Diary of the Besieged Resident in Paris [By H. Labouchere.] Reprinted from 'The Daily News,' with several new letters and preface

Preface

. IN ONE VOLUME. Secorrti lEHitum, Hcbisrt, LONDON : HURST AND BLACKETT, PUBLISHERS, 13, GEE AT MAELBOEOUGH STEEET. 1871. The Right of Translation is Resented LoiNuuiss: BTiADBURY, EVANS, AND CO., PRINTERS, WHTTEFRIARS.

PREFACE.

. The publishers of these letters have requested me to Avrite a preface. In vain I have told them, that if prefaces have not gone out of date, the sooner they do, the better it will be for the public ; in vain I have despairingly suggested that there must be something which would serve then purpose, kept in type at then printers, commencing, "At the request of — perhaps too partial — friends, I have been induced, against my OAvn judgment, to publish, &c, &c, &c. ; " they say that they have advertised the book with a preface, and a preface from me they must and will have. Unfortunately I have, from my earliest childhood, reli giously skipped all introductions, prefaces, and other such obstructions, so that I really do not precisely knoAV Iioav one ought to be Avritten ; I can only, therefore, say that — These letters are published for the very excellent reason that a confiding publisher has offered me a sum of money for them, which I was not such a fool as to refuse. They were written in Paris to the Daily News during the siege.

PREFACE.

. VI I was residing there when the war broke out ; after a short absence, I returned just before the capitulation of Se'dan — intending only to remain one night. The situation, how ever, was so interesting that I stayed on from day to day, until I found the German armies drawing their fines of investment round the city. Had I supposed that I should have been their prisoner for nearly five months, I confess I should have made an effort to escape, but I shared the general division that — one way or the other — the siege would not last a month. Although I forwarded my letters by badoon, or sent them by messengers who promised to " run the blockade," I had no notion, until the armistice restored us to communications with the outer world, that one in twenty had reached its destination. This mode of writing, as Dr. Wilbam Russell wittily observed to me the other day at Versailles, was much like smoking in the dark — and it must be my excuse for any inaccuracies or repetitions.

Many of my letters have been lost en route — some of them, Avhich reached the Daily News Office too late for insertion, are now published for the first time. The reader Avill perceive that I pretend to no technical knowledge of military matters ; I have only sought to convey a general notion of how the warlike operations round Paris appeared to a civilian spectator, and to give a fair and impartial account of the inner life of Paris, during its isolation

PREFACE.

. VII from the rest of Europe. My bias— if I had any — was in favour of the Parisians, and I should have been heartily glad had they been successful in their resist ance. There is, however, no getting over facts, and I could not long close my eyes to the most palpable fact — however I might wish it otherwise — that their leaders were men of bttle energy and small resource, and that they themselves seemed rather to depend for deliverance upon extraneous succour, than upon then own exertions. The women and the chddren undoubtedly suffered great hardships, which they bore with praiseworthy resignation. The sailors, the soldiers of the line, and levies of peasants Avhich formed the Mobdes, fought with decent courage. But the male population of Paris, although they boasted greatly of their " sublimity," their " endurance," and then " valour," hardly appeared to me to come up to their own estimation of themselves, while many of them seemed to consider that heroism was a necessary consequence of the enunciation of advanced pobtical opinions.

My object in writing was to present a practical rather than a sentimental view of events, and to recount things as they were, not as I wished them to be, or as the Parisians, with perhaps excusable patriotism, wished them to appear. For the sake of my publishers, I trust that the book wdl find favour with the public. For the last three hours I have been correcting the proofs of my prose, and it struck

PREFACE.

. VIII me that letters written to be inserted in separate numbers of a dady paper, when published in a codected form, are somewhat heaAy reading. I feel, indeed, just at present, much like a person who has obtained money under false pretences, but Avhose remorse is not sufficiently strong to induce him to return it. DIARY OF THE BESIEGED RESIDENT IN PARIS.

Chapter I

Paris, September 18th. No one walking on the Champs Elysees or on the Boulevards to-day would suppose that 300,000 Prussians are Avithin a feAv mdes of the city, and intend to besiege it. Happy, said Laurence Sterne, in his " Sentimental Journey," the nation Avhich can once a Aveek forget its cares. The French have not changed since then. To-day is a fete day, and as a fete day it must be kept. Every one seems to have forgotten the existence of the Prussians. The Cafes are croAvded by a gay crowd. On the Boulevard, Monsieur and Madame Avalk quietly along Avith their children. In the Champs Elysees honest mechanics and bourgeois are basking in the sun, and nursery maids are Anting with soldiers. There is even a lull in the universal drilling. The regiments of Nationaux and Mobiles carry large branches of trees stuck into the ends of their muskets.

Round the statue of Strasburg there is the usual crowd, and specu lators are driAdng a brisk trade in portraits of General Uhrich. " Here, citizens," cries one, " is the portrait of the heroic defender of Strasburg, only one sou — it cost me two B ■ — I only Avish that I were rich enough to giA^e it away." "Listen, citizens," cries another, "whilst I declaim the poem of a lady who has escaped from Strasburg. To those who, after hearing it, may Avish to read it to their famdies, I Avill give it as a favour for two sous." I only saw one disturbance. As I passed by the Rond Point, a very tall Avoman was mobbed, because it Avas thought that she might be a Uhlan in disguise. But it Avas regarded more as a joke than anything serious. So bent on being happy was every one that I really believe that a Uhlan in the midst of them would not have disturbed then equanimity.

" Come what may, to-day Ave Avill be merry," seemed to be the feeling ; " let us leave care to the morrow, and make the most of Avhat may be our last fete day." Mr. Malet, the English secretary, Avho returned yester day from Meaux, had no small difficulty in getting through the Prussian lines. He started on Thursday evening for Cred in a train with a French officer. When they got to Cred, they knocked up the Mayor, and begged him to pro cure them a horse. He gave them an order for the only - one in the toAvn. Its proprietor Avas in bed, and when they knocked at his door his Avise cried out from the window, " My husband is a coward and Avon's open." A voice from Avithin was heard saying, "I go out at night for no one." So they laid hands on the horse and harnessed it to a gig. All night long they drove in what they sup posed Avas the direction of the Prussian outposts, trumpet ing occasionady like elephants in a jungle.

In the morn ing they found themselves in a desert, not a living soul to be seen, so they turned back towards Paris, got close in to the forts, and started in another direction. Occasionally they discerned a distant Uhlan, A\dio rode off when he saw them. On Friday night they slept among the Francs tireurs, and on the following morning they pushed forward again Avith an escort. Soon they saw a Prussian outpost, MR. MALET AND COUNT BISMARCK. 3 and after Avaving for some time a white flag, an officer came forward. After a parley Mr. Malet and his friend were adoAved to pass. At three o'clock they arrived at Meaux. Count Bismarck Avas just driving into the town ; he at once recognised Mr. Malet, Avhom he had known in Germany, and begged him to call upon him at nine o'clock. From Mr. Malet I knoAV nothing more.

I tried to " inter vieAv" him Avith respect to his conversation with Count Bismarck, but it takes tAvo to make a bargain, and in this bargain he declined to be the number two. About half an hour aftenvards, hoAve\Ter, I met a foreign diplomatist of my acquaintance who had just come from the British Em bassy. He had heard Mr. Malet's story, Avhich, of course, had been communicated to the Corps Diplomatique, and being slightly demoralised, Avithout Avell thinking Avhat he was doing, he confided it to my sympathising ear. Mr. Malet, at nine o'clock, found Count Bismarck seated before a table Avith Avine and cigars. He Avas in high spirits and very sociable. This I can well believe, for I used to knoAV him, and, to give the devil his clue, he is one of the few Prussians of a sociable disposition.

The inter vieAV lasted for more than tAvo hours. Count Bismarck told Mr. Malet that the Prussians meant to have Metz and Strasburg, and should remain in France until they Avere obtained. The Prussians did not intend to dismantle them, but to make them stronger than they at present are. " The French," he said, " will hate us with an undying hate, and Ave must take care to render this hate poAverless." As for Paris, the German armies would surround it, and Avith their several corps d'armee, and their 70,000 cavalry, would isolate it from the rest of the world, and leave its inhabitants to " seethe in their own milk." If the Parisians continued after this to hold out, Paris Avould be bombarded, and, if necessary, burned. My oavu impression is that Count Bismarck Avas not such a fool as to say precisely B what he intended to do, and that he Avill attack at once ; but the event will prove.

He added that Germany AA-as not in want of money, and therefore did not ask for a heavy pecuniary indemnity. Speaking of the French, Count Bismarck observed that there Avere 200,000 men round Metz, and he believed that Bazaine Avould have to capitulate Avithin a Aveek. He rendered full justice to the courage Avith Avhich the army under Bazaine had fought, but he did not seem to haA^e a very high opinion of the French army of Sedan. He questioned Mr. Malet about the state of Paris, and did not seem gratified to hear that there had been no tumults. The declaration of the Re public and its peaceful recognition by Paris and the whole of France appeared by no means to please him. He ad mitted that if it proved to be a moderate and virtuous Government, it might prove a source of clanger to the monarchical principle in Germany.

I do trust that Enp-lishmen will Avell Aveissh these utter ances. Surely they will at last be of opinion that the English GoA^ernment should use all its moral influence to prevent a city containing nearly two midion inhabitants being burnt to the ground in order that one niilhon French men should against their Avill be converted into Germans. It is our policy to make an effort to prevent the dismemberment of France, but the question is not noAV so much one of policy as of common humanity. No one asks Eng land to go to Avar for France ; all that is asked is that she should recognise the de facto Government of the country, and should urge Prussia to make peace on terms AAThich a French nation can honourably accept. General Vinoy, out reconnoitering Avith 15,000 men, came to-day upon a Prussian force of 40,000 near Vin cennes.

After an artillery combat, he AvithdreAv Avithin the lines of the forts. There have been unimportant skir mishes with the enemy at several points. The American, victor hugo's address. 5 the Belgian, the SavIss, and the Danish Ministers are still here. Mr. Wodehouse has remained to look after our interests. All the secretaries were anxious to stay. I should be glad to knoAV Avhy Mr. Falconer Atlee, the British Consul at Paris, is not like other consuls, at his post. He with-> drew to Dieppe about three weeks ago. His place is here. Neither a consul, nor a soldier, should leave his post as soon as it becomes dangerous. Victor Hugo has published an address to the nation. You may j udge of its essentially practical spirit by the following specimen : — " Rouen, draw thy sword ! Lille, take up thy musket !

Bordeaux, take up thy gun ! Marseilles, sing thy song and be terrible ! " I suspect Marseilles may sing her song a long time before the effect of her vocal efforts Avill in any way pre\Tent the Prussians from carrying out their plans. "A child," say the evening papers, "de posited her doll this afternoon in the arms of the statue of Strasburg. All Avho saw the youthful patriot perform this touching act were deeply affected." September 10th. I don't know whether my letter of yesterday went off or not. As my messenger to the post-office could get no authentic intelligence about what Avas passing, I Avent there myself. Everybody was in military uniform, everybody was shrugging his shoulders, and everybody Avas in the condition of a London policeman were he to see him self marched off to the station by a street-sweeper.

That the Prussian should have taken the Emperor prisoner, and have vanquished the French armies, had, of course, astonished these worthy bureaucrats, but that they should have ventured to interfere with postmen had perfectly dumb founded them. " Put your letter in that box," said a venerable employe on a high stool. "Will it ever be taken out ? " I asked. " Qui sait ? " he replied. " Shall you send off a train to-morrow morning ? " I asked. There was a chorus of " Qui sait 1 " and the heads disap peared still further with the respective shoulders to which they belonged. " What do you think of a man on horse back % " I suggested. An indignant " Impossible " was the answer. " Why not ? " I asked. The look of contempt Avith which the clerks gazed on me was expressive. It meant, " Do you really imagine that a functionary — a post man — is going to fonvard your letters in an irregular manner ?

" At this moment a sort of young French Jeffer son Brick came in. Evidently he Avas a Republican recently set in authority. To him I turned. " Citizen, I want my letter to go to London. It is a press letter. These bureaucrats say that they dare not send it by a horse express ; I appeal to you, as I am sure you are a man of expedients." "These people," he replied, scoAvling at the clerks, "are de moralised. They are the ancient valets of a corrupt Court ; give me your letter ; if possible it shall go, ' foi de citoyen.' " I handed my letter to Jefferson, but Avhether it is on its way to England, or still in his patriotic hands, I do not know. As I passed out through the court-yard I saw postmen seated on the boxes of carts, with no horses before them. It Avas their hour to carry out the letters, and thus mechanically they fulfilled their duty.

English GoA^ernment officials have before noAV been jeered at as men of routine, but the most ancient clerk in Somerset House is a man of Avild impulse and boundless expedient compared Avith the average of functionaries great and small here. The want of " shiftiness " is a national characteristic. The French are like a flock of sheep Avithout shepherds or sheep-dogs. Soldiers and civilians have no idea of anything except doino what they are ordered to do by some functionary. Let one wheel in an administration get out of order, and every thing goes Avrong. After my visit to the post-office I went to the central telegraph office, and sent you a telegram. The clerk Avas very surly at first, but he said that he CLUB TALK. 7 thought a press telegram would pass the Avires. When I paid him he became friendly.

My own impression is that my twelve francs, Avhoever they may benefit, will not benefit the British public. From the telegraph-office I directed my steps to a club where I Avas engaged to dine. I found half-a-dozen whist tables in full SAving. The comrersation about the Avar soon, hoAvever, became general. " This is our situation," said, as he dealt a hand, a knoAvinpold man of the Avorld, a sort of French James Clay : " generally if one has no trumps in one's hand, one has at least some good court cards in the other suits ; Ave've got neither trumps nor court cards." " Et le General Trochu ? " some one suggested. " My opinion of General Trochu," said a General, avIio Avas sitting read ing a neAvspaper, " is that he is a man of theory, but un practical. I knoAV him Aved ; he has utterly failed to orga nise the forces which he has under his command."

The general opinion about Trochu seemed to be that he is a kind of M'Clellan. " Will the Garde Nationale fight? " some one asked. A Garde National replied, " Of course there are brave men amongst us, but the mass will give in rather than see Paris destroyed. They have their families and then shops." "And the Mobiles?" "The Mobiles are the stuff out of Avhich soldiers are made, but they are still peasants, and not soldiers yet." On the whole, I found the tone in " fashionable circles " desponding. " Can any one ted me Avhere Jules FaATe has gone ? " I asked. Nobody could, though everybody seemed to think that he had gone to the Prussian head-quarters. After playing a few rubbers, I Avent home to bed at about one o'clock. The streets were absolutely deserted. Ad the cafes were shut. Nothing in the papers this morning.

In the Figaro an article from that old humbug Villemessant. He calls upon his felloAV-citizens in Paris to resist to the death. "One thing Frenchmen never forgive," he says, — "cow ardice." The Gaulois contains the most neAvs. It represents the Prussians to be all round Paris. At Versadles they have converted the Palais into a barrack. Then camp fires were seen last night in the forest of Bondy. Uhlans have made their appearance at St. Cloud. " Fritz " has taken up his quarters at Ferrieres, the chateau of Baron Rothschild. " William " — we are very famdiar Avhen we speak of the Prussian Royal family — is still at Meaux. " No thunder bolt," adds the correspondent, " has yet faden on him." The Prussian outposts are at the distance of three kdo rnetres from St. Denis. Near Vitry shots have been heard.

In the environs of Vincennes there has been fighting. It appears General Ambert Avas arrested yesterday. He Avas reviewing some regiments of Nationaux, and when they cried, " Vive la Republique " he told them that the Republic did not exist. The men immediately surrounded him, and carried him to the Ministry of the Interior, where I presume he still is. The Rappel finds faults Avith Jules Favre's circular. Its tone, it says, is too humble. The Rappel gives a list of " valets of Bonaparte, ce coquin sinistre," who still occupy official positions, and demands that they shad at once be relieved from their functions. The Rappel also informs its readers that letters have been discovered (where ?) proving that Queen Victoria had promised before the Avar to do her best to aid Germany. Butler of a friend of mine, Avhose house is close by the fortifications, and AArho has left it in his charge, has just been to see me.

The house is a " poste " of the National Guard. Butler says the men do not sleep on the ramparts, but in the neighbouring houses. They are changed every tAventy-four hours. He had rather a hard time of it last night Avith a company from the Faubourg St. Antoine. As A BRITISH COACHMAN'S OPINION. 9 a rule, hoAVCA-er, he says they are decent, orderly men. They complain very much that their business is going to rack and ruin ; Avhen they are aAvay from their shops, they say, impecunious patriots come in to purchase goods of their Avives, and promise to call another day to pay for them. On Saturday night the butler reports 300 National Guards Avere drawn up before his master's house, and twenty five \rolunteers AArere demanded for a service of danger. After some time the twenty-five stepped forward, but having heard for Avhat they were wanted, eighteen declined to o-o. A British coachman just turned up offers to carry letters through — seems a sharp plucky fellow.

I shad employ him as soon as the Post-office is definitely closed. British coachman does not think much of the citizen soldiers in Paris. "Lor bless you, sir, I'd rather have 10,000 Eng lishmen than the lot of them. In my stable I make my men obey me, but these chaps they don't seem to care what their officers says to them. I seed them drill this morning ; a pretty green lot they Avas. Why, sir, giving them fedoAV Chassepots is much like giving watches to naked savages." The Breton Mobiles are making pilgrimages to the churches. I hope it may do them good. I hear the cures of Paris have divided the ramparts between them, and are on the fortifications — bravo ! cures. By-the-bye, that fire eater, Paul de Cassagnac, has not folloAved the example of his brother Imperial journalists. He enlisted as a Zouave, fought Aved, and Avas taken prisoner at Sedan.

He is noAV employed by his captors in making bread. I hope his bread will be better than his articles. 1.30 p.m. Been sitting with a friend Avho commands a company of National Guards. The company is iioav outside the fortifi cations. Friend teds me that the men in his company are mostly small shopkeepers. At first it Avas difficult to get them to come to drill, but within the last few days they have been drilling hard, and he is convinced that they will fight well. Friend tells me that a large number of National Guards have run aAvay from Paris, and that those who remain are very indignant Avith them. He requests me to beg my countrymen, if they see a sturdy Monsieur sweding it down Regent Street, to kick him, as he ought to be defending his country. I fulfil his request with the greatest pleasure and endorse it.

I have just seen a Prussian spy taken to prison. I Avas seated before a cafe on the Boulevard des Capucines. Suddenly there was a shout of " un Prussien;" every one rushed towards the Place de l'Opera, and from the Boulevard Haussmann came a croAvd Avith a soldier, dressed as an artilleryman, on a horse. He was preceded and followed by about one hundred Mobiles. By his side rode a Avoman. No one touched them. Whether he and his " lady friend " were Germans I do not knoAV ; but they certainly looked Ger mans, and extremely uncomfortable. 3 p.m. Been to Embassy. Messenger Johnson arrived this morning at 1 2 o'clock. He had driven to Rouen. At each post station he was arrested. He drove up to the Embassy, fodowed by a howling mob. As he Avore an unknown uniform they took him for a Prussian. Messenger John son, being an old soldier, was belligerently inclined.

" The first man Avho approaches," &c. The porter of the Embassy, however, dragged him inside, and explained to the mob avIio he Avas. He had great difficulty in calming them. One man sensibly observed that in these times no one should drive through Paris in a foreign uniform, as the mass of the people knew nothing of Queen's messengers and their uniforms. Messenger Johnson having by this time got within the Embassy gates, the mob turned on his pos- BRITONS IN PARIS. 11 tilion and led him off. What his fate has been no one has had time to ask. When I went upstairs I found Wodehouse sitting like patience on a stool, with a number of Britons round him, avIio Avanted to get off out of Paris. Wodehouse very justly told them that Lord Lyons had given them clue notice to leave, and that they had chosen at their own risk to remain.

The Britons seemed to imagine that their Embassy was bound to find them a road by Avhich they might safely withdraw from the toAvn. One very important Briton was most indignant — "I am a man of Avealth and position. I am not accustomed to be treated in this manner. What is the use of you, sir, if you cannot ensure my safe passage to England ? If I am killed the world shall ring Avith it. I shall myself make a formal complaint to Lord Granville," said this incoherent and pompous donkey. Exit man of position fuming ; enter unprotected female. Of course she was a AvidoAv, of course she had lost half-a-dozen sons, of course she kept lodgings, and of course she wanted her " hambassader " generally to take her under his wing. I left Wodehouse explaining to her that if she went out of Paris even Avith a pass, she might or might not be shot according to circumstances.

I Avill say for him that I should not be as patient as he is, Avere I Avorried and badgered by the hour by a crowd of shrieking Avomen and silly men. 4 p.m. Fighting is going on all round Paris. There are crowds on the Boulevard ; every one is asking his neighbour for news. I went to one of the Mairies to hear the bulletins read. The street Avas almost impassable. At last I got near enough to hear an official read out a despatch — nothing important. The commanders at Montrouge and Vincennes announce that the Prussians are being driven back. "Et Clamart?" some one cries. " A bas les alarmistes," is the reply. Every one is despondent. Soldiers have come back from Meudon demoralised. We have lost a position, it is Avhispered. I find a friend, upon Avhose testimony I can rely, Avho was near Meudon until tAvelve o'clock.

He tells me that the troops of the line behaved badly. They threAV aAvay their muskets Avithout firing a shot, and there Avas a regular sauve qui peut. The Mobiles, on the other hand, fought splendidly, and Avere holding the position Avhen he left. I am writing this in a cafe. It is full of Gardes Nationaux. They are saying that if the troops of the line are not trustworthy, resistance is hopeless. A Garde National gives the folloAving explanation of the demoralisation of the army. He says that the Imperial Government only troubled itself about the corps d'elite ; that the object in the line regiments was to get substitutes as cheaply as possible : consequently, they are filled with men physically and morally the scum of the nation. Sema phore telegraphs haA^e been put up on all the high public buildings.

Idiere are also semaphores on the forts. I see that one opposite me is exchanging signals. The crowd watch them as though by looking they would disco\rer what they mean. " A first success," says a National next to me, " was absolutely necessary for us, in order to give us confidence," " But this success we do not seem likely to have," says another. The attempt to burn doAvn the forests seems only partiady to have succeeded. The Prussians appear to be using them, and the French to the last carrying on Avar Avithout scouts. C p.m. Evening papers just out. Not a Avord about Clamart. The Liberte says the Minister of the Interior refers jour nalists to General Trochu, who claims the right to suppress what he pleases. When will French Governments under stand that it is far more productive of demoralisation to alloAV no official neAvs to be published than to pubbsh the worst ?

FIGHTING GOING ON. 13 Rochefort has been appointed President of a Committee of Barricades, to organise a second line of defence Avithin the ramparts. 7 p.m. The cannon can be distinctly heaid. The reports come from different quarters. Jules Favre, I hear from a sure source, is at the Prussian head-quarters. 7.30 p.m. I five au quatrieme Avith a balcony before my room. I can see the flashes of cannon in the direction of Vincennes. There appears to be a great fire somcAAdiere, 12 p.m. Have driven to the Barriere de l'Enfer. Nothinoo there. On the Champ de Mars I found troops returned from Clamart. They complain that they never saw then officers during the engagement, that there were no scouts in the Bois de Clamart, and that the Prussians succeeded by then' old game of sticking to the cover.