candidature. I refused at last somewhat sternly, as it is
neither right nor possible to undertake engagements of this
kind _à tout jamais_. Naturally I told him that I had as yet
received no news, and as he was earlier informed about Paris
and Madrid than myself, he could see clearly that my
Government once more had no hand in the matter." His Majesty
has since received a letter from the Prince. His Majesty
having told Count Benedetti that he was awaiting news from
the Prince, has decided, with reference to the above demand,
upon the representation of Count Eulenburg and myself, not to
receive Count Benedetti again, but only to let him be
informed through an aide-de-camp: "That his Majesty had now
received from the Prince confirmation of the news which
Benedetti had already received from Paris, and had nothing
further to say to the ambassador." His Majesty leaves it to
your Excellency whether Benedetti's fresh demand and its
rejection should not be at once communicated both to our
ambassadors and to the Press.

Bismarck cut this down to the following:--

After the news of the renunciation of the hereditary Prince
of Hohenzollern had been officially communicated to the
Imperial Government of France by the Royal Government of
Spain, the French ambassador at Ems further demanded of his
Majesty, the King, that he would authorise him to telegraph
to Paris that his Majesty, the King, bound himself for all
future time never again to give his consent if the
Hohenzollerns should renew their candidature. His Majesty,
the King, thereupon decided not to receive the French