Mr. Washburne to Mr. Fish
Sir: * * * * * * * Before the Journal Officiel of the commune had reached the legation this morning, Mr. Malet, of the British embassy, called to see me in relation to a decree of the commune, which appeared in that paper of to-day, by which requisition was made of all the vacant apartments in Paris. As this was a matter of great importance to both English and American residents, who have furnished apartments in the city, we determined it was necessary to take immediate steps for the purpose of protecting such apartments from being occupied. We therefore addressed ourselves to M. Paschal Grousset, the delégue aux àffaires etrangeres. * * * * * *
He is a man of intelligence, education, and genteel personal appearance. He received us with genuine politeness, in the same room where I had been received by eight or ten different ministers of foreign affairs of the regular government. After explaining to him the object of our visit, he was very prompt to say that it was never intended that the [Page 335] decree should include the apartments of foreigners, though by inadvertence it was not so stated. He said he would have the correction made, and that orders should be given that the apartments of foreigners should not be molested; that if we should hear of any disturbance of such apartments, belonging either to the Americans or the English, and would inform him of the fact, he would take immediate measures to have the evil corrected. We thanked him for so promptly and so satisfactorily responding to our wishes, and took our leave. * * * From the foreign office I went in person to the prefecture of police, to obtain the discharge of several Germans, one of them a priest, incarcerated at Mazas. There I found a young man in charge, who very promptly complied with my request, and gave me written orders to have them set at liberty. Yesterday an American lady called at the legation to beg me to interest myself to procure the release from prison of two Sisters of Charity, (French.) This lady was herself a Sister of Charity, and a daughter of the late Governor Roman, of Louisiana. The two nuns in prison were her friends, and had been torn away from the convent by some members of the national guard, about three or four weeks ago. She, of course, felt the greatest uneasiness in regard to their fate. I told her that while I could interfere in no way officially, I would, as an act of friendship to her as an American, call the attention of the authorities to the case of her friends. I accordingly mentioned the matter to the man in charge of the prefecture, and without hesitation he gave me an order for their release also. This I took in person to the depot of prisoners at the conciergerie, and, after waiting about an hour to have some formalities gone through, I had the pleasure of seeing the two sisters safely outside the prison-walls. From the conciergerie, I went to Mazas, and there I found no difficulty in securing the release of the three German prisoners, including the priest. I availed myself of the occasion of again being in the prison, and called upon the archbishop of Paris, taking to him some newspapers and a bottle of old Madeira wine. I found him about the same as he was on Sunday, and manifesting the same cheerful spirit. I was sorry I could not communicate to him a favorable change in the situation. * * * * * *
I have, &c.,