come for
mo to answer this double attention
by the expression of my thoughts !?
Up to the fourth of September, the
reserve which / observed since Sedan,
was founded on my firm resolve to
leave to the Empress the full and
entire liberty of conforming herself
to the Intentions of the country.
After the fourth Of September, 1
could not help making vows, that
France might, while sacrificing my
dynasty, come to overthrow the
invader beyond the native boundaries.
In trying to negotiate with the Count
the result Of which might have been
easily foreseen the true character of
tho war has been taken away. It
was destroying the effect Of the
motives for not subscribing TO tho
offered conditions; it was above all
paralyzing the national defense at
the very moment whom it was going
to take proportions worthy Of
France.
The Count does not seem to un-
derstand that the armistice necessary
to the reconstruction of a regular
government has been refused; and he
is astonished that none ofthe powers
legally existing have given their
opinion upon what he considers q
testimony of moderation on tho part
Of the King.
No one will blame q Frenchman
for atoning for an imprudent step
taken, by refusing to subscribe to
propositions, little in bearing with
our gloriouspast.
A duel, such as has taken place
between France and Germany, can
only terminate by the utter ruin Of
one of tho two adversaries, or by
their close and royal reconciliation.
The Count must then ask himself
first of all, if Germany has moro in.
terest in the ruin or in the alliance
with France; if in admitting the first
hypothesis, Germany does not believe
France able to draw its salvation
from its despair; even should Europe
consent to remain the Indifferent
spectatrix of an invasion without
precise limits.
Ny interview with tho King leads
me to suppose that he much prefers
the alliance of France to its ruin; that
he is not without preoccupying him
self Of the results Of o struggle to the
end, and that he appreciates for what
they are worth the rights which gave
to the two nations closely united, the
perfect knowledge of the sentiments
manifested during the war by the
different nations of Europe. If such
is indeed the opinion of the King,
nothing remains but to indicate the
means Of making it prevail; but does
it belong to the vanquished to specify
the obligations Of the conquerors SO
that his generosity might not seem
more unwieldly than his unreason-
ableness? lean only remind the
Count, that with heroic proceedings
the'Reart Of the French nation can
always be gained, but that nothing
can be obtained by trying to vibratc
IN their bosom the chords OF egotism
and fear; these will remain unknown
to them, whatever the reverses Of
Providence may impose.
Inclined towards close and loyal
alliance with Germany, by noble pro-
ceedings, France would be the FIRST
to agree that between the two I'm.
pires q line of defence, overlooked by
fortresses is no longer necessary. AS
to the sacrifices that France would
have to undergo besidss, she would
not hesitate to make them, % soon
as she would be permitted to appre-
ciate the immense advantages which
would result. for the two nations
from peace of which their will
would be for the future tho only ar
bitrat0r. On this basis, the powers
now obliged to maintain complete
reserves as long as France has the
hope of yanquishing, would then have
good reason to intervene. A sincere
and concise statement Of truth be.
tween France and /, has established
current that nothing can destroy.
So that peace might become possible
l believe it would suffice, for mo to
affirm that our honor has no injury
to suffer from . reconciliation based
on the disarming our fortresses now
become useless and on the principle
Of indemnificatior Of war to be settled
by State.
These conditions might prevent
France from having recourse to ex.
tremities which freak of chance
might render sufficient to upset the
social order Of Europe.
When France has returned to
healthy expectations from dissen
sions which defame her and is deliv
cred from tho sc0ur0e IF war thor