which the cure took place, until the edges became cicatrized, and also the bone, as if it had been a wound in soft parts and in a healthy subject. I caused Dr. Casares to be informed of the remedy which had cured him, and this professor appreciated a inedicament of such high importance; and afterward learning that a servant of my brother, Manuel Eguiguren, had cured himself some months before of an ulcerated cancer which resisted the known appliances of art, he began to give it to a patient who was, by chance, in the hospital, and who would have died two or three days afterward if this remedy had not been so seasonably given him, as I was assured by Dr. Casares when he took me to see him. I think it a matter of the utmost importance to point out the manner of administering this remedy, in order to facilitate observations in the places to which it is sent. The stem, (or trunk,) cut into small pieces, is boiled in water until the latter becomes of the color of Sherry wine or strong tea; of this decoction from four to five ounces are given, properly sweetened, once or twice a day, according to the urgency of the case; but it is to be remarked that it cannot be given many days in succession, as it gives rise, in some persons, to nervous phenomena of considerable importance, which disappear on the simple suspension of the remedy. It has been used in this manner hitherto, as it is still an empirical remedy, and because it is thus used in Loja, where it was discovered.-El Nacional, (official journal of Ecuador,) No. 425. His Excellency the MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR, &c. No. 321.] FRANCE. No. 84. Mr. Washburne to Mr. Fish. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Paris, November 18, 1870. (Received December 12.) SIR: I was in hopes before this time to have made to you a full and complete report of my action as connected with the protection of the subjects of the North German Confederation, Saxony, Hesse Grand Ducal, and Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, in France, with which I had been charged, during the existing war between those powers and France. But as my duties still continue, I cannot now make a final report, which would have to embrace my account with the Prussian government. In the account for the contingent expenses of this legation, for the quarter ending on the 30th of September last, I have not included any of the items of expenditure pertaining to that business, for the reason that such expenses run into the present quarter, and that it would be better to have them all put into one account. I hope, at the end of the present quarter, to be able to include everything. I will state, however, for your general information, that such expenses so far scarcely reach a thousand dollars. These expenses already paid, and to be paid, independent of certain amounts, to which I will hereafter allude, will not reach more than fifteen hundred dollars. All the items will be given in detail, and I hope the amount will not be regarded as extravagant, when the extent of the service is considered. I was glad to know that the Department coincided with Mr. Bancroft and myself in the opinion that all these expenses should be paid by the United States. It would certainly have been unworthy of a great Government like ours to permit itself to be paid for hospitalities extended to the subjects of other nations, for whom our protection had been sought. When, in accordance with your directions in July last, I took upon myself the protection of the German subjects in France, I had but a faint idea of what the undertaking was going to involve, for I had hardly supposed it possible that I would be charged with the care and with the superintendence of the departure of more than thirty thousand people, expelled from their homes upon so short a notice. From the time of the breaking out of the war, and as soon as it became known that the Germans had been placed under my protection, you can well imagine, considering so large a population, what would take place in that exciting period. The legation began to be crowded from day to day by persons desiring protection, advice, information, and assistance. Many were thrown into prison, charged with being "Prussian spies," many were under arrest as dangerous persons, and the lives and property of others were threatened in their neighborhood. My good offices were sought for and cheerfully rendered in all such cases, and I believe I never failed in accomplishing all I undertook in such emergencies. The first extraordinary order of the French government, prohibiting all such Germans from leaving France who might by possibility owe military service, and about which I had so long a correspondence with the Duke of de Grammont, created great alarm among a large number of them who were extremely anxious to get away. The practical operation of that order prevented any German from leaving French territory without special authority to that end, first had and obtained from the minister of the interior, and all applications for such authority had to be made through me; and after all this was changed, and the expul sion of the Germans decreed, it was required that I should visé the passports, or give a laisser passer to every German leaving France. I have spoken of thirty thousand as the number of Germans placed under my protection, and who were expelled from France. I make this estimate from the number of visas and passports which I gave out, and that number, as recorded in the legation, amounts to eight thousand nine hundred. In the rush and hurry of business there was no record made in many cases, and it is entirely safe to say that the whole number of visas and passports going through the legation amounted to not less than nine thousand; the larger number of these passports included the husband, wife, and children. It is a moderate estimate to say that there was an average of three and one-third persons to each passport. That would make the thirty thousand souls. We issued our own cards, which by an arrangement with the railroad company entitled the holder to a railroad ticket from Paris, through Belgium, to the German frontier, for nine thousand three hundred and thirty-two persons, and gave pecuniary assistance to a smaller number. This involved an examination of each person as to his or her want of the necessary means to get out of the country, for our instructions were not to make advances to people who had the means to pay their own expenses. It also involved the necessity of sending two or three persons from the legation to the railroad depot every night, in order to see that the holders of the cards received their railroad tickets, and were properly sent off. It was about the middle of August when the expulsion of the Germans from Paris began to be enforced, and when I received the credit of fifty thousand thalers from the Prussian government to assist them. From that time till the middle of September, when the northern railroad was cut, we were literally overwhelmed with these poor people, seeking the visas of their passports and the means of getting away. For days, and I may even say for weeks, the street was completely blocked up by them awaiting their turns to be attended to. On one day more than five hundred had gathered in front of the legation before 7 o'clock in the morning; and in some days there were not less than from twenty-five hundred to three thousand persons in waiting. It took a police force of six men to keep the crowd back and keep the door open, so that the people could enter in their turn. With such an amount of work so suddenly thrown upon the legation, I found it almost impossible to get the necessary help to assist me, though authorized by the Department to employ the requsite force. I was fortunate in being able to procure the services of the secretaries of the Saxon and Darmstadt legations, and of the clerk of the Prussian consul general in Paris, all of whom proved invaluable, from their knowledge of both the French and German languages. I had also the benefit of the services rendered voluntarily, by your son, by Mr. Eustis, and by several other friends. Some days there were no less than eleven persons engaged at the legation, but with all the force we had it was impossible to keep up with the demands upon us. And in further connection with this matter, I now beg leave to make a suggestion. I have stated what will be the probable amount of the expense actually paid out and to be paid out of the contingent fund. In my judgment that amount should be added to. The extra duties which have been devolved upon the two secretaries and the messenger of the legation have been arduous and responsible, and certainly such as have never been contemplated. They have been discharged with a zeal and fidelity worthy of all praise. I think, therefore, in justice that they are entitled to some extra compensation, and I hope it may be granted to them. I say this the more readily as I disclaim anything of the kind for myself. My salary is ample, and I would receive no extra compensation on any pretext whatever. Not so with the persons to whom I refer, for their salaries are low. When the extra and exceptional services they have rendered, and the vastly increased prices of living consequent upon the siege, are considered, I do not think a claim for extra compensation on their behalf can be considered as unreasonable. I shall hope, therefore, that Congress will consent that you shall allow Wickham Hoffman, the first secretary of legation, $600; Frank Moore, the second secretary of legation, $500; Antoine Schmit, the messenger of the legation, $300; and Antoine Roger, the concierge, (who had to guard the door fourteen hours a day for two mouths,) $100. These amounts added to the expenses already incurred and to be incurred in this behalf will not reach more than $3,000, which is not half the amount I have taken for passports since the war broke out, and which the state of war obliged our countrymen to have. I will add a few observations in regard to the present condition of the Germans in Paris at the present time who are under my protection. Considering the large German population here prior to the breaking out of the war, it is not a matter of wonder that a good many were found here when all communication was finally cut off. When it became evident that the city was to be besieged, I redoubled my exertions to get these unfortunate people away. Deprived of all work, their little resources exhausted, the intense hostility of the French people toward them, bad as their condition was, it was to become infinitely worse in case of a siege. Many were in prison for vagabondage, and many were detained charged with being spies, dangerous persons, &c. Upon my applica tion to Mr. Gambetta, he concerted with the Count de Kératry, the prefect of police, for their discharge en masse, and for sending them, at the expense of the French government, to the Belgian frontier. But quite a number yet remained. Many were too old and infirm to leave. Some were sick, some were children left behind who had been put out to service; but perhaps the larger number were female domestics, most of whom had been persuaded by their employers to remain, under pledges of protection. But as the siege progressed and the price of living augmented, many of these persons, discharged by their employers or denounced to the authorities, were turned into the street, only to be arrested and imprisoned. In one of the prisons, which I visited some three or four weeks since, I found seventy-four persons of this class. I arranged for the release of most of them, and have had them comfortably cared for, and with the promise of the French authorities that they shall be protected. There are others yet in prison, and I hope soon to complete an arrangement for the release of all who do not stand charged with some criminal offense. Not a day passes now that there is not some new application for assistance. I have now one hundred and fifty that I am providing for. From the Prussian fund still remaining in my hands, I think I have sufficient to take care of them till the end of the siege. In conclusion I beg to say that the duties imposed upon me in virtue of the functions with which I have been charged in this regard have been laborious, responsible, and delicate, and it is perhaps too much to expect that I have discharged them in a manner entirely satis factory to both the belligerent powers and to my own Government. My position has sometimes been very embarrassing. None of the writers on public law, so far as I have been able to find, have laid down any rule to be observed, or refer in any manner as to what is proper to be done by the representative of a neutral power charged with the protection of the subjects of one belligerent power remaining in the country of the enemy during a state of war. I have had, therefore, to grope somewhat in the dark and do the best I could. I have not shrunk from any duty or any labor. During two months I was occupied every day from twelve to eighteen hours. When the pressure for the departure of the Germans was the greatest, I went myself to the railroad depot at night, after working all day at my legation, and remained till midnight to superintend their departure and to seek out and provide for cases of extreme destitution that had not been made known. You will permit me to say that whatever services I have been able to render have been rendered most willingly and most cheerfully, for with the means so generously placed at my disposal by the Prussian government I have had the satisfaction of relieving a vast amount of suffering and misery. It is pleasant to know that no complaint of any German has ever reached this legation of a failure on my part to do everything that could properly be done by me in respect of protection, advice, or assistance. On the other hand, all classes have signified to me their thankfulness and gratitude for what I have been able to do for them. I will only add further, in closing this dispatch, that during the period about which I have been writing the business properly belonging to our legation was increased to an extent never before known, and I have endeavored faithfully and satisfactorily to discharge all the duties I owed to my Government, and to our countrymen abroad, who have in any manner sought my good offices, protection, or advice. I have, &c., E. B. WASHBURNE. No. 323.] No. 85. Mr. Washburne to Mr. Fish. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Paris, November 21, 1870. (Received December 12.) SIR: The official dispatches from you, which came in the bag that arrived this morning, are acknowledged in another communication. By the bag that will leave to-morrow morning I cannot send you anything of much interest pertaining to military or political events. In fact, there have been no military movements for several weeks, and since the miserable affair at the Hotel de Ville of the 31st ultimo nothing of particular interest has taken place in the city. Everything is quiet, even to dullness. The reported advantage gained by the French at Orleans has done much to encourage the Parisians, and there is a disposition now manifested to hold out to the last. Yet, should there be news of disaster, all may change, and the siege may be raised before this reaches you. We remain in ignorance for a long time as to what is going on in the outside world. No newspapers get into Paris except those that come to this legation. Our last London dates are of the 10th instant. The latest New York papers are of the 29th ultimo. The people are suffering their privations with a good deal of fortitude. If they could be made to believe that France could be saved they would suffer to the last extremity. As it is, I can see no prospect of the siege being raised in any way. I shall not be as much surprised in seeing the city now hold out till January as I have been already in seeing it hold out so long as it has. There has been no real pinch up to within a short time, but now things are getting to be a little hard. Fresh meat, including horse and mule, is very nearly exhausted. Poultry, butter, cheese, &c., are about out of the question. A turkey sells for sixteen dollars, a chicken for five dollars. Butter sells for four dollars a pound. There is yet quite a quantity of vegetables, but at high prices. The price of bread is fixed by law, and it has not raised much. Wine is abundant and cheap. The time is not far distant when the great mass of the people of Paris must live on bread and wine almost entirely. No members of the diplomatic corps have left for several weeks, and I believe that those who are now here propose to remain to the end. No foreigners at all are now leaving Paris. I have, &c., E. B. WASHBURNE. No. 86. Mr. Washburne to Mr. Fish. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, No. 325.] Paris, December 3, 1870. (Received December 30.) SIR-I have received both from Mr. Motley and Mr. Bancroft a copy of your telegraphic dispatch of the 15th ultimo, in which you state that the President instructs you to say that whenever General Read and myself, or either of us, desire to leave Paris, we are at liberty to do so, going to "Tours and communicating with the proper officials there." I have communicated the message to General Read, and we are both |