Wrote several letters to Berlin with instructions as to articles. Bray is to be sharply attacked by our newspapers. After 12 o’clock I telegraph to London on the instructions of the Chief that the bombardment of the outer fortifications began this morning. Our artillery has commenced with an attack upon Mont Avron, a redoubt near Bondy, and it appears that the Saxons had the honour to fire the first shot.
The Minister remained in bed the whole day, not because he was particularly unwell, but, as he told me, to maintain an equable warmth. He was also absent from dinner, at which we were joined by Count Solms. The only point of note in the conversation was Abeken’s mention of a very pretty poem in the Kladderadatsch, on the Duke of Coburg—probably a panegyric.
The Bonapartists seem to have become very active, and to entertain great plans. According to Bernstorff’s despatches Persigny and Palikao intend to get us to grant neutrality to Orleans, and to convoke there the Corps Législatif to decide whether the country is to have a republic or a monarchy, and if the latter which dynasty is to reign. It is intended, however, to wait for a while, until greater discouragement shall have made the people more accommodating. Bonnechose proposes to attempt a negotiation for peace between Germany and France. This prelate was formerly a lawyer, and only entered holy orders subsequently. He is considered to be intelligent, is connected with the Jesuits, and although in politics he is really a Legitimist he has a high opinion of Eugénie because of her piety. He was an ardent supporter of the doctrine of infallibility, and expects to be elected Pope, which position he has indeed some prospect of attaining. The Archbishop told Professor Wagener, who had been sent to see him by Manteuffel respecting the hospital arrangements, that he could induce Trochu, with whom he is acquainted, to surrender Paris in case we did not insist upon a cession of territory. The Archbishop suggested that instead of a cession of territory we might demand the return of Nice and Savoy to Victor Emmanuel, and then oblige the latter to restore their territories to the Pope and to the Sovereigns of Tuscany and Naples. In that way we should win renown as the protectors of order, and the restorers of justice in Europe. A strange idea indeed!
The Chief has given directions to adopt the severest measures against Noquet le Roi, where a surprise by franctireurs was assisted by the inhabitants. He has also rejected the appeal of the mayor and municipality of Chatillon to be relieved from a contribution of a million francs imposed upon the town as a penalty for similar conduct. In both cases he was guided by the principle that the population must be made to suffer by the war in order to render them more disposed to peace.
At 11 P.M. called to the Chief, who gave me several newspaper articles from Berlin “for the collection” (of examples of French barbarity in the conduct of the war which I have begun under his instructions), as well as two other articles that are to be sent to the King.
Wednesday, December 28th.—Snowfall and moderately cold. The Chief again kept to his room to-day. He handed me a letter in French, dated the 25th instant, which he had received from “Une Américaine.” I am to make what use I like of it. It runs as follows:—
“Graf von Bismarck. Jouissez autant que possible, Herr Graf, du climat frais de Versailles, car, un jour, vous aurez à supporter des châleurs infernales pour tous les malheurs que vous avez causés à la France et à l’Allemagne.” That is all!
His Excellency Herr Delbrück again lunches with us. He is convinced that the Second Bavarian Chamber will ultimately approve the Versailles treaties just as the North German Diet did, respecting whose decision he had been really uneasy for some days.
Thursday, December 29th.—The Minister still remains in bed, but works there, and does not seem to be particularly unwell.
In the afternoon I translated for the King Granville’s despatch to Loftus respecting Bismarck’s circular on the Luxemburg affair. Afterwards studied documents. In the middle of October the Chief received a memorial from Coburg with proposals as to a reorganisation of Germany. These also included the restoration of the imperial dignity, and finally the substitution for the Bundesrath of a Federal Ministry, and the creation of a Reichsrath to consist of representatives of the Governments and delegates from the Diets. The Chief replied to this memorial that some of the ideas brought forward were already for some time past in process of realisation. He could not agree to the proposals as to a Federal Ministry and the Reichsrath, as he considered them calculated to hamper the new organisation, and, if necessary, he would openly declare against them. It is reported from Brussels that the King of the Belgians is well disposed towards us, but has no means of controlling the anti-German press of the country. The Grand Duke of Hesse has stated that Alsace and Lorraine must become Prussian provinces. Dalwigk (his Minister), who is as opposed to us as ever, wishes to see the territory to be ceded by France incorporated with Baden. The Grand Duchy would then cede the district near Heidelberg and Mannheim to Bavaria, whose connection with the Palatinate on the left bank of the Rhine would be thus re-established. In Rome the Pope wishes to undertake “mediation” between ourselves and France. The expression quoted was objected to by Arnim as inappropriate.