No. 91.
Mr. Washburne to Mr. Fish.
Paris, February 16, 1877. (Received March 1.)
Sir: The most important and responsible duties which I have been called upon to perform during the time of my service as minister to France grew out of my being charged with the protection of Germans in France during the Franco-German war. Before the close of the administration from which I received my appointment, I have deemed it proper to collate and arrange from the records of the legation all the correspondence I had with my own government on that subject, as well as my correspondence with the Prince de Bismarck and M. von Thile during the same time, together with my correspondence with Mr. Bancroft and Mr. Motley on matters connected with the position I held. I have omitted everything of a confidential nature, but what I now have the honor to send to you as accompanying this dispatch forms a complete and perfect official history of the part which our government took in that important and eventful period, and which in this form may very properly go into the archives of the Department.
There were never more responsible, delicate, and onerous duties imposed upon a diplomatic representative than those which the protection of the Germans in France during the Franco-German war devolved upon me.
It is a matter of great satisfaction for me to know that my course met the approval of my own government, as well as that of the German government, while the French government was entirely satisfied with the manner in which I discharged my duties as the representative of a belligerent power. And I hope you will permit me to add further how gratified I am to know that during, my whole service here, which is of a longer period than that of any minister of the United States ever accredited to France, except Mr. Gallatin, my government has not only not found it necessary to disapprove of a single act of mine, but, on the other hand, has given me the most gratifying evidences of its entire satisfaction with all my official action.
I am, &c.,