"My dear Prince,
"I thank you for the letter which you have kindly written to inform me of the birth of Princess Marie. I shall always take a lively interest in all that contributes to your happiness; and I pray that family joys may sweeten the bitterness inseparable from power. I am much touched by the memories you have preserved of your visit to Paris, and I again assure you of the sentiments of sincere friendship with which I remain
"Your most Serene Highness's cousin,
"NAPOLEON."
The call of duty, however, prevented Prince Charles from devoting as much time as he otherwise would have done to his wife and daughter, for the disquieting effects of the German victories upon French soil were felt only too plainly in Roumania. The work on the railways, too, had suffered in consequence of the war, whilst the exports of grain had practically fallen to zero. Farmers and peasants were unable to sell their produce except at ruinous prices, and were wholly unable to pay their taxes. As the Prince had prophesied six weeks before, the Plojeschti insurgents were all acquitted by the jury. The Ministry wished to resign as a proof of their disapprobation, but Prince Charles was unable to accede to their request.
The acquittal of those who had sought to overthrow the Government confirmed the Prince in his intention to abdicate as soon as he could assure himself that the country would not lapse into absolute anarchy. He had already assured the representatives of the Great Powers that the present state of affairs in Roumania could not and must not continue. Prince Charles, however, did not inform them that he would not be beholden to any foreign intervention for his future career, and that, in his father's words, he would relinquish his self-imposed task if he could not "anchor his power solely and exclusively in Roumania." He felt that it would be impossible for him to govern the country after foreign intervention had taken place.
Prince Charles had taken a solemn oath to the Constitution, and therefore could not depart from it, though Roumanian statesmen of both parties had frequently represented to him that, when a choice had to be made between a "sheet of paper and a country's ruin," one must not hesitate to tear up the paper. It was, however, impossible for Prince Charles to agree to this view, for the Constitution was more to him than a piece of paper, even though it offered him no means of securing the prosperity and development of the country.
In the meantime the action of Russia in declaring its intention of disregarding the neutralisation of the Black Sea, decreed by the Treaty of Paris in 1856, threatened to create yet another European crisis. When the Note containing this information was handed to the Grand Vizier, he at once asked whether M. de Stahl was bringing him war. "On the contrary," replied the Ambassador, "I bring you eternal peace." Before this General Ignatieff had endeavoured to persuade the Turkish statesmen that, though the Western Powers endeavoured to represent Russia as the evil genius of Turkey, she was in reality the most sincere ally of the Ottoman Empire. The Sultan would never be able to reckon on Germany, whose policy would always be selfish and ambitious. Austria, too, was only intent on annexing Bosnia and Herzegowina, whilst France, on the other hand, as soon as she had recovered from her reverses, would, next to Russia, be the most effective supporter of Turkey. The Sublime Porte was convinced that Russia had obtained the consent of Germany, though Count Bismarck had telegraphed that the Russian declaration had been a painful surprise to him.
The Note created a storm of indignation in Austria and England, which Bismarck increased still more by proposing the assembly of a Conference in London to settle the vexed question.
After a long discussion with the President of the Ministry, Prince Charles decided to explain the situation in Roumania to the guaranteeing Powers. The wording of the document, however, caused great difficulties, for, if the Prince declared his firm intention of abdicating, the country would be exposed to the danger of annexation, whereas the Prince wished above all things to preserve the autonomy of the State, and to assure its future prosperity by strengthening the hands of the Government. Prince Charles in these letters expressed his regret that he was no longer able to curb the passions of the various Roumanian parties, and therefore suggested that the future of Roumania should be regulated by the proposed Congress. Only a stable and a strong government could remedy the internal and external evils of the country, which at present was in the most deplorable condition, despite the wealth of its resources. The letters for the sovereigns of the guaranteeing Powers were handed to their representatives on December 7, except that addressed to the Sultan, which was kept back until a reply was received from the British Ambassador, who had been asked to present it to the Sultan, to ensure the document being kept strictly secret.
These letters had hardly been despatched when the following telegram was received from Count Bismarck by the Prussian Consul-General: