The new Ministry under A. Golesku displayed its weakness from the day of its formation. The Opposition openly used threats such as: "This dynasty cannot be endured," "Golesku will be the last of Prince Charles's Ministers," and declared that a "bloody tragedy" would shortly be enacted in the streets of the capital. A far-spreading conspiracy against the peace of the country made itself the more felt, since there were no police worthy of the name; the National Guard also was a source of real danger, whilst the apathy of the Ministry permitted these evils to flourish unchecked.
The question of the Spanish throne appeared to have been satisfactorily dismissed, to judge from a letter from Count Bismarck: "The political horizon, seen from Berlin, appears at present so unclouded that there is nothing of interest to report, and I only hope that no unexpected event will render the lately arisen hope of universal peace questionable." Eight days later, on March 1, Prince Charles received the news that Don Salazar had been despatched to Berlin to urge once more upon Prince Leopold the acceptance of the Spanish crown, but both he and his father felt disinclined to accept this offer, unless it was considered absolutely necessary to the interests of the Prussian State. Bismarck, on the other hand, warmly supported the offer of the Spanish Regency, and pointed out to the King the benefits which must ensue if an allied country lay upon the other side of France. The commerce of Germany would also receive a great impetus if the resources of Spain, with its enormous sea-board, were developed under a Hohenzollern. King William, however, did not agree with his Minister's opinion, and left the decision entirely in the hands of Prince Leopold, whose chief objection appeared to be the number of pretenders to the throne. The Crown Prince of Prussia had also warned him that, though the Government might support him at first, it was by no means certain that this support would be continued afterwards! On March 16 Prince Leopold informed the King that he felt compelled to decline the offer; but, as Bismarck still insisted upon the throne being accepted by a Hohenzollern, his younger brother, Prince Frederick, was recalled from Italy by telegram to take the place of his brother. The young Prince, however, also refused to accept the offered crown unless ordered to do so by the King. Nevertheless, in spite of opposition, the Chancellor persisted in declaring that the necessities of politics demanded that a Hohenzollern Prince should accede to the wish of the Spanish Regency.
"From Prince Charles Anthony, March 20, 1870.
"I have been here [Berlin] for a fortnight on most important family business: nothing less was on the tapis than the acceptance or refusal of the Spanish crown by Leopold, which was offered officially by the Spanish Government, though under the seal of a European State secret.
"This question preoccupies everybody here. Bismarck wishes it to be accepted for dynastic and political reasons; whilst the King asks whether Leopold will willingly accept the summons. A very interesting and important council took place on the 15th, under the presidency of the King, the Crown Prince, ourselves, Bismarck, Roon, Moltke, Schleinitz, Thile, and Delbrück being present. The unanimous decision of the councillors was in favour of acceptance, as fulfilling a Prussian patriotic duty. For many reasons Leopold, after a long struggle, declined. But since Spain desires avant tout a Catholic Hohenzollern, I have proposed Fritz in the event of his consenting. He is at present between Nice and Paris, but has not been reached or found by telegraph. We hope, however, to communicate with him shortly, and I hope that he will then allow himself to be persuaded.
"But all this is in the future and the secret must be preserved for the present...."
Prince Charles Anthony informed his son of the course of events in a letter dated from Berlin, April 22:
"The Spanish Question has again brought me here; it is now approaching its decisive stage. After Leopold refused the offer for weighty reasons, the candidature of Fritz was seriously taken in hand. An immediate settlement was necessary, as pressure was brought to bear from Madrid; your brother, however, most decidedly declared that he could not undertake the task! The matter must therefore be allowed to drop, and an historical opportunity has thus been lost for the house of Hohenzollern, an incident which has never occurred before and which probably will never occur again.... If the King had given the order at the last hour, Fritz would have obeyed; but as he was left free to decide, he resolved not to undertake the task.... The Spanish secret has been kept wonderfully well; and it is of the utmost importance that it should remain unknown in the future—at least so far as we are concerned. Olozaga[13] in Paris was not initiated. Serrano and Prim were the men who held the matter in their hands."
A month later Prince Charles Anthony wrote: "Bismarck is very discontented with the failure of the Spanish combination. He is not wrong! Still the matter is not yet completely given up. It still hangs by a couple of threads, as weak as those of a spider's web!"
To return, however, to the affairs of Roumania; Prince Charles opened the new mint at Bucharest in March, when the first Roumanian coins bearing a profile of the Prince and the inscription "Prince of the Roumanians" were struck. The coins consisted of Carols d'or in gold and one leu (franc) in silver. Ali Pacha at once protested formally against the illegal coinage with the Prince's likeness, and refused to allow it to circulate in Turkey. Owing, however, to the support of Austria and France, this difficulty was eventually smoothed over satisfactorily.