Page:The Annals of Our Time - Volume 1.djvu/1006

FEBRUARY far as the object of the Conference was concerned, it was intended, he said, "to receive, in a manner compatible with and conformable to public international law, the representations that Russia may have to make, to give to those representations a fair, candid, and friendly Learing, and to consider, renovate, and, if need be, fortify any of the other provisions of the Treaty of 1856, against which it may be found by the Conference any reasonable objection can be raised."

24.—Anniversary of the French Revolution of 1848 celebrated in Paris by a demonstration at the graves of citizens shot in the Place de la Bastile.

'25.—Anxious discussion of terms of peace at Versailles, the conference to-day being protracted over a period of fully eight hours. It is now given out as one result of the negotiations that Paris is to be occupied for a brief period by Germans.

26.—Treaty of Peace between Germany and France concluded at Versailles, the preliminary conditions, after much patient negotiation, being signed this (Sunday) afternoon by the high contracting parties. The Emperor William, "with a deeply-moved heart and with gratitude to God," telegraphed the result at once to Berlin, while the French Executive gave instruction to all the Prefects, and recommended them to inform military commanders of the fact. The negotiations were conducted with the utmost secrecy, and removed altogeiher from any influence likely to be exercised by neutrals either for advice or guarantee. The most serious discussion took place regarding the surrender of Metz, which the French negotiators opposed till they saw that continued resistance imperilled the cause of peace, and might probably end in a renewal of hostilities at the termination of the armistice at midnight. The only modification the Germans were understood to have made in the original severity of their terms was the restitution of the fortress of Delfort commanding the passes in the Vosges, conceded, it was said, as an equivalent for permitting the German army to march through Paris. The major conditions of the Treaty were the cession of Alsace and German Lorraine, and the payment of a war indemnity of five milliards of francs (200,000,000l. )—demands it was thought as great as Europe would allow, and not unlikely to create a permanent feeling of hatred between the two countries. The boundary of the new frontier was described as commencing at the north-west portion of the Canton of Cattenom, towards the Grand Druchy of Luxemburg, tending southward to Rezonville, south-eastward to St. Marie, and again southward to the Swiss frontier by way of St. Maurice, Giromaguy, and Delle. The payment, it was stipulated, of one milliard of francs was to take place during 1871, and the remainder within three years from the ratification of the present preliminaries. The 3rd Article provided for the gradual withdrawal of the German troops from France in proportion as the indemnity was paid or financial guarantees given. Dy a Convention subjoined to the Treaty it was provided that "the part of the city of Paris in the interior of the enceinte comprehended between the Seine, the Rue du Faubourg St. Honoré, and the Avenue des Ternes, shall be occupied by German troops, the number of which shall not exceed 30,006 men. The mode of occupation, and the dispositions for the lodging of the German troops, in this part of the city, shall be regulated by an understanding between two officers of the two armies; and access to that quarter shall be interdicted to the French troops, and to the armed National Guard, while the occupation lasts." The last conference over, M. Thiers and his friends returned to Paris, where a delegation and Council were summoned to receive their report preparatory to submitting it for ratification to the National Assembly.

27.—Deputies of the Extreme Left meet at Bordeaux, to protest against any peace based upon the cession of territory,

28.—Debate in the National Assembly at Bordeaux on the terms of the Treaty of Peace. In the afternoon, amid the most profound silence, M. Thiers said: We have accepted a painful mission, and, after having used all possible endeavours, we come with regret to submit to your approval a bill for which we ask urgency. "Art. 1. The National Assembly, forced by necessity, is not responsible, and adopts the preliminaries of peace signed at Versailles on the 26th of February."At this point M. Thiers was so overpowered by his feelings, that he had to descend from the tribune and leave the hall while the details of the treaty were read by M. Barthélemy St. Hilaire. At the conclusion of the debate, M. Thiers made an animated appeal to the Deputies to share the responsibility already incurred, and not to refrain from voting, Next day, when the victorious Germans entered Paris in triumph, the terms of the treaty were ratified by 546 votes to 107. At the same sitting a formal proposal was submitted, amid enthusiastic cheers, for the deposition of Napoleon III. as the person "responsible for all our misfortunes, the ruin, the invasion, and the disniemberment of France." The ex-Emperor was permitted to leave Wilhelmshöhe on the 11th March, and on the 20th arrived at Dover, where he received a welcome reception, and was met by the Empress Eugénie and the Prince Imperial, with various members of the late Court, who accompanied him to Chislehurst. (986)