Financial difficulties, coupled with the unsatisfactory reports on the Roumanian railway concessions, led to the fall of the Golesku Ministry in April. M. E. C. Jepureanu succeeded in forming a new Cabinet, which received cordial support from abroad as well as at home. The vexatious Jewish question and the very serious state of the railway finances, for which the Opposition sought to make the Prince personally responsible, were the chief of the many difficulties of the Government.
The result of the general election was by no means as favourable as the Prince had been led to expect, and a serious riot occurred at Pitéschti. The troops were called out and ordered to fire upon the mob, several of the soldiers having been wounded by stones. Similar occurrences took place at Plojeschti, a regular hot-bed of seditious intrigue, and the National Guard of that town had to be subsequently disbanded for taking part in the political demonstrations.
The attention of Prince Charles was suddenly averted by a change in his eldest brother's views with regard to the Spanish throne. Prince Leopold had at last decided to accept the crown under certain definite conditions, as he had become convinced of the great services which he could thus render to his Fatherland. King William at once gave his consent, and Don Salazar returned to Madrid on June 23 with the news of Prince Leopold's readiness to accept the crown. An unfortunate mistake in a cypher telegram caused the Cortes to be prorogued from June 24 to October 31, and the election of Prince Leopold was therefore delayed until late in the autumn, thus offering ample opportunities to malcontents for the prosecution of intrigues and agitations against the Hohenzollern candidature.
The Agence Havas reported from Madrid on July 3 that the Spanish Ministry had decided upon the candidature of the Hereditary Prince of Hohenzollern, and that a deputation were already on their way to the Prince. This news caused the greatest excitement throughout Paris, and the French Ambassador at Berlin was commissioned to express to the Foreign Office the "painful surprise" caused by these tidings. The Prussian Secretary of State replied that the matter did not concern the Prussian Government. The excitement of the Parisian Press increased from hour to hour, whilst the Duc de Gramont, in an interview with the Prussian Ambassador, declared that the Emperor would never tolerate the candidature of a Hohenzollern Prince; and M. Ollivier, who was also present, expressed the same opinion. Gramont also openly accused Prince Charles of having induced his brother to take this step, and remarked to M. Strat, the Roumanian agent: "As soon as Prince Charles conspires against the interests of France, it is only fair that we should do our best to overthrow him, and we shall at once commence action in the event of a war with Prussia, in order to satisfy public opinion, which has so often reproached the Emperor with having sent a Hohenzollern to the Danube."
King William wrote to Prince Charles Anthony on the 10th, mentioning that France was obviously bent upon war, and that he was as willing to sanction Leopold's withdrawal as he had formerly been to assent to his acceptance of the offered throne. Two days later the Hereditary Prince withdrew his name by means of a telegram from his father to Marshal Prim:
"Having regard to the complicated interests which appear to oppose the candidature of my son Leopold for the Spanish throne, and the painful position which recent events have created for the Spanish people by offering them an alternative where their sense of liberty alone can guide them, and being convinced that under such circumstances their votes, on which my son counted in accepting the candidature, can neither be sincere nor spontaneous, I withdraw from the position in his name.
"PRINCE OF HOHENZOLLERN.
"Sigmaringen, July 12th, 1870."
The unexpected and unheard-of demands which Benedetti was forced by his Government to submit to King William at Ems shattered the last hopes of peace, and France declared war against Prussia.
In spite of the nationality of their Prince, the Roumanian nation sided entirely with France: "Wherever the banner of France waves, there are our sympathies and interests." The Chamber demanded that the Government should explain the policy it intended to adopt with regard to the belligerent parties, but, though the Ministry adhered to a strictly neutral attitude, a motion was passed to the effect that the sympathies of Roumania would always be with the Latin race.
The Roumanian agent in Paris, M. Strat, telegraphed to know whether, in the event of Russia taking part in the war, the Roumanian Government would conclude a treaty with France or not! The apparently peaceable intentions of Russia pointed to a treaty merely on paper, notwithstanding which Roumania would reap advantages at the conclusion of peace. Austria had been sounded on this question, and approved of supporting Prince Charles.