Mr. Washburne to Mr. Fish
Sir: In my No. 390, of day before yesterday, I alluded to the insurrectionary movements in Paris, and expressing the opinion that they would not amount to much, and that no great degree of violence was probable. It was not then possible for me to conceive that in a little more than twenty-four hours from that time Mr. Thiers and all the members of his government would be obliged to flee from Paris, and that an insurrectionary committee of the national guard would, at the moment I am writing, be complete masters of the city. Yet such is the fact. The attempt of the government to dislodge the insurgents at Montmartre, and to get possession of the cannon there installed before daybreak yesterday morning, proved a complete failure, the troops of the line fraternizing with the national guard and refusing to fire upon them. All was lost from that moment, though the government did not appear to realize it, and various feeble demonstrations were made during the day to vindicate the public authority. All day long, whenever the troops of the line and the national guard came within reach of each other, they reversed their muskets in token of peace. Without knowing the full gravity of the situation, I started about noon yesterday to make a trip into the country. On my return at six o’clock in the evening, by the way of the Bastile, I found the circulation for carriages interdicted on the principal streets. Being turned into the by-streets, I soon found my way impeded by barricades which had been improvised, and everywhere the insurrectionary national guard. After making various turns, [Page 311] however, I was enabled to get through the obstructed quarter. While I saw so many evidences of great public commotion, I had no idea how serious matters were until this morning, when, in coming down to my legation, I found the city full of the most fearful rumors. I at once went to the Foreign Office, and found that Mr. Jules Favre and the whole government had left for Versailles at half past nine o’clock last night. Leaving the Foreign Office and going to the boulevards, the intelligence of the shooting of Generals Clement, Thomas, and Lecompt, by the insurgent troops yesterday, was confirmed, and, as I am now dictating this dispatch, Count Sartiges has come into the legation to say that General Vinoy was also shot this morning. I am not sure but the same fate awaits Chauzy, for three men have just been here to claim my protection for a young American, who is his aid, and who was arrested with him yesterday, and both of whom are now held in close custody by the insurgent troops. The ministry of the interior and the ministry of justice, as well as the prefecture of police and the Hotel de Ville, are occupied by the insurgents. The central committee of the insurrectionary national guard has issued a proclamation, which is placarded on the walls this afternoon, stating that they have taken the power of the government, driven out the members thereof who betrayed it; that their mission so far is ended, and they call upon the people of Paris to elect a government to-morrow. The regular government of France, constituted by the will of the people, as expressed through the National Assembly at Bordeaux, having been driven from Paris, by the insurrectionary movement, and established itself at Versailles, I deem it my duty to follow that government, and shall, therefore, on to-morrow or the next day, remove thither with the legation, leaving one of the secretaries in charge here. Every member of the diplomatic corps will also leave. If the seat of government shall remain at Versailles, which is now very doubtful, my removal will be more nominal than real, for while I shall have my official residence at Versailles, I shall come into Paris every day.
I have, &c.,