Mr. Washburne to Mr. Fish
Sir: My messenger to London, who was to have left this morning, was unable to get off and only leaves this evening. I have but little to add to my dispatch of yesterday, No. 376. At an early hour this morning I received a note from Mr. Jules Favre, advising me of the ratification of the treaty at Bordeaux, and saying that he should go to Versailles this morning and demand from Mr. Bismarck its immediate execution. I at once sent you a telegram to that effect, a copy of which you will find in a separate dispatch. I had understood from Mr. Favre that one of the provisions of the treaty was that the German troops should leave Paris immediately on the ratification of the treaty by the National Assembly. I had supposed, therefore, that such troops would have left Paris in the course of this afternoon. Such, however, is not the case, for at this hour (6 o’clock p. m.) there seems to be a larger number of German troops in the city than there was at any time yesterday. Everything, however, is perfectly quiet. The Champs Elysées, from the Arc of Triumph to the Place de la Concorde, has to-day been crowded with German soldiers, and this afternoon I saw great numbers of French people on the avenue mingling with them. The shops and restaurants in many parts of the city remain closed, but in other parts, more remote from the portion occupied by the Germans, everything is going on as usual. In driving out through the Boulevard du Temple to the Bastile, and returning by the Rue St. Antoine and the Rue de Rivoli, as far as the Hotel de Ville, I found the stores all open, the omnibuses and carriages in the street as usual, and the streets filled with people. No one could have supposed that the hated enemy of France held military occupation of the city. The day has been remarkably pleasant. In all parts of the city where I have been, in which circulation has not been interdicted by the military authorities, the streets have been crowded with people, but yet there was no unusual excitement anywhere.
Lieutenant General Sheridan, accompanied by a member of his staff, General Forsyth, arrived here this afternoon from Bordeaux, which city he left at 6 o’clock last evening. I understand from him that he proposes to remain in the city for some time.
I have, &c.,