Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-08-22
THE FRANCO.GERMAN WAR.
How Bismark Forced the Struggle
Upon France.

PARIS, July 22d.-The Figaro has COM
menced series of recollections OF the last
years of Napoleon III, under the sigma
ture Fidus. They include the following
version of what passed on the eve Of the
declaration of war, which is said to have
been obtained from NJ. Louyet, who was
Minister in 1870.
The Emperor now believed he was sure.
from what was told him, that all was
ready; and as regards material this was
true. Only one thing troubled him. If
a war had TO be made, there was no man
capable of directing it. In this state of
affairs the Council of Ministers met. A
longer possible to delay, and every one
was perplexed, not seeing how to escape
from this fatal necessity. Suddenly, at
an hour already late-5 or 6 o'clock-the
Due de GrammOnt said:
"Here is what L propose: Call Con-
gress of the great powers, which will set
tie the dispute and enforce its decision.
Whatever it is, we shall be protected and
war will be evaded. If the Congress
wishes the Prince Of Hohenzollern to
reign in Spain, we have nothing to fear
from it. What the Spanish people are is
known; they will not support him. His
reign will be short, and we shall have no
ground for self-reproach. Let us, then,
hand over the decision of this great affair
to Congress. That means no longer
war, but peace"
No sooner was the proposal made than
the expression on the faces of the Minis
tiers changed. All were enthusiastic.
cit is deliverance," said the Emperor
cit is unanimously approved Of There
is no use in making further inquiry until
we have the Congress. NJ. Olivier, :"
added the Emperor, this resolution
must be at once communicated to the
Chambers. They are still sitting, and
you have time to 60 to the Chamber of
Deputies. Go into the room at the side
and draw up a short declaration, which
you will read TO US and then communi-
ctate to the Chamber l, however, will
tell the President to continue the sitting"
NJ. Olivier entered the side room and
remained there long time, and, whether
through fatigue or unwilIingness, he who
generally was such an able writer, came
back with an utterably unsuitable decla-
ration, which met with approval from no
one. and which he himself confessed was
llIoQnlClCnb. LII COlSS1uGuCG IL WAS Uc-
cided that the matter should be decided
the next day; that NJ. Olivier should
prepare at leisure what was required, and
that the document should be read next
day in the Chamber. A message was
sent to the President that he might close
the sitting, and the Council separated
after agreeing to meet next day at 9
O'Clock.
The Emperor, on leaving the Tuileries
to go to st. Cloud, was cheered by the
crowd collected in the square and on the
quay. The crowd called for war, without
understanding all that it meant. On ar
irving at st. Cloud the Emperor was sur
rounded by several persons, who had
brought the news of the famous article
inserted in the German newspapers. in
which it was stated that the King of
Prussia had dismissed NJ Benedict. tell
ing him that he had nothing further to
add Count Bismarck had circulated and
published this false statement through
out all Germany in order to compromise
everything, to force the hand of France.
and to bring on war And he attained
his object.
The Deputies and the Senators who sur
rounded the Empress, and who had been
invited to stay for dinner, were indignant.
They We'd with each other in expressing
most foreibly the necessity of replying to
this insolence by declaration of war.
They said; cit is impossible to draw
back; to hesitate would be shameful,
The Empress received these ardent words
as accorded with her warm temperament
and Spanish pride. Nothing but the
'Marsellaise' was wanted in the
drawing room of the st Cloud. This was
the news received ON his arrival bv the /
unfortunate Emperor, who had left the
Iuieeries treasured, and so full of conf |
ience and hope.
We saw al. once the consequences ofthis /
new incident. The Congress had become /
impossible. The declaration could not
De made. Other resolutions should he .
AIKEN; other means sought for. CouId |
var be avoided? There had been the |
closest approach to an escape. If the de- +
;laration had been made at 6 O'Clock in
he Chamber, there would have been an
md to the difficulty; now all had to be
begun again.-London Times.