Mr. Dix to Mr.
Seward
No. 92.]
Legation of the United States,
Paris,
June 18, 1867.
Sir: As the telegraph and the newspapers have
already informed you, the Emperor of Russia was shot at in the Bois de
Boulogne on the 6th instant, while returning from the review of troops
given in his honor. The Emperor of France was seated by his side in the
carriage, in which they were returning, and in the crowd and confusion
the danger to each was about equal.
The accounts you have received are as near the truth as those which are
given by different eye-witnesses of the same scene usually are. There is
in this, as in other occurrences of a like character, the customary
diversity of representation. I cannot add to it, as I preceded the
Emperor on the same route by a few minutes, and did not see them again
until some ten minutes after the shot was fired.
Our countrymen, participating in the general horror occasioned by this
murderous attempt, and feeling it more strongly, perhaps, than the
people of France, from their vivid remembrance of the unhappy success of
a similar act of atrocity which so recently clad our own country in the
habiliments of mourning and sorrow, expressed to me a wish to present an
address to the Emperor of Russia, congratulating him on his escape. I
communicated their wish to the Baron de Budberg, the ambassador of
Russia, and received from him the written note which is first in the
enclosed series. The address very properly referred to the danger to
which both Emperors were exposed, and contained the same expression of
thankfulness for the preservation of the lives of both.
The correspondence is itself a complete account of what took place in
regard to the address. Though not strictly official, I thought it right
to communicate a copy of the address to the Marquis de Moustier, and to
say, as I ventured to do, that the preservation of the life of the
Emperor of France, as well as that of the Emperor of Russia, would be a
source of unfeigned gratification to the government and people of the
United States. As all the governments of Europe were communicating
similar expressions of good feeling through their representatives here,
I thought I should not incur the disapproval of my own by uniting in
them and saying what I was sure would be felt at home. The final notes
of the Baron de Budberg and the Marquis de Moustier addressed to me show
that the assurance I gave were received with great gratification in both
quarters.
Trusting that I shall have the approval of the government in what I have
done, I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
[Translation.]
Baron de Budberg to Mr. Dix
General: I hastened to make known to the
Emperor, my august sovereign, the desire expressed by the citizens
of the United States sojourning in Paris to present an address to
his Imperial Majesty in regard to the attack of the 6th June.
[Page 251]
The Emperor is deeply impressed by the measure, of which you have
kindly made yourself the organ of communication, and has deigned to
direct me to receive the address in his name.
Accept, general, the assurances of my high consideration.
BUDBERG, The Ambassador of
Russia.
General Dix, &c., &c., &c.
Mr. Dix to Baron de Budberg
Legation of the United
States, Paris,
June 8, 1867.
Sir: I have the honor to place in your
hands, for presentation to his Majesty the Emperor of Russia, an
address, signed by a large number of citizens of the United States
now in Paris, expressing their profound regret at the late nefarious
attempt to take his life, and their thankfulness to Divine
Providence for his escape.
I beg to add my fall and cordial concurrence in their sentiments, and
the assurance that the preservation of his life and that of his
Majesty the Emperor of France, menaced by a common danger, and by an
act of the most revolting turpitude, will be a source of unfeigned
gratification to the government and people of the United States.
I am, with distinguished consideration, your excellency’s very
obedient servant,
His Excellency Baron de Budberg, Ambassador of Russia, Paris.
[Untitled]
To his Majesty, the Emperor of Russia:
The undersigned citizens of the United States desire to offer to
your Majesty the expression of their most sincere and profound
regret that an attempt should have been made on the life of a
sovereign who has rendered himself forever illustrious by the
enfranchisement of millions of our fellow-men, and to join in
returning thanks to Divine Providence for having preserved your
Majesty’s life and that of the distinguished ruler of the French
empire, who has done so much for the preservation of peace and
the progress of civilization throughout the world.
(Signed by Hon. John Sherman, United States senator, and several
hundred others.)
[Translation.]
Baron de Budberg to Mr. Dix
Sir: I have made it my business to submit
to the Emperor your despatch of June 8th, in which you transmitted
to me the address of a large number of your countrymen, on the
occasion of the providential issue of the attempt upon the life of
his Majesty on the 6th of June.
His Majesty has deeply felt the expression of the good will of the
citizens of a country whose sympathies with the Russian people are
happily growing stronger and stronger everyday. He directs me
especially to thank you for having joined so warmly in this
expression.
Have the kindness to inform the signers of the address of the
sentiments with which the Emperor has received it, and accept the
assurance of my most distinguished consideration.
General Dix, &c., &c., &c.
Mr. Dix to Mr. Moustier
Legation of the United
States, Paris,
June 8, 1867.
Sir: I have the honor to enclose a copy of
an address which was signed by a large number of citizens of the
United States now in Paris, for presentation to his Majesty, the
Emperor of Russia, expressing their profound regret at the nefarious
attempt to take his life, and their thankfulness to Divine
Providence for his escape. The signers of the address express a like
thankfulness for the escape of his Majesty, the Emperor of France,
who was in danger from the same act of atrocity.
[Page 252]
I beg your excellency to make known to his Imperial Majesty my
cordial concurrence in the sentiments expressed by my countrymen,
with the assurance that the preservation of his life will be a
source of unfeigned gratification to the government and people of
the United States.
I have the honor to be, with distinguished consideration, your
excellency’s very obedient servant,
His Excellency the Marquis de Moustier,
Minister of Foreign Affairs.
[Translation.]
Mr. Moustier to Mr. Dix
General: I received the letter which you
did me the honor to write on the 8th of this month, transmitting a
copy of an address signed by a large number of citizens of the
United States on the occasion of the criminal attempt of the 6th of
June. I hastened to place this communication before the Emperor, who
was greatly affected by it, and I conform to his orders in conveying
to you the expression of his Majesty’s sincere thanks.
Accept assurances of the high consideration with which I have the
honor to be, general, your very humble and very obedient
servant,
General Dix, Minister
of the United States, Paris.
