V On Bismarck to Washburne, December 6, 1870

[Translation.]

Sir: The “Daily News” newspaper, of the 24th November, contains an article from its Paris correspondent, stating that the English papers arrive regularly by the dispatch-bag which is sent you each week by the United States legation in England. He adds a detailed account of the eagerness of the French journalists to peruse the English papers, so as to reproduce their contents in the Paris papers.

If the statement alluded to be exact, it would imply relations incompatible with the rules dictated by the interests of military operations during the investment of Paris. The military authorities cannot sanction that foreign papers of recent date should reach the besieged without having been previously examined.

In obtaining for the United States legation the privilege of receiving closed dispatches within a besieged fortress, I allowed myself to be led by the conviction that we had not to fear any inconvenience liable to compromise our interest.

I believed it to be understood that the authorization only applied to official communications between the Washington government and the United States legation at Paris. The King’s ambassador at London is instructed to make the like remarks to your colleague, Mr. Motley, who will, doubtless, know on his side how to put an end to any abuse if there should be such.

Receive, sir, the renewed assurance of my high consideration.