Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-09

CHARGED WITH scHEarSG WITH THE GREAT
CHANCELLOR AGAINST FRANCE.
| George Bancroft. the author of the History
of the United States, died short time ago st
Washington. He was born at the opening Of
the nineteenth century. He lived twenty-five
years too long for France and for his good
name among us, for If The regrets Of his fellow
countrymen follow him to his grave as histo-
-ian and statesman. we may add that the Ger
man government. also loses in him a more than
devoted servant and Bismarck one of his ac-
complies in the seizure of Alsace and Lor-
raine. Yesterday, on the Goth Of January, his
obsequies we're pompously celebrated at st.
Johns Episcopal Church in the capital Of the
United States. President Harrison. accompa-
MED by his cabinet. assisted at his funeral in
the presence of the whole diplomatic corps, the
French minister alone being absent and justly
so. On the coffin lay n crown of roses and he.
iotrope, tied with the German colors and bear
ing the card OF the Emperor William. AT this
moment. as the funeral Grafton OF the Ameri-
can citizen Is being pronounced on the other
side of the Atlantic 1t is well for us to remember
and to recall to our children his true history.
1t was in the latter part of September, 1870.
Blockaded Paris about to close her gates.
Washburn. then United States minister to
France, and charged by Prussia to protect all
of police to release oil Germans detained in our
prisons except those held for trial or con-
demned for crimes against the common law.
The French republic had not wished to refuse
this act of clemency to the American republic,
whose representative encouraged in the mind
Of our government the hope of the official H.
reference OF the United States. The very next
day Gambetta, then minister Of the interior,
came TO see me at my office. anything new!
he said TO me as he entered. yes" replied.
s.lere y letter f0nO1 this morning while
searching n inspected house. which left
there by - German officer attached to the
private staff of the king of Prussia, and who, l
hope, will never again try to break through our
outposts."
GAMBErTAs RAGE.
Gambetta seized the paper and read it
eagerly. 1t was the text of dispatch, dated
the 18th of September, from Berlin to Presi-
dent Grant:
America to interfere. Germany declines all
foreign Intervention. The other powers will
abstain. America will be alone and can do
nothing. Our interest and our dignity de-
mand that for tie present we hold ourselves
aloof. (Signed) BANCROFT,
United States Minister to Berlin.
Gambetta, who was lmbued with De Tocque-
ville's ideas and INDUCED himself in the lllu-
sion OF great sister republic, grew purple at
this sudden revelation and dealt a heavy blow
down like Gagged lion, he cried: Poor
France, she. too. has her Judas
Bancroft while writing these lines. had sim
gllary forgotten the lessons of his own history.
Nearly century before France had been the
only one to stretch out her hand across the sea
to the thirteen revolted English colonies Her
interest-when Franklin besieged the doors of
Versailles to beg for men and money, when
with depleted treasury. the sovereign of
France gave him grudgingly of his mobiles and
to fOrf1r h init nzf
nandcd her to remain neutral and immovable.
Who can tell if the United States and Washing
ton had been left to their own resources to
face the English regiments. how soon they
would have freed themselves from the mother
country? All these thoughts rushed through
Gambettas mind, who well understood the
glorious past of his country.
These bitter recollections came back TO me
in Washington last spring and summer at the
sight of Bancroft. nearly blind, with long
white beard. passing every day under my win
dows, leaning on the arm of his German secre-
tary, whom he had retained since 1874, the
period at which he resigned his diplomatic
| functions in Germany, without, however,
breaking off his relations with the chancellor
All. yes, he was truly bound to him since 1867
When the northern democrat became republi-
can at the close OF the civil war he was re-
| warded with the post of minister to Berlin.
The old scholar and professor Of Harvard Col
lege and the ardent combatanc at the diet of
| Frankfort, both students from the universities
of Gottingen and Berlin and who had imbibed
the same ideas Of history and philosophy. wee
well prepared to understand each other in
| their manner of considering and managing
Frence affairs. 1t is sufficient to read the pri-
vate letter that Bancroft addressed to the cham
| cellor, then at the height of his power at YER
| sailies, to find signs OF concerted action,
agreed upon long before
Ny Dear Count have been as much sur
prised as battered to see that, while you were
engaged in the task of rejuvenating Europe
| you have found time to send me your friendly
congratulations on the advanced age which has
| been granted me. 1t is truly q great privilege
| TO live at time when three or four men, who
love peace above all things and who. after long
and difficult labors expect it, acquire in q defen-
| sive war a fresh military fame that the boldest
| Imagination would not dare to dream Of and in
| the space of three months place Germany On
the road to realize its thousand years of hope.
| 1 accept with gratitude the kind wishes YOU ex-
| press that nv life may be heightened; for old
| age, narrowly separated from eternity has this
year shown itself of value on earth. They are
| veterans who lead this German to its close
| You. IL is true. are young. but Room must
| already be reckoned as venerable. Moltke il
| only twenty-three days younger than l. and
your king surpassess us all both in years and in
youthfulness. May not be proud of my con-
temporaries! Continue, beg. to honor me
with your esteem during the short. period of
/ life which remains TO me. BANCROFT
Nothing is wanting here, neither fawning nor
misstatement. The ''rejuvenation of Europe"
! by fire and sword A defensive war, The
| author of this dithyramb thought differently
1 when he wrote on the 10Th of July to Mr.. Fish
| Secretary Of State, at Washington. The great
| majority of the French people are opposed to
| this war" The veracity of the historian. the
| neutrality Of the diplomat representing a power
calling itself friendly, the gratitude OF the
American citizen to old France are all wanting
in this letter to the conqueror.
BANcRoFT's CORRESPONDENCE.
| We have only to follow Bancroft in his CORE
spondence with his government to be assured
of his completely with Germany. After the 2lst
of September he initiates Mr.. Fish in all Bis
marck's plans, for he is kept informed of them.
| and begs him to influence public opinion in the
| United States where the Irish element. which
counterbalances the German, does not dissinu-
late its sympathy for France. He finishes thus
a long dispatch:
| Material guarantees are necessary to the Ger
| mans Tor their own protection and for the peace
| OF Europe. These guarantees will not be de-
manded OF any transitory government in
| France. but of the French nation. which has
always shown itself ready. as the history of past
centuries has proved. to follow its governments
| into war. and under any of them to seek an in
| or sase of territory at Germany's expense. In
or Ter. then, to establish peace, Germany must
oJtain guarantees against the imminent ap-
proaching attack of France, and can lind them
only by changing the defenseless frontier of
| southern Germany, SO that tie entire point OF
| attack may be moro distant, and that the forts.
| with which France until now has threatened
-. L.. L. L