Washington Journal., 1942-06-05

of the Minister'S agents. Therefore de Kalb
wrote his wife from New York on April "a,
1868, that he would sail to England by the
next packet in the hope of returning home
so soon as possible.
A Bitter disappointment
BY the end OF April 1868, accordingly, he
embarked on the packet Minerva, bound
from New York to Dover, and arrived in
London after a month voyage on June LIST.
Within a fortnight he reached Paris. There
he suffered the humiliation of finding him
self unable to penetrate to the all-powerful
Prime Minister.
In Paris as well as at Versailles de Kalb
was told that the Premier, immersed in more
important affairs, was too busy to receive
him in private audience. If de Kalb had any
report to make, he could do so in writing
and leave it with the Dukes secretary. This
he did on June 18th, at the same time beg
ging again for the privilege of verbally elu-
cidating certain features of his report. On
June 22nd he received a brief note from de
Choiseul acknowledging receipt of the report
and questioning the accuracy of de Kalb's
estimates of Britain's military strength in
North America. Still he was hidden to render
further reports, particularly any he might
receive from his American correspondents.
His pay went on.
Throughout the weary months OF 1868 all
of de Kalb's repeated efforts to be received
in a private audience by his chief came to
nothing. Early in 1869, when de Kalb once
more respectfully pleaded for a private audi
ence, the Dukes secretary CURLY told him he
might come to one of the Premier's general
receptions of a Sunday. De Kalb came, mean
ing to beg by word of mouth for a later conf
dental audience. But he did not get the
chance. Before he could open his lips, after
having made the customary deep bow, de
Choiseul impatiently dismissed him, saying:
''You returned from America too soon. So
your work was Of no use to me. Therefore
va need submit no further reports about that
country"
Like a Fish out of Water
Such treatment Of a confidential agent by
his chief might seem to indicate that de Kalb
had fallen into utter disgrace, but this was
not so.
De Choiseul merely was venting his spleen,
either because the King or one Of his royal
mistresses had been peevish with him, or
because de Kalb's prudent counsels against
French i~ntrigues in England's colonies went
against de Choiseul's preconceived notions.
Since de Kalb's reports from America had
shown Britain strongly intrenched in Canada,
de ChOiseul had dropped his American
schemes and turned to a more promising plan
Of p~rofiting by England's p-reoccupation with
America to fit out a French expedition for
the conquest Of Corsica.
This turned out well for France, since the
British Government, beset with worries from
the Disconnected Americans, contented itself
in Europe with a mere diplomatic protest
against Frances forcible acquisition Of
Corsica.
OF course de Kalb, after filing a dignified
protest against his unjust treatment, ceased
rendering reports and broke off his connec-
tons with confidential correspondents, hired
by him in America. That he was not wholly
out of favor with the Prime Minister was
shown by the continuance of his pay out Of
de Choiseul's secret funds. Furthermore the
Premier in a personal note to de Kalb on
June 4, ITO promised to recall him to active
military service and to get the King to com
mission him a brigadier general in the French
Army. Months went by, though, and before
de Choiseul would get around to fulfill his
promise, a women's cabal at the royal court
in Versailles succeeded in topping over de
Choiseul's ministry. Now he, not his conf
Dental agent, was in disgrace, but it spelled
the end of de Kalb's secret employment and
Of his pay as such.
Feeling himself like a fish out of water
dc Kalb at last tried to settle down in earnest
by buying for his growing family the baron
ial castle and estate Of Million la Chapelle in
the vicinity Of Versailles. There he and his
wife lived happily as retired gentlefolk with
their children and household servants until
the glamor of military adventure again lured
de Kalb from his domestic hearth.
Recalled to Favor
Among the creatures Of Madame du Barry,
now all powerful as the Kings ~favorite
mistress, was Count st. Florentine, a privy
royal secretary, now raised to be Duke of
Vrilliere and minister of foreign affairs. AS
-- &c - H. G~1 l. III ~ Il - 49,