In the meantime the German newspapers were delivered. It was highly satisfactory to observe that the South German press also began to oppose the efforts of foreign diplomacy which desired to mediate in the negotiations for peace between ourselves and France. In this respect the _Schwäbische Merkur_ was perfectly in accord with the Chief’s views in saying: “When the German peoples marched to the Rhine in order to defend their native land, European diplomacy said the two antagonists must be allowed to fight out their own quarrel, and that the war must be thus localised. Well, we have carried on that war alone against those who threatened all Europe, and we now also desire to localise the conclusion of peace. In Paris we shall ourselves dictate the conditions which must protect the German people from a renewal of such predaceous invasion as the war of 1870, and the diplomats of foreign Powers who looked on as spectators shall not be allowed to have anything to say in the matter. Those who took no part in the fight shall have no voice in the negotiations.” “We must breed other articles from this one,” said the Chief, and it did. _Reims, September 5th._--During the whole forenoon great masses of troops marched along a road not far from our quarters at Rethel Bridge. The procession was closed by four regiments of Prussian infantry. It was very noticeable how few officers there were. Several companies were under the command of young lieutenants or ensigns. This was the case with the 6th and 46th, one battalion of which carried a captured French eagle. Although the day was stiflingly hot, and the men were covered with the white dust of the limestone roads, they marched steadily and well. Our coachman placed a bucket of water by the way, so that they could fill their tin cans and glasses, and sometimes their helmets, as they passed. Between 12 and 1 o’clock we started for Reims; the district through which the road runs is in great part an undulating plain with few villages. At length we see the towers of the Cathedral of Reims rising over the glistening plains, and beyond the town the blue heights that change to green as we approach them, and show white villages along their sides. We drive at first through poor outskirts and then through better streets, and across a square with a monument, to the Rue de Cloître, where we take up our quarters, opposite the Cathedral, in a handsome house, which belongs to a M. Dauphinot. The Chief lodged on the first floor, while the office was set up on the ground floor. The streets are crowded with Prussian and Würtemberg soldiers. The King has done the Archbishop the honour of taking up his quarters in his Palace. I hear that our landlord is the Maire of Reims. Keudell understands that the territory to be retained by us at the close of the war will probably not be incorporated with any one State or divided between several, but will become the collective possession of all Germany.