New-York tribune., 1909-12-04
Literary. .NetOs and Criticism,

ltaly ana Austria even pelorc 'iie MeAi-
can plan: on the French elections and
what they signified for the government
of Napoleon: on the policy of the Papacy.
They closely followed the intrlgues at
the Tuileries where the Empress's in
fiuence kept the French troops in Rome.
on the Confederate emissaries who sue
oeeded in gaining Napoleon's ear: on
Denmark. and. always on London. where
our credit was most seriously threatened.
Then. peace declared. the empire OF
Macmillan protracted the strain. Mr..
Bigelow reveals here a but little con-
sidered Bit Of Bismarckian policy. In a
report to Mr.. Seward in January. 1865,
ne wrote:
The Prussian Ambassador [Baron Won
Goltzl and myself had a long conversation
yesterday al kis dinner table about the
Mexican difcSlIy Id he Raq aG, been no taking
I.huys He said ;hat the Emperor realized
the awkWardness Of his position fully
Mexico as soon as ne possibly could with
decenCy and dignity. He said Prussia and
the other states OF Europe were interested
that we should not push him 20 the point
OF humiliation for he could bear the in
convenience of a war much better than the
humiliation Of a check. The first was dan
said that il was feared IL We Inundated
him IN America that he would seek 10 re-
cove cover his prestige by troubling Europe He
the Emperor II We spared his dignity and
honor.
In connection with the delay IN the
withdrawal Of the French troops Mr..
Bigelow tells gleefuIy the story OF the
cipher cable on this subject sent 10 him
-.
despatch. he says that then had ever
crossed the ocean. II began 10 arrive in
the morning Of November 26. 1866. be-
fore he was out Of bed. and the last in
sIalment was received at 1 Of the
following afternoon, its coming being
interrupted only during a few of the
most pressing business hours each day
The time consumed in its transmission
was due 10 the fact that for every letter
Of every word in il four or five ciphers
were used. He continues:
The reception Of so lengthy a dispatch
by telegraph 10 my legation was in itself
50 eufrely unprecedented that the news
circulated rapidly through the official de-
partments and the diplomatic corps. AS a
consequence representatives from many of
the other legations called early the follow
ing day 10 learn what was up. but the
caller most anxious was NJ Psreire Be
fore he arrived had made up my mind
not 10 communicate the dispach TO the
Minister Of Foreign Affairs. and I con-
tented myself with pulling a long face
out revealing ANYTHING OF its contents.
cept merely saying that, 10 my regret, Ills
sont tres serieuX." I learned early in life
that & loaded gun Is much more useful IN
combat than one discharged.
II was not an important dispatch: Mr..
Seward had sent il more for It's effect
upon Congress than for the Tuileries.
but by the time the American papers
were received in Paris. and its contents
thus made known, IL had been instru-
mental in Fastening the evacuation.
And, thanks 10 MI Bigelow's diplomacy.
the French government could truthfully
state. when questioned by the Opposi-
tion. that II had received no such mes
sage from the American Legation.
The threatened war between Prussia
and Austria put a sudden end 10 French
interest in American affairs Mr. Biee-
low had long foreseen II, and warned Nj
Seward OF its coming, but this part OF his
Recollections may be left FOR the reader
without comment here. There is, indeed.
q great deal Of unwritten history IN
these pages.
They have also their lighter side. which
is temptingly quotable, whether il be in
those early chapters describing the life
oi an American family in the first quar-
ter Of the last century, picture fun Of
d simple. old-fa shioned charm the
sketches Mr.. Bigelow draws Of the
notable men and women whom he met on
his first trip 10 Europe in ls5s-'6O. or his
later references 10 the public men with
whom he was in constant contact. OF
the Americans lie met in his early wears
IN New York-Goduin. Evarts. HalIecL
Br1-ant-he tells us but little bl,t stons
long enough, on the other hand in his
LaIrauNe' TO speak OF a physician
whose popularity was based chiefly
upon The fact that he was understood -
he The medical adviser Of the British Con-
sl.aie, which was enough in those DAYS
10 make blacksmith fashionable in Ne,v
York OF Napoleon III whom he frs,
saw in 1860. he says.
Ht was short with b-oad sto..,s.--
-aise chest and barre taperfng on No.
tNo itSs 80 snort 10 seem VerI- 49,,
T'l.a--- t1ls heaa, too, seemed large for MS
legs The Irs- Impression his fars -,
upon me was that ~ an ,5H.srfa sl,fS- -,
-,-E iAloLSh Wearisome ceremor,iaI
N-e- hr was dying FOR SleeD His a,es
N'-t NtIt smetL without luStre or definite
'AiIt>sioii which, with the sloWnesS -
.- motions. made il-u seem Ia ~ ,s--i.,1,-
bored. soon discovered that ms ir1r-ee,
si'- was erroneous. ne was uof bora5
iit seemed SO because no OF nor r,.rs..vss
l.i-.' i4-a-ti} seemed 10 impress him Re
sa.l b-i Alile, and sat silent most - ne
illHe, but whether ne spoke or w. siIeyt
y Nas evident that lac did not do urbaf
ie cll fr0fn any influence outside az bin1
Se-- Lal Ioi watched him long before
Htran 70 r'aliZe the great economy ~
-p.'e It tALih-ted lie did not waste any
ilils--oi smile. not a step not a gestIIr.
No' "a Iook- not thought. not d word
The Empress. while beautiful and
graceful APPEARED 10 Mr.. Bigelow 70
have nothing regal and sovereign in her
appearance. nothing that indicated any
comprehension Of the part she and her
husband were playing in the history Of
The world. From what / saw OF her"
he ADDS, 1t would never have occurred
TO me. whatever my opportunity. 10 ar
tempt 10 interest her in the career Of
which her husband was such an inpor-
tant factor any further than as IL affects
her as a wife and mother" Later after
Lees surrender, he had an Interview,
with her. reported in the third volume
tut too long 10 be quoted here. which
must have changed his opinion sb.o c.
talnly is revealed there as an astute