troops were full of "élan," and that the situation was not yet compromised; but that the enemy was on French territory and a serious effort was necessary. Thereupon the proclamation went on to say that in the presence of the grave news the duty was clear; and that therefore:
"The Chambers are convoked; we shall place Paris in a state of defence; to facilitate the execution of military preparations, we declare it in a state of siege."
A decree of the Empress-Regent convoked the Senate and the Corps Législatif for Thursday, the 11th of August. Another decree placed the department of the Seine in a state of siege. No person not in Paris at the time could have any adequate idea of the state of feeling which the extraordinary news from the battle-field had created; and now these declarations were added to it. Never had Paris seen such a day since the time of the first revolution. The whole people appeared to be paralyzed by the terrible events which had burst upon them in such rapid and fearful succession. The rain had some influence in keeping the people from the street; but on going down-town, on the afternoon of Sunday, I found them collected in knots about the Grand Hôtel and on the boulevards, reading the newspapers and discussing the situation. Soon after, I saw large crowds of people proceeding in the rain toward the Ministry of Justice, in the Place Vendôme, which seemed to be the objective point, owing to the hostility which existed against Émile Ollivier. The rain, however, dampened the ardor of the crowd and it soon dispersed.
After these exhibitions, which would never have taken place had the people been advised of the true state of things in the field of military operations, the French Government wisely concluded that it was of no use to try any longer to conceal the real state of facts. Then they began to give out certain laconic and ambiguous despatches, which still increased the public anxiety. They all summed up that the French arms had been terribly beaten.
The full particulars of the fatal battles had, by this time, reached the Empress at the palace of St. Cloud. The last and most fatal and disquieting news reached her in the night of the 6th of August. Overcome and almost distracted by the terrible blow, she determined in the night to go at once to Paris and take up her residence at the Tuileries. Soon after the Emperor left Paris I had received a communication from my Government which, according to diplomatic etiquette, had to be presented to the Emperor in person. In his absence it had to be presented to the Empress-Regent. I had announced at the Foreign Office the mission with which I was charged, and asked when I could be received by the Empress-Regent. An early day was designated, and at the palace of St. Cloud. Early in the morning of the day named I received a note stating that I would be received at the Tuileries at eleven o'clock of that day, instead of at St. Cloud. It was the night before that the terrible news had been received from the battle-field which had brought the Empress back.
At the hour fixed I went to the palace to perform my mission. Received by the Master of Ceremonies, I was soon ushered into the presence of the Empress-Regent. After the ordinary salutation and the delivery of my message, we entered into conversation in respect to the news which had just been made public over Paris. She had evidently passed a sleepless and agitated night, and was in great distress of mind. She at once began to speak of the news which she had received, and of the effect it would have on the French people. I suggested to her that it might not be as bad as reported, and that the consequences, in the end, might be far better than the present circumstances indicated. I spoke to her about our first battle of Bull Run and the defeat that the Union armies had received; and that such defeat had only stimulated greater exertions, and had led to that display of courage, heroism, and endurance which had, in the end, suppressed the Rebellion. She replied: "I only wish the French, in these respects, were like you Americans; but I am afraid they would be too much discouraged and give up too soon." On the same day she issued a proclamation to the
