The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1891-09-24
nlonltowof pilot.
THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER "A, 1891
MINISTER WASHBURNE.
An Error Corrected by One Who was in
Paris During the siege.

correspondent signing himself |
"A writes as follows TO the y. 1. |
Tribune: In the London Times OF |
recent date appeared paragraph cal |
culated to reflect upon the American |
minister in Paris during the siege oil |
1s7O-'1l Tire Times said. speaking OF
The late j. j. Weiss: Shut up 10y
surprise in the siege OF Paris. an IN
,,enious idea attracted general atten-
lion 10 him. Mr.. Washburne, the
American minister. who, unlike MS
colleagues. had remained III farls anu
was "A medium OF communication De-
tween besiegers and besieged, had per-
mission TO receive the Times, whlch
kept him posted up in events that were
a secret for Parisians, and especlaiiE
for the government OF national ue-
Tense. Weiss succeeded IN DrlOlnS
Mr. Washburnc's valet The Times
arrived during the day: Mr.. WASH
burne read it III the evening. HIS
valet, on entering his masters beG-
room to put out the light, took away
the 1iineS. jumped into cab ana
went 10 Weiss, waited while he
skinned the paper. brought 1t back
and the next morning. on entering the
bedroom to draw back the curtains
put the Times back in lis place
Were these statements true they
would tend 10 show that Mr.. Wash
burnc was careless diplomat, little
anxious to Justify the confidence placed
in his discretion by the German be-
siegers, who allowed the foreign pa
pers to reach him through their lines.
He had occasion once To teach them
good lesson in that regard. The mail
bag for the American Legation was
usually received from or RENTED to
ahe Prussian military post, usually by
Secretary Wickham Hoffman. at the
Scvres bridge, outside of Paris. One
day the Germans insisted on opening
ii. and Mr. Washburne declared that
if that WAS done he would decline TO
receive or 10 send any mail, leaving TO
the besiegcrs the responsibility OF the
consequences. The latter might have
been grave inaSmuch rs Mr.. Wash
durne was, with Mr.. Kern. the Swiss
representative, the only foreign minis
ter in the invested city where he had
been intrusted with the care of all for
eigners whose ambassadors had lett
Paris Prince Bismarck, who had al
ready some motives to appreciate the
spirit of absolute neutrality displayed
by the American minister, approved
Mr.. Washburucs protest and ordered
that the mail bag for or from the
United States legation should never
be intcrfered with.
Several London aud American pa
peIs, and not the London Times only.
were received by Mr.. Washburue who
did not allow them to be spread on the
table Of the legations parlor, Avenue
Josephine. but kept them in his pri-
waite office. lie did not use either to
take them into his residence. Rue
Spontini, where he stayed seldom, liv-
luz rather ut the houses OF friends with
whom he parlOuk the scauty provisions
they could procure. Mr.. Washburne's
valet is IN imaginary parsonage unless
the London Tunes should have taken
for valet the worthy Antoine, Il col
ored man who acted for many years in
the capacity of messenger in the lega-
ton. where he became very popular.
}. j. Weiss WAS a poemlSt, doc
trinarian journalist, not given to run
nIng after news" still less TO using
any improper tricks TO secure it. He
held ut that time the place of chief
editor Of the Paris Rttrie an evening
paper where those who had seen MIR.
Washburnc in the forenoon could see
him in the afternoon, quietly writing
some brilliant alslclc on the general
situation. but not on the uncoulirmed
and so-cailcd news of the day.
No information of political or nil
itary character ever leaked through
the American legation during the
siege. Still. Mr.. WashJurnc openly
made use of the London Times and
other London papers in a highly char.
liable and proper manner. The Eng
lish papers published daily. i'll the
form of advertisements. columns which
were headed Family News, as near
as | can remember. Those advertise
ments. or rather short notices. for in
stance ran thus: Mrs. \. and The
children are in London. st. -
street. No -. in good health"
Other notices gave news of Il wife. n
daughter. old parents, etc. who had
left Paris previous TO the investment,
and were residing in Belgium. Italy.
Switzerland. etc. Those family"
columns were cut of from the London
papers by Mr. Washburne. and handed
by him 10 French journalist. tried
friend of his with The permission of
having them published. That journal
list though a friend also of j. j. Weiss
did not give these family notices" 10
In Pdtyie. but to he GduioiS a morn
ing paper, which could publish them
more conveniently having more time
To set them than ~ afternoon paper.
and which also had larger circula-
ton.
Domestic Life in Paris.
Life In Paris means what it does in
all large cities: the good aud the bad.
writes Edward w. Box in the Ludics'
Home JouWuL The casual tourist
sees n i rule only one side As a
race, the French are mcrrv-makinm
people; their very natures seek and
crave enjoyment. But their amu>e-
ments are therefore. not necessarily
Of m order below the kin of respect
ability II has been my plpaSura ia