The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-04
AUSTRIA AND FRANCE.
P.sply Of the Duo De Gramont to Count Beust on
the Negotiations Which Preceded Napoleons
Declaration Of War Against Prussia.

F.eply OF the Due De Gramont to Count Beust on
the Negotiations Which Preceded Napoleon's
Declaration Of War Against Prussia.
Under date Of January 8, the Due De Gramont'
writing from Paris, addressing the Austrian dipio-
mat, after some preliminary remarks, says
| Inever asserted that Austria encouraged US 10
truth. that YOU dissuaded us from war until the
moment when you sent Count Vitzthum to Paris
Ian of July YOU even advised us to hold ourselves
| satisfied with the remuneration OF the Prince OF
! been produced on the 18th. And, add, do not
doubt that yeu learned with much regret that this
circumstance had not suificed to extinguish the
| Iacknowledge also that the promises of assist
ance-of which Ihave cited the formula-were sub
sequent to the declaration of war; and, finally, /
end these admissions by declaring that IN my soul
and conscience cannot address any reproach
the line OF conduct which It has held towards
France, and winch has been imposed upon 1t by
events. 81, am not In position to appreciate the
tween the Cabinet of Vienna and that of Berlin;
but as the incident with which we are concerned
already at Berlin 1t is clear that 1t can compromise
nothing in That quarter, and as for what regards
ourselves, the French nation can see In the in
formation thus gained only new motives for sym
patty and esteem towards Austria. And as you
rightly say, Monsieur lie Comte that is the essen
You remind me that, having had the honor to see
you In London in 1871, we talked much together
about the events Of 1870, and that then told you.
without reserve, that had understood your action
and had not addressed to you any reproach. Your
that time, nor have even now, any reproach to
| address to you. AS for the language which M.
very natural that should not SPEAK to you about
| it IN London, for l knew nothing about 1t, and
| was informed Of It only at the beginning OF last
| ton.
l set aside for the moment oil controversy as to
the negotiations OF 1868, 1859 and 1870. Such con-
| troversy would be Of no advantage cOnfne my
self simply to reminding you that those negotia-
tons Of which you were the first to inform y, me- re-
that they served as basis and point OF departure
for the treaty which was negotiated at the end OF
july 1870 In view OF the war and OF Austrla's CO.
operation in that The date OF 1870, therefore,
| finds its correct and legitimate place beside the
| anterior dates OF 1868 and 1869.
Iaffirm TWO things
The first is, that while was Ambassador at
Vienna you often said to me that twas necessary
! to leave the imperial government under no lllu-
sion and to convince 1t thoroughly, on the con-
trary, that fit engaged In war Austria would not
This affirmation maintain with perfect certi-
! tude, founded not only on my own memory-which
is however, very sure-but also on the notes which
have kept. Never, M. lie Comte, had single
| conversation with you were 1t only OF few min
ae words ad nh
the day closed. Thus am certain OF what affirm
when declare that you did not hold to me at
you. We spoke frequently Of war, we were
agreed in not desiring 1t, and we recognized
the fact that there was going forward in
Germany work which it was TOR the in
terest OF Austria. as Of France herself not
eventuality Of war as s' general auestsn and ID
see in my notes that then you represented to me
how desirable 1t was that the war, II 1t became
necessary, should spring from a non-German
source; that 1t should arise, for example, on the
subject OF some Eastern question, so as to leave
the part she might be called to take in It, l sup
pose that your recolections are here in agreement
with mine but as for the words which NJ. Theirs has
put into your mouth, see trace If 1t be not in
that despatch which was written by you on the
1 hi OF July 1S1o to the austrian and
time, In the copy which you have been kind
enough to send me.
There, in substance, see that you charge the
Ambassador to deprive us OF all Illusion, and to
make us understand, with due considerateness,
that We must not reckon upon your help
Seeking always explanations which may not
lead to extreme results, conceive the idea that
some involuntary confusion may have established
itself in minds between the language written on
the 18th July, 1870, and the language spoken dur
ing the preceding years.
mission to Vienna single occasion presented
itself on which Austria was called upon to pro-
Inever had to demand from you her assistance,
even eventually, In such case. Thus, then, re-
peat. and formally maintain, you never held to
me, while / was Ambassador at vienna, the Ian
guage which NJ Theirs attributes to you.
Prince de- wstternsS in NAV desnach Of the
OF July, which you have just sent me, and OF which
knew nothing, because the Austrian Ambassador
l see, in effect, in the copy which you have ad-
dressed ome, that you recommend he Ambassador
acceptance OF your reservations by the Emperor
and his Ministers without provoking their dssatis-
faction; and ! lind in this tardy communication
the key TO situation OF matters which caused us
during some days very serious anxiety. There
took place, then, between the Austrian Ambassa-
verbal and written which had for their effect to
dissipate what you have called regretable misun-
Paris, and Immediately vanished all traces of the
codness which your reservations had naturally en-
gendered, although the Austrian Ambassador had,
In conformity with his Instructions, neglected
nothing TO soften their expression.
NJ. de vtzthum sees the Emperor, he converses
with me- and 1t is Immediately after his return that
you write, on the Goth July, these Words
Count vitzthum has conveyed to our august
master the verbal message with which the Empe-
Those imperial words, as well as the explanations
which M. lie Due de Gramont has added. have
standing which the unforeseen event Of this sud
den war might have caused Be good enough,
listers that, faithful to our engagements as they
have been set down in the letters exchanged last
cause OF France our own, and that we will con
tribute to the success OF her arms lar possible
dams les hntttes du posstoe)"
l willingly refrain from giving to the word
"repeat" the Specification which, you say, does not
belong to it; but, on the other hand, cannot pre-
vent myself from pointing out the radical difference
which exists between the attitude OF the Vienna
Cabinet on the goth Of July and that which 1t
appeared to wish TO take on the 18th, in that I'M
published and unknown document which you have
brought to my knowledge. How is it that on the
18th July, receiving that despatch (of the 11th),
the Austrian Ambassador made to me no communi-
cation Of the same kind with that which he made
to me on the 24th after receiving your despatch Of
the 10th? Why did he not leave with Inc that first
despatch, as he left me the secondY
do not undertake at this moment to answer
this question, but contend that on the oath July
held in my hands the declaration that no further
misunderstanding existed between ourselves and
the Cabinet OF Vienna, ana, further, the formal
promise that 1t would contribute to the success OF
our arms as far possible. This is my second
affirmation, and you will admit that 1t Is above dis
cussiOn.
Did they mean merely to contribute to the sue
cess OF our arms in a Platonc fashion, IL may SO