The avant courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1871-1872, 1871-11-30
ORIGIH OF THE FRANCO-PRUs-
s ii ss SLAM WAR. ags0
= semi-0nIciaI Confession that France
3 Provoked, the Contest.

49, TIL sgs hi Ri
6emi-0mciaI Confession that Frame.
u Provoked the Contest.
Count Benedetti, who was the French Am
passador at Berlin at the time the Franco
German war broke out, whose persona
wrongs passed for some time as the actua
occasion Of the declaration of fhostilities, aae
whose llansa was associated with the famous
secret treaty as having drawn it up in his
own andWriting, has written a history ofhis
ms mission IN Prussia. We get frona this work
tne e h1lrst really authentic and credible account
| q the progress and elimination Of the aiplo.
matte crisis that was Immediately followed
py Was- We do not know that any copy Of
/ Inc work has vet reached this country, and
we extract the following from summary Of
Its contents in the Londoa Daily Neaos:
| In letter to friend, which serves for a
preface, and which was written last Noyena-
Der, M. Beneditti demolished the popular i1ic-
ton that the war began in an insult at Ems.
no one, he says, offered any insult; no one
| received one. He attaches great Importance
to showing that he is not cilargeable with
the diplomatic offence OF letting the French
Government remain ignorant OF what was
going on in Germany before July. 1870. On
the contrary, he informed it OF the Hohen-
zollern candidature as early as the month of
March, 1869. Further. he kept his Govern
ment informed of the high state of prepara-
ton in which the Government of Prussia
was keeping its army; and also gave his rea-
sons for believing that In any war. between
Prussia and France the former would have.
the hearty assistance of the SoutlE-(iernaan
states. We pass over the preliminary chap
ters, IN which he describes the relations be-
tween France and Prussia from the date of.
the battle of sadowa to the Spanish difficulty.
and proceed at once to- his account of the dis
astrous negotiations at Ems. ssg 8 55
It was at H;o'clock Of the morning of July
9Th that Benedetti arrived at Ems; il was IN
the afternoon Of the I4th that ne lett thar
Watering-place, and in that brtef interval the
two governments We're committed to war.
On the 7th of July NJ. Benedetti was at
Wildbad, when he received orders from Paris
to go at once ito Ems, where instructions
would await him. Those instructions signed
by the Due de Gramont, he here prints at
length. Prince Leopold had accepted the
position Of candidate for the crown OF Spain.
The King of Prussia had professed, saws the
dlspatch, that he was altogether Indifferent to
the fact. = In that case.n said the Due, 1--WE
beg of him to be SO no longer, but to inter-
fere, if not by order, at least by eounsels, to |
prevent the further progress of the design
In private letter of the same date, July 9TH. I
u. de Gramont said: . You must really get
downright answer from the King, and this I
s what alone will satisfy u.s. The Kings /
Government does not approve of the accept
Ince signiied by Prince Leopold and orders
I'm 20 withdraw it as given witheat the
Kings permission = Thus early he wrote
n the same letter, 1--WE cannot be put off, for
case of unsatisfactory reply next Sat
lrtay, movements must begin to enable the
rmy to take the field within fortnight. +,
let the King to revoke bis permission, and it
Z i'll be an immense service; if not, it win be
var. But no antiquities, no delays.'' ona5
he day after his arrival M /. BenedeJti was re-
eived by the King, and sdined with him. In f
long conversation the King said he had
lven his consent to Prince Leopold's candi- ,
ature, but only as head of the family, not as +.
overeign, and his government had had moth j
lg to say in the matter. The negotiations
q the subject had been confined to the Span
h Government and the Prince. NJ. Bene-
ETH urged that the public would never be
rought to understand this distinction, and !
ressed the King much to consider the state /;
public feeling id France. and the ease with !
hich he might render priceless service to IT
le cause of peace; but His Majesty was im-
oVeable, maintaining that the Princes reso-
tion in no wise affected tile honor OF
rance. At last he said he had written to
e Princes father, Prince Antoine, and had
sed him whether his son had considered A
e excitement that was existing in France e
] the subject, adding that he expected to i
ar from him on the subjet. M. Benedetti =
silly obtained the promise that as soon as *
e King received Prince Antoine's reply he :
Duld see him again. In the course of the O
nVersation the King spoke warmly respect- n
g the language held BY the Duc de Gram
t in the Assembly, which he said was very q
e a provocation to Prussia. On the 10th II
Benedetti did not see the King until late 2
the evening, but on that day NJ. de Gram q
t telegraphed, Eve cannot wait; we must 20
We an answer before the day is oyer. Our pl
operations must begin. We cannot let VI
ussia get first. Later in the same day he he
egraphed, stLet me have dispatch which 70
an read to the Chamber. Tell us that the %
ne knew of and authorized the Princes ~
.eptance, but that he now asks for time to s
lfer with the Prince before making known II
further resolutions IL. Benedict sent 9
on that day q. caution to Paris; war, he 81
1, would become inevitable if military els
para.ioNs were commenced with ostenta- ne
n. i. In the evening he saw the King and. e
] him that the French Government could ou
possibly put off its explanations in the no
,embly. The King said he had not heard Ias
n Prince Leopold, but would receive NJ az
ledetti in the morning. On the 10th the oV
! de Gramont wrote to M. Benedict wa
rate letter in which he said, 1--WE really
not allow our adversary to get before as lIa
lay as they got before Austria in 1856. US
ides, { tell you frankly public opinion is pel
emently excited, and threatens to take Ne
control Of affail ) out 0f our hands We 20
T,r1aN fysryaf sE