The New York herald., 1874-09-25
B Az
Full Text of Ills Letter to
tile Herald.
CRITICISMS ON IMAGINATION.
"The First Author Of Our
Disasters"
An Old Soldier and an ANA
teur General.
HOW ALSACE WAS LOST.
Logical Argument on His
Sentence.
No al nafouse fPam tho
HOW ALSACE WAS LOST
Logical Argument on His
Sentence.
The GOYtrnmen! Of National Defence from The
Marshaps Point of View.

HERALD
s1R-The lmpartiality your honorable Journal
has shown in lace OF the rude trials which | have
lately undergone, and the strong marks OF kindly
sympathy which have received from your repre-
sentatives In Europe, induce me TO puoncly thank
you
The English, the Russian and the American
press In general have not allowed their Judgment
to be bsssed concerning the terrible drama in
which, next to the Emperor Napoleon I'LL, have
been the most unfortunate victim. With the ex-
cepsion OF the London Times whose egotism Is well
known and whose German sympashies were
aroused from the frst day OF the war, can only
praise the English journals.
The Russian press, whose views were also very
sensible, often Afforded me precious consolation.
But 1t was in the American journals that found
impartial defenders and critics, and, SO far as
know, none among them have abused me system
stically, as mas peen done elsewhere.
AMERICAN sYMPATHIBs.
Recently, as was passing through Cologne,
several parties OF Americans came spontaneously
to visit me, and to assure me OF their sympathy.
Among them were officers OF the great clvl war
who wished TO grasp my hand, as General Sher-
man had already done when passing through YER
salles.
do not like public demonstrations; my soldierly
character revots against them; but l must avow
on tnl9 OCCASION tne ACT OF LuoSe AIueIlCauS
touched me deeply / saw that your countrymen
were not ike mine, republicans OF yesterday, and
that American citizens do not, like French dema-
gogues, believe they perform an act Of patriotism
by insulting conquered soldiers
1t has been thought good policy to make or me
an expiatory victim for the army and the natlon
against have been charged all the faults, all the
weaknesses committed, all the sins OF Israel;
and they nave sacrificed me- And l do not
wish to complain here OF this 1niquirous sentence
because 1t is irregular, void in It's FORM and rem
dered invalid by the competition of the Court
which pronounced 1t.
PRINCELY DELICACY.
The law an old law, whose origin is hid in the
night OF time saws that the accused should be tried
by his peers. Now this guarantee was refused to
me. The council which tried me was presided over
by general OF division OF the royal
blood, removed from the army list by
the second Republic in Is4s, and forcedly
retired into civL life from that time until 1871 ,
who had never conducted important military
operations as commanded -n-chlef, and who pos
sessed in my eyes other military merit than
that OF being the son OF his father, King Louis
Philippe l., and having been-thanks to his birth
colonel at the age OF twenty-five years.
THE TWO sUPPoRrs-NAPoLEoS ATD THEIRS.
have no longer the hope that justice Will be
promptly done me. | had but Two supports,
whose high authority and impartiality and inde-
pendence assured me during the contest against
all those VINO thought right 10 mmoiate me or
allow me to De inundated IN order TO appease a
certain coterle and the public sorrow. These two
supports were the Emperor Napoleon H., and
NJ. Theirs The nrst is dead, and the second has
peen removed from power and replaced by Mar
shal MacMahon my former comrade.
Ny two supports tailed me too soon. have
been forced TO enter bodily into the terrible whrl
OF events which seized me on the fatal day IN
when the command Of the army OF the Rhine-a
command never sought, as is well xnown-was
imposed upon me- which others were lucky enough
to quit or AVOID in time but for whicn, may re-
call it, the universal pubic opinion In accord
with the Emperor, pointed me out. Well. all Is
over now. / nave drunk the bitter cup even to the
dregs and / ought not even to complain
because the Emperor, my MASTER lost both throne
and life, and France the worth of three depart
ments. TINS terrible adventure mas only oene-
fted the Germans and those VINO remained iar
from the fields OF battle, IN .order the better to
natter the passions OF the people and proht by
their great misfortune. Even the Commune gained
nothing by it. The opportunity TO arm and organ
ize In military form was but an ephemeral trl
umph, ending in annthilation.
JUSTICE But NAME.
might say, like the ancient Roman, that justice
1
master. 70 await the verdict OF time and history
Iwould not even have escaped rom my prison
had my ancient comrade, MacMabon whom the
caprice OF destiny raised to supreme power at the
moment wnen was beng deprived even OF mJ
rights as citizen, conse nted TO soften the ri2oi
IMPEACHMENT OF MAcMAHoN
During my tral might nave employed the samt
weapons that MacMahon used against me. nigh
have shown IN my defence how MacMaaon had al
lowed himself to be surprised and beaten In Asact
tnFn ANA IA 1Gnlf fhQn nfh n
OF the Overwhelming forces marching against him
that he had retreated without endeavorins
TO defend the Vosges, without stopping
be march OF the enemy even. for q day
in their defies, or destroying the railroads
lately, without leaving IN the fortresses Of tha
province, as prescribed by special orders, sum
Gent garsons for long and goqd v deence ,t0a tina
utilizing the Filth and seventh corps and the lint
OF defence OF the seie, SO leaving my rig righs an an
sent not to pass beyond Nancy; that BY MS gno
rance OF the number and movement
St Sccepsng ss ePsmy ssIte SndrOa.d bis i'm
prudence in risking upon the s cas-. 81, 0i elo !
by bis personal courage, which made him, above
all. forget the duties OF the Generaln Chief to un
dertake the role OF lighting soldier, ne might bt
looked on as one OF the first authors OF our ols
asters.
But one justice win be done me. It is that
nave initiated the conduct Of the Emperor, and
have accused une. Nor have sought 10 throw
tne Responsibility on others. Nevertheless have
"ithcoopu many eTrOTs, WedkuesSes, IdlItHBs
nestations wanderings, and II any one mad right
10 complain, to reproach, 1t was l.
BROTHERS IN MISFORTUNE.
macManon at sedan was as unfortunate as was
81 METZ, as irochu and Ducrot at Paris, B0ur.
bakl and Cllnchant III the East In becoming Pres
ident OF the Republic he forgot this. am not
sorry Tor It, since his failure Of memory gave me
the energy necessary 10 escape, and now am
completely free.
envy only one thing to MacMahon-the wound
ne received at Sc Ian, and which permitted him 10
nonorably pass the command 10 another or rather
TO several others, TOR IN that unfortunate battle OF
Sedan three generals held In turn the chief com.
manu. Yet never were our soldiers IN
such need OF good direction, since they
fought one against two, and the
two German armies were directed by
Field Marshal Won Moltke. The General who