Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress with the Annual Message of the President, December 4, 1871
Mr. Washburne to Mr. Fish
Sir: As connected with the history of the insurrection and of the tragic fate of the archbishop of Paris, I have the honor to send you herewith, to go into the archives of the Department, a copy of all the correspondence and papers in regard to the imprisonment of the archbishop, and the measures taken to obtain his release.
I have, &c.,
Archbishop Chigi to Mr. Washburne
Sir and my dear colleague: Permit me to request you confidentially to receive kindly the four ecclesiastical canons of the Metropolitan Church of Paris, who come to beg your protection in favor of their archbishop, imprisoned by the insurgents at Paris. Permit me to join my prayers to those of these good canons, and to assure you of my great gratitude for all that you think you can do to endeavor, at least, to obtain that the life of Monseigneur Darboy shall run no danger.
Receive, &c., &c.,
Sir: The sad events which are passing in Paris have not failed to attract the attention of your excellency. Among other deplorable excesses to which civil war has given birth in this unhappy city, the arrest of monseigneur the archbishop, and of the principal members of his clergy, has been particularly remarked by the different representatives of the powers friendly to France. Relying upon this friendship and on the good relations which exist between the governments of the United States of America and our country, we, canons and members of the Metropolitan Chapter of the church of Paris, who have been able to meet together, take the liberty to beg your excellency to have the goodness to interpose your good offices, in such manner as you shall judge best, to obtain the deliverance of our archbishop as soon as possible; that the cause of humanity and of civilization may cease to suffer in his person, doubly respectable by his dignity and his merits—one of the greatest injuries it has ever received.
No political object being connected with this step, and placing ourselves solely on the ground of the laws of nations, and of the sympathy which so undeserved a treatment cannot fail to inspire, we dare to hope that your excellency will receive our movement favorably, and that you will do in this connection all that we could desire.
In this hope and this confidence, we have the honor to be. &c., &c., &c.,
LOUVRER, Canon Penitentiary of the Diocese of Paris.
[Untitled]
Prefecture of the Police,—Cabinet of the Secretary General.
(See the 23d April; 25th April; 9th May, and 10th May, 1871.)
We, member of the commune, civil delegate to the exprefecture of police, authorize the citizen Washburne, minister of the United States, and his secretary, to communicate freely with the citizen Darboy, archbishop of Paris.
RAOUL RIGAULT. [seal.]
Examined May 9, 1871.
The chief of the division.
Mr. Washburne to Archbishop Chigi
My dear colleague: I came into Paris Saturday night, and that very evening I arranged to meet one of the head men of the commune yesterday morning, at 9 o’clock. I cannot do better than to send you an account of what was done, which I have written to my Government. I send you, therefore, inclosed herewith, and confidentially, a copy of a dispatch I sent to Washington last night. After reading my dispatch I will thank [Page 354] you to inclose it to me, No. 7 rue de Mademoiselle, Versailles. I inclose herewith also a letter from the archbishop to the Abbé Lagarde. I shall hope to see you further in regard to the archbishop when I shall next be at Versailles.
Very truly, &c.,
Archbishop Darboy to Mr. Washburne
I beg the minister of the United States to accept my thanks for the kind visit he has had the goodness to make me in my prison, and to send the inclosed letter to its destination by his secretary, who is going to Versailles.
The address of the person to whom it is written will be found through his excellency the apostolic nuncio, or the bishop of Versailles. If the person to whom the letter is addressed has already started for Paris, the secretary of the minister can destroy it, or bring it back on his return to Paris.
[Untitled]
Sir and dear colleague: Truly I do not know how to thank you for all that you have had the kindness to do to aid the worthy archbishop of Paris. You have done more than I could have hoped, notwithstanding the confidence with which I was inspired, knowing the sentiments of humanity and of pity of your heart, and the generous nation you represent so worthily in France; and I am sure that the steps you will take with the men into whose hands lies the fate of Mr. Darboy, will not fail to produce the most favorable result which it is possible to hope for under present circumstances.
I have read with great interest, and with sentiments of profound gratitude towards yourself, sir, the despatches you have had the kindness to communicate to me in confidence and with reservation, and I hasten to send them back herewith, with all my thanks to the legation of the United States at Versailles, according to the direction in your honored letter of yesterday.
Colonel Hoffman has informed me that you will soon be at Versailles, and I have begged him to inform me of your arrival, that I may, without delay, call to express to you all my gratitude and my respect.
In the meantime, please accept, for the present, the renewed assurance of my sentiments of gratitude, and of the distinguished and affectionate consideration with, which I am, &c.,
[Untitled]
I beg his excellency the minister of the United States to receive the homage of my respect, and to have the goodness to send the inclosed letter to Versailles.
The address of Mr. LaGarde, in case the representative of his excellency does not know it, can be found either at the residence of the nuncio or at the Episcopal palace at Versailles.
[Untitled]
I beg his excellency the minister of the United States to receive the homage of my respect, and to have the goodness to permit me to have recourse to his kindness to send the inclosed letter to Versailles.
I shall be very greatful to him for it.
G. DARBOY, Archbishop of Paris.
The address of Mr. La Garde is, without doubt, known to the representative of Mr. Washburne at Versailles.
In any case it can be had from the nuncio, or from the bishop of Versailles.]
[Page 355]Memorandum of the Archbishop of Paris.
It is not known precisely what answer Mr. Theirs has given to the proposition made to him for the release of Blanqui, with a view to obtain in exchange the release of the archbishop of Paris, and of four or five persons held like him. The vicaire general Lagarde, who went to Versailles to attend to this matter, has sent here only vague and incomplete reports on the results of this step, but as he does not return, it is believed that all hope of success is not lost.
In default of precise information, it is conjectured that the government fears that it will appear to be treating with the commune, if it accepts the proposed exchange, and in addition, possibly regards the liberation of Blanqui as dangerous, in the midst of the present excitement. Now, parties who are interesting themselves either for Mr. Blanqui, or for the archbishop, desire earnestly that the following considerations should be submitted to Mr. Thiers, who will appreciate them in his wisdom and humanity, and it is believed they would have great weight if presented to Mr. Thiers by his excellency the minister of the United States.
The question is not between the commune and the government, but between the government and the parties above mentioned. The latter have arranged that the archbishop, and four or five other prisoners, to be designated by Mr. Theirs, shall be sent to Versailles, if they can have the assurance that Mr. Blanqui will receive his liberty. This assurance is to be guaranteed verbally by the minister of the United States, he being verbally authorized by Mr. Theirs. As to the liberation of Mr. Blanqui, instead of ordering it officially, would it not be possible to accomplish it by allowing him the facility to escape, with the understanding, of course, that he will not be retaken unless it be for the commission of some new offense? In this manner the government would have nothing whatever to do with the commune, some one, apart from the commune, would receive the assurance given by Mr. Washburne, and all would be arranged.
There could be no serious danger in liberating Mr. Blanqui, even in the present condition of things.
The resistance of Paris is a military resistance entirely, and the presence of Mr. Blanqui could add nothing to it.
The political and social ideas which are represented by the commune are not in themselves, nor in their application, those of Mr. Blanqui, and if he should associate himself with the commune it would not be a bond of union between the members which compose it, but rather a new element of discord.
At all events it does not appear that a settlement of the present conflict will be brought about through the political or social theories or policy of the commune, but only by the force of arms. It could therefore be no embarrassment if Mr. Blanqui were set at liberty, even though he should return to Paris. Whether he would do so or not is unknown.
If it were known precisely for what reasons Mr. Thiers hesitates to act favorably upon the proposition of exchange which has been submitted to him, it might be possible to attenuate their force, and to bring him perhaps to a better conclusion. Besides, he should not remain in ignorance that the life of the archbishop is seriously menaced. In saving him, Mr. Thiers, we believe, would give great satisfaction to the French clergy, and particularly to the episcopate.
Memo.—Written in the prison of Mazas, May 10, 1871.
[Untitled]
Sir and Dear Colleague: Mr. McKean handed to me this morning the letter you did me the honor to address to me yesterday, as well as the copy of the memorandum written by the archbishop of Paris, and I also received only a few days ago, through the post office and much behind time, the other letter which you also had the kindness to write me on the 29th of April, to which were joined two letters of Mr. Darboy for the Abbé Lagarde, to whom I banded them immediately. This morning I sent confidentially to Mr. Thiers the memoir of the archbishop, and I have begged of him a confidential reply, that I may send it to you to be delivered to Mr. Darboy, through your kindness. If I should receive the reply, as has been promised me, by 3 o’clock, I shall hasten to transmit it to you, begging you to make it known to monseigneur the archbishop. In the mean time, it is well that you should know how matters stand.
Mr. Thiers, having received some time ago the letter brought by Abbé Lagarde, submitted, first to the council of the ministers, and then to the commission of the fifteen deputies whom he has associated with himself, the question of the exchange of Blanqui on one side and the archbishop and four or five ecclesiastics on the other, and all unanimously refused their consent to such an arrangement. After this, Mr. Thiers declared that, notwithstanding the desire he felt to see the archbishop at liberty, as well as the Abbé Duguerrey, who was his personal friend, he could not take upon himself to carry [Page 356] out the exchange. He added that Mr. Blanqui was to be submitted to a new trial, and if he was condemned to death, he, as President, would have the power to spare his life; but as for setting him free, above all before he was tried, he could not do it; this would be beyond his power as chief of the executive power. This reply, addressed to Mr. Darboy more than two weeks ago, was drawn up, and Mr. Lagarde was requested to carry it to the archbishop in a sealed envelope as it was. But Mr. Lagarde refused, and still refuses, giving as the motive of his refusal that he cannot carry a reply in a sealed letter to a letter which he brought unsealed. Thus the letter of Mr. Theirs remains still at the ministry “des cultes,” and they are unwilling to send it except by Mr. Lagarde, who, on his side, does not wish to take charge of it.
Mr. Thiers desires also to assure me that he has the conviction that neither the life of the archbishop of Paris, nor those of the other ecclesiastics who are at this moment in prison, are in danger.
For my part I do not share, I confess, the confidence of the President on this subject.
Four o’clock.—I have just returned from the palace of the prefecture. Mr. Thiers read attentively the copy of the memoir of which I have spoken above, and he repeated, after mature reflection, the same observations which he made in his reply to the letter of Mr. Darboy. He decided not to set Blanqui at liberty, but apparently to spare his life if he should be condemned to death. This is all his powers permit him to do. Besides, it would never be possible for him to sanction an iniquity consisting in seizing hostages among distinguished people in order to set free scamps and culprits by lending himself to such plans of exchange, more or less covered up. He repeated the assurance that the life of the archbishop ran no danger whatever, and he ended by saying that in about two days the troops would be in Paris, and all danger would disappear.
This, my dear colleague, is the answer which I can give you, and regret with you that it is not more in accordance with the desire of the archbishop and with your charitable and generous design. In terminating, permit me to communicate to you, in accordance with the orders his eminence Cardinal Antonelli has transmitted to me, the sentiments of gratitude of the Holy Father the Pope, and of the cardinal, for all that you have done and all that you may do in favor of the archbishop, so unjustly tortured.
Accept, sir, also, with my sincere and affectionate thanks, the renewed assurance, &c., &c., &c.,
Cabinet of the procureur of the commune.
The director of the Mazas will permit Citizens Washburne and McKean to communicate with the prisoner Darboy.
Permanent.
Examined the 21st May, 1871.
Mr. Washburne to Archbishop Chigi
My Dear Colleague: Mr. McKean, my private secretary, will call on you in relation to the archbishop. He will hand you a copy of a memorandum made by him on the subject of an exchange for Blanqui. I need not assure you that I shall be very glad to do anything that is proper in this Shatter—officiously, of course—to facilitate any arrangement that might be made. Mr. McKean visited the archbishop with me yesterday, and can explain to you fully in regard to him.
I have the honor to be, &c.,
Mr. Washburne to Mr. W. B. Norcott
Dear Sir: I sent to-day a copy of the memorandum of the archbishop of Paris, in regard to his being exchanged for Blanqui, to Monseigneur Chigi, and told him that I would gladly do anything which would be proper, but of course officiously. I think the archbishop put the question very fairly, and I hope his memorandum will be brought to the attention of Mr. Theirs. I can well understand the reasons the Versailles government might oppose to the proposition for an exchange, but it seems to me they might be got over in this case, where the life of such a man as the archbishop is in danger. The French government could lose nothing in placing Blanqui in liberty, and by so doing would probably save the life of the archbishop. I consider his life in the most imminent danger, and for that reason, and with a desire to assuage his sufferings in prison, I have been willing to lend all my good offices in the matter. In your visit to Versailles I hope you will be able to secure the consent of Mr. Thiers to the exchange. I believe the commune have agreed to release several prisoners, including M. Beaujon, besides the archbishop, in case Beaujon could be put in liberty. That might be an additional consideration with Mr. Thiers.
I am, &c.,
[Untitled]
His Excellency the Minister of the United States in France:
Sir: I know what interest your excellency has shown in favor of Monseigneur Darboy, archbishop of Paris, and I know what gratitude the friends of the Catholic Church will feel toward you for it. Permit me, sir, in invoking this interest, to beg your excellency to take a step which will be, without doubt, of service to Monseigneur Darboy. The celebrities of the bar of Paris having left the capital, monseigneur has had the goodness to choose me as his counsel. I consequently asked of the Citizen Raoul Regault, procureur of the commune, the permission required to visit him at the prison of Mazas. I have had two consultations with monseigneur. These interviews enabled me to take certain steps having a character of public interest, and I had hoped that they might be renewed from time to time, when the commune of Paris suppressed all the permissions which had been accorded to visit the priest-prisoners, and authorized the Citizen Ferré, one of its members, to grant henceforth such authorizations as he should judge to be proper. Notwithstanding my earnest request to him, notwithstanding my character of counsel, which should have prevented a refusal—for a prisoner cannot be deprived, without barbarity, of advice of counsel—I have been able to obtain nothing from Mr. Ferré, who exhibits an unyielding severity. I have, therefore, the honor, appealing to my sincere devotion to monseigneur the archbishop, (and without this being suggested to me by any one,) to beg your excellency to consent to employ your great influence to obtain from Citizen Ferré the permission which he refuses me without giving any reason. I ask pardon of your excellency for importuning you in this manner, and I hope that you will excuse my indiscretion for the sake of the motive which dictates it.
I am, with great respect, sir, your obedient servant,
[Address:]
Etienne Plou, Jurisconsulte, Rue Ventadour, No. 6.
Paris, May 11, 1871.