Napoleon on the War.

Cromwell Argus, Volume 1, Issue 51, 2 November 1870, Page 7

Napoleon on the War.

“An Englishman writes thus to tho London Daily Telegraph from Paris :—Experience has warned me that authoritative expressions of opinion emanating from the protagonists in a grert political crisis rarely find their way into foreign newspapers. It is with the purpose of enabling your readers to form their own judgment upon the views now expressed by the Emperor Napoleon that I venture to repeat the words which ho employed while speaking to a friend and to myself during an interview with which he honoured us at the Tuileries. I must begin by remarking that [ have known tho Emperor for many years, and have seldom seen him looking better. When last I spoke with him, five months ago, he looked careworn and haggard, with a complexion more than usually sallow and ash-coloured. Yesterday his face looked fuller, his eye bright, his cheek healthy. 1 wish in addition to premise, that, after he had spoken, 1 enquired whether we were at liberty to repeat his words a haute voix. He answered, “I wish nothing better than that 1 should be represented to the people of England as holding these views.” The Emperor, after speaking with his usual quiet kindliness upon some private matters, turned suddenly to the political situation of France and of Europe. He said “ Uue fortnight before the utterance of the Due de Gramont in tho Corps Legislatif--which utterance has, it seems to me, been so unjustly reflected upon by the .British Press—l had no notion that war was at h:vn I ; nor am 1. even at this moment, by any means prepared for it. I trusted that, when the Due de Gramont had set me right with France by speaking manfully in public as to the Hohenzollern candidature, I should be aide to manipulate and handle the controversy as to make peace certain. But France has slipped out of my hand. I cannot rule unless I lead. This is the most national war that in my time France has undertaken, and I have no choice but to advance at the head of a public opinion which I can neither stem not check, in addition, ;\i. de Bismarck, although a very clever man, wants too much, and warns it too quick. After the victory of Prussia in Idod, 1 reminded him that bat for the friendly and self-denying neutrality of France he could never have achieved such marvels. I pointed out to him that I had never move:! a French soldier near to the iinine frontier during the continuance of the German war. 1 quoted to him from his own letter, in wnioh he thanked me for my abstinence, and said that be had left neither a Prussian guu nor a Prussian soldier upon the iinine, oat had thrown Prussia's whole and undivided strength, against Austria and her allies. 1 told him that, as some slight return for niy friendly.-inactivity, I thought that he might surrender Luxembourg, and one or two otner liitiefrofitier towns which gravely menace our frontier, to France, i added that in this way he wouid, by a trilling sacrifice, easily forgotten by Prussia in view of her enormous successes and acquisitions, pacify the French nation, wuiose jealousies it was so easy to mouse, so difficult Do disarm.” M. de Bismarck replied to me, after some delay, “ Not one foot of territory, waeoner Prussian or neutral, can I resign. But, perhaps,, if i were to make some fur-her acquisitions, L could mute some concessions. How, for instance, if 1 ware Co take Holland? What would France want as a sop for Holland? “i replied,” said the Emperor, “that if he attempted to take Holland, it meant war with France ; and tiiere the conversation, in which M. de Bismarck and M. de Bciiedetti were interlocutors, came to an end.” I have repeated this conversation as nearly as possible in the Emperor s words. VVnile we were speaking the Duo de Trevise brought a despatch to his Majesty, which the latter read, and which was to the ed’ect that “ the eleventh corps of the Prussian army were at that moment trooping into Treves.” I have little to ad- I to this recapitulation. These words which I have faithfully endeavoured to interpret must speak for themselves.