No. 177.
Baron Gerolt to Mr. Fish.
Washington,
August 29, 1870.
The undersigned, envoy and minister plenipotentiary of the North German
Union, has the honor, by order of the chancellor of the Union, to
deliver to the Hon. Hamilton Fish, Secretary of State of the United
States, a copy of a dispatch of the 10th instant, received from said
chancellor, together with the two dispatches therein mentioned, which
documents give information concerning the alleged secret treaty between
Count Bismarck and the French envoy, Count Benedetti, which was brought
up for discussion by Earl Granville in the British House of Lords, in
its session of the 28th of July last.
The undersigned has the honor, at the same time, to furnish to the Hon.
Hamilton Fish a copy, sent to him by the chancellor of the Union, of the
correspondence between his Holiness Pope Pius IX and his Majesty the
King of Prussia.
Not doubting that these documents will be read with interest by the
honorable Secretary of State, the undersigned avails himself of this
occasion to renew to him the assurances of his most distinguished
consideration.
Hon. Hamilton Fish,
Secretary of State of the United States.
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Mr. Von Thiele to Baron Gerolt.
My telegram addressed to the envoy of the North German Union in
London, (communicated by Earl Granville in the session of the House
of Lords of the 28th ultimo,) in relation to the draught of a treaty
published in the Times of the 25th, has led Count Benedetti to give
an account of the origin of said draught, in the Journal Officiel de
1’Empire of July 30; and after I had spoken more at length, in my
written dispatch of the 29th of the same month, with regard to the
draught and its connection with the policy of the empire, the
circular dispatch of the Duke de Gramont, of the 3d instant, was
published. While alluding to these two publications, I have no
intention to make any reply thereto. The abundant material which
they furnish for criticism has already been used by the press of all
countries, France not excepted. The object of this most respectful
communication is rather to furnish some additional evidence to
your*
and to have the same brought to the knowledge of the high government
to which you are accredited.
I have not made use of this sooner because I did not wish, even in a
state of war, to bring the person of the monarch into a discussion
of official acts of his representatives and ministers, and because,
during the existence of the system of government which, as is
understood, existed in France previously to the 2d of January of the
present year, I could not be prepared for the assertion that an act
like the submitting of that draught of a treaty to me, and the other
propositions mentioned in my dispatch of the 29th, had taken place
without the previous knowledge of the Emperor Napoleon. The
assurance of the French minister of foreign affairs that the Emperor
Napoleon never proposed to Prussia a treaty to take possession of
Belgium, and the statements of Count Benedetti that the proposition
for the treaty came from me; that he, in order to obtain a clear
idea of my combinations, consented to put them on paper in a manner
under my dictation, and that the Emperor Napoleon did not receive
information of this draught of a treaty until afterward; these
assertions force me to make use of a means which is at my command in
order still further to confirm my supposition concerning the
business relations between the Emperor and his ministers, envoys,
and agents, and my statement of the French policy. Among the papers
of the Foreign Office is found the note (a copy of which is annexed)
from Count Benedetti to me, dated August 5, 1866, (A, 4,867,) and a
draught of a treaty sent with the same, (Ad. A, 4,867.) The
originals, from the hand of Count Benedetti, I submit to the
inspection of the representatives of neutral powers. I shall have
the honor to send a photographic fac-simile of the same to your. I
would remind you of the fact that, according to the statement of the
Moniteur, the Emperor spent the days from July 28 to August 7, 1866,
in Vichy. In the official interview which I had with Count Benedetti
in consequence of his communication, he backed the demands therein
contained by a threat of war in case of refusal. The refusal which I
nevertheless expressed was followed by a demand for Luxemburg, and
the failure to gain this was followed by the greater proposition,
embracing Belgium, which is given in Count Benedetti’s draught of a
treaty, published by the Times.
I most respectfully request your to read this dispatch to the
minister of foreign affairs and to hand him a copy or translation of
it, together with a copy of the annexes; also to show him the
fac-simile of the latter which will hereafter be sent.
For the chancellor of the Union,
(A, 4,867.—Private.)
My Dear President: In reply to the
communications which I transmitted from Nikolsburg to Paris after
our interview of the 26th ultimo, I receive from Vichy the plan of a
secret convention, a copy of which you will find annexed. I hasten
to inform you of this, in order that you may examine it at your
leisure. I am, moreover, at your service, to confer with you
whenever you may think that the proper time has arrived.
Truly yours,
BENEDETTI.
Sunday,
August 5, 1866.
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(Ad. A, 4,867.)
H. M., &c., &c., and H.
M., &c., &c.
Article I. The French empire reënters
into possession of those portions of territory which, now
belonging to Prussia, were comprised within the boundaries of
France by the settlement thereof in 1814.*
Article II. Prussia agrees to obtain
from the King of Bavaria and from the Grand Duke of Hesse, by
making an indemnity to these princes if necessary, the cession
of those portions of territory which they possess on the left
bank of the Rhine, and to transfer the possession thereof to
France.
Article III. All arrangements are
annulled which attach to the Germanic Confederation the
territories placed under the sovereignty of the King of the
Netherlands, as well as those relative to the right of garrison
in the fortress of Luxemburg.
The Pope to the King of Prussia.
Your Majesty: It will perhaps seem strange
to your Majesty to receive a communication in my own handwriting at
this important juncture, but as the vicar on earth of the God of
peace, I cannot avoid offering my mediation, desirous of seeing the
array of war disappear, and to prevent the evils which are its
inevitable consequence. My mediation is that of a sovereign who
cannot awaken jealousy in his quality of king by reason of the very
limited extent of his territory, but it may well merit confidence by
reason of its moral and religious character. May God grant my
prayers, especially those which relate to your Majesty, with whom I
desire to be united by the bonds of love and charity.
PIUS P. P. IX.
At the Vatican,
July 22, 1870.
P. S.—I have written at the same time to his Majesty the Emperor
of the French.
(A, 3313.)
The King of Prussia to the Pope.
Most August Pontiff: I was not surprised,
but profoundly moved, on reading the touching words written by your
hand in order to cause the voice of the God of peace to be heard.
How could my heart avoid listening to so powerful an appeal? God is
my witness that neither I nor my people have desired or provoked
war. Obeying the sacred duties which God imposes on sovereigns and
nations, we take up the sword in order to defend the honor and the
independence of our country; and we shall be ready to lay it down as
soon as these blessings can be secured. If your Holiness could offer
me, on behalf of him who has so unexpectedly declared war, the
assurance of sincerely pacific inclinations and guarantees against
the repetition of such disturbance of the peace and tranquillity of
Europe, I should certainly not refuse to receive them from the
venerable hands of your Holiness, united as I am to you by the bonds
of Christian charity and sincere friendship.
