Nevertheless, the disquiet caused by the movements of the Russian troops did not disappear, although they were declared to be only directed against Austria.
As Prince Charles had foreseen, Roumania had little active support to expect from the Great Powers. Prince Bismarck informed M. Bratianu, who had been received with assurances of friendship both at Vienna and Berlin, that Bessarabia was the sine quâ non for Russia, and he therefore advised Roumania to come to an understanding with that Power before the assembly of the Congress, by voluntarily surrendering the three Pruth districts. Roumania might then obtain much, very much indeed, as compensation from the great Empire. Prince Charles considered this course practicable, but Bratianu was in favour of holding out until the last moment. Lord Salisbury, on the other hand, assured the Roumanian Agent in Paris that Prince Charles might count upon England's effectual support in peace and in war, though this promise lost much of its value by the addition that more important questions than the fate of Bessarabia existed for England, and, provided these were settled amicably, war would not be declared for the sake of Roumania.
The British armaments, which included the movement of Indian troops to the Mediterranean garrisons, continued to increase until May, when Count Schuwaloff's mission at last secured the assembly of the Congress. In the meantime, Prince Charles inspected his forces in Little Wallachia. The Russians and Roumanians at no great distance from the capital were dangerously near to one another, and the Roumanian Chamber voted increased supplies for war material on its own initiative. The whole of Roumania was anxious to make every possible sacrifice in defence of the national honour.
Two dastardly attempts on the life of the venerable German Emperor evoked feelings of the deepest indignation throughout the world. Prince Charles telegraphed as follows on behalf of both himself and his consort:
"We cannot find words in which to express our consternation and grief at the execrable deed which has again endangered your Majesty's life. We thank God that the wound is not serious, and hope that the certain knowledge that you are surrounded by the deep love of many millions will help your Majesty out of the bitterness of these hours."
The Congress was at length opened by Prince Bismarck at Berlin on June 13, 1878, after Count Schuwaloff had succeeded in making terms with England, whereby Russia was allowed to annex Bessarabia and Batoum in return for the division of Bulgaria. In appointing Bratianu and Cogalniceanu as Roumanian delegates, Prince Charles again reminded them that, since Bessarabia must be considered as lost to Roumania, they must endeavour to obtain the greatest possible territorial compensation on the right bank of the Danube, possibly even as far as the line Rustchuk-Varna. The Roumanian delegates were, however, not permitted to attend the sittings of the Congress until after the representatives of the Powers had decided to sanction the annexation of Bessarabia by Russia. Yet another severe blow was destined to fall on Roumania, and by the hand, too, of a formerly friendly power, France. Before the independence of Roumania was recognised, all restrictions upon the political and civil rights of all creeds, imposed by the Constitution, were to be removed; in other words, the Roumanian Jews were to be admitted to the franchise. All the entreaties and representations of the Roumanian delegates were in vain; even Lord Beaconsfield, in a private audience, contented himself with the remark that "in politics ingratitude is often the reward of the greatest services."
As a matter of fact, the resolutions of the Congress left Roumania in a worse plight than before the war. Even the most advanced Liberals, who had formerly championed the Jewish cause, were exasperated at having this measure thrust upon them by the Foreign Powers as a condition, before their independence, honourably achieved with blood and steel upon the field of glory, could be recognised. Moreover, the compensation offered, the Delta of the Danube and the Dobrudscha as far as the line Silistria-Mangalia, so far from being appreciated, was actually opposed with vigour by a large section of the nation.
The Prince's position was doubly difficult: himself the most tolerant of mortals, he viewed all attempts at persecution with the sternest disfavour; as a ruler, he could not close his eyes to the inevitable result of the emancipation of the Moldavian Jews, who would then have gained possession of the greater part of the heavily mortgaged estates in that district. Whatever happened, it seemed as though the enormous sacrifices which Roumania had borne had failed to secure any adequate recompense; whilst, on the other hand, England had received Cyprus, and Austria was to administer Bosnia and Herzegovina. Bratianu, therefore, was only too correct when he reported from Berlin: "Prince Bismarck alone was straightforward with us from the commencement when he told us Bessarabia was lost. He was sincere, for it would have been to his interest if we had come to an understanding with Russia direct! All the other Great Powers were interested in supporting our resistance, for they were then able, by sacrificing us in the end, to obtain more concessions for themselves from Russia."
Prince Charles wrote to his father on August 4, 1878: