The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-09-11 00:00:00

ABDICATION

PRINCE ALEXANDER.
(Rete.er's Telegram.)
_ SOFIA, Sept. 4.

Yesterday, in receiving the officers of the army,
Prince Alexander announced his intention of resign-
ing his throne. The following were his words: "For
seven years I have laboured for the independence and
interests of Bulgaria. My constant and special
solicitude has been for the army and my officers. I
consider them as my family, my children. I felt
secure as to my personal position when I saw
myself surrounded by officers who had been my
comrades in our struggle for the glory of Bul-
garia." As he said this, the Prince broke down,
his eyes filling with tears. Collecting himself, he re-
sumed: "On that sad night, having heard a noi.,e,
I asked first of all whether there were troops there.
Yes,' was the reply. I then felt tranquil, for I had
confidence in my army. Despite all the unfortunate
events which followed, I have not been disappointed
in my officers. They rose to the level of the situation,
and proved themselves capable of coping with the
troubles which followed my departure. Thanks to
Major Papoff and Colonel Moutkouroff (here the
Prince turned to those officers and embraced them)
the honour of the Bulgarian officers has been re-
asserted, and I see around me to-day officers who are
devoted tome. I can quit Bulgaria addressing praises
to those officers, for order will not be disturbed.
Whatever the circumstances in which I might find
myself I would place my influence at the
service of Bulgaria, and would pray God
for her. My heart will ever be with my
officers, and I shall be the first to ask to be
admitted among them as a volunteer in the campaign
for Macedonia. I cannot remain in Bulgaria, for the
Czar will not permit it, because my presence is inimical
to the interests of the country. I am forced
to quit the throne." When the Prince had
finished speaking Major Popoff exclaimed: "We
have been, are, and shall ever be with you. " Courage !
Forward I " But the Prince replied: "The inde-
pendence of Bulgaria requires that I leave the
country, for if I did not there would be a Russian
occupation. Before my departure, however, I w ill
consult with the superior officers, and constitute a
Regency which will endeavour to protect the in-
terests of my officers. In any case I rely on the
army."
The same evening the German Consul-General
went to the Palace and after him the Russian Consul,
whom the Prince informed of his decision to resign
his throne within a brief period.
To-day a Grand Council will be held at which MM..
Stambouloff and Baraveloff will be 'present. It is
probable that the appointment of the Council of
Regency will then be determined.
The Prince is said to have intimated his intention
to leave Sofia two days hence. The situation may,
however, rindergo a change meanwhile. The excite-
ment among the officers is very great and, it i 3
thought, may lead to fresh complications, as there is
a talk of preventing the Prince quitting the country.
In any case they make no concealment of their resolve
not to receive a Russian envoy. The officers will hold
a meeting to-day and will afterwards communicate to
the Prince their determinatlon as to theh future con-
duct in the event of his oenarture.

(Times Telegrams.)
VIENNA, Sept. (3..

Matters are proceeding rapidly in Bulgaria. The
national party which advocates the maintenance of
Bulgarian independence and liberties made several
attempts to dissuade the Prince from abdication, but
when they found that his resolution was taken they
yielded to the inevitable, and entered into negotia-
tions with the representatives of the Powers in
general, and with the agents of Russia in particulsr.
They wished to be informed as to the name of the
future Prince, and to have guarantees on the one
hand for the independence and liberties of Bulgaria,
and on the other hand against a fresh invasion of
Russian officers ; but they profess themselves ready
to place a Russian General again at the head of the
Bulgarian War Administration.
The answer of the Russian Cabinet will in all pro-
bability convey neither a simple acceptance nor a
flat refusal of those wishes, but more than one
despatch is likely ra be exchanged in the matter
between Sofia and St. Petersburg. Nor is it to be
expected that the Powers will immediately make
known their views on the considerations submitted to
them by the Bulgarian Government. Possibly there
will first take place the exchange of ideas customary
on sm.th occasions between the Cabinets. The Bul-
garian question is on the point of passing from the
dramatic stage of stirring action and startling sur-
prises into the tranquil path of diplomatic negotia-
tions. Still one must be prepared for many an
incident capable of thwarting the action of the
European Cabinets.
In all the diplomatic and political circles of
Vienna the convictions prevails that the Bulgarian
question is approaching a solution more or less in
accordance with the aspirations of the Russian
Cabinet. Russian diplomatists have never stated thy t
the mere removal of Prince Alexander is the end and
aim of their policy; they have allowed it to be under-
stood that they do not intend to lay down their arms
before the status quo ante has been perfectly re-
established in Bulgaria, with its Russian Minister of
War, its Russian officers, &c. As matters stand to-
day, Russia has almost attained this ardently-desired
object. And whether a member of the Oldenburg
family, the Duke of Leuchtenberg, or Prince Waldemar
of Denmark enter upon the inheritance of Prince
Alexander, it is certain that his successor will be is
personage subservient to the Russian Cals'net, and
that he will, especially at first, be wisely on his guasd
against incurring the displeasure of the Czar by
opposing his wishes as his predecessor did. The
opposition of the Bulgarian officers to the readmis-
skm of their Russian colleagues into the army may
evidently be traced not so much to high political
motives as to the desire of keeping at a distance for-
midable competitors; and this objection will no doubt
be easily met by receiving into the Russian service
those Bulgarians who will have to give up their
posts.
With regard, finally, to the Continental Powers.
we see two of them contending for the favour of
Russia, while those whose interest it is to frustrate
Russian conquests in the East are held back by the
spectacle of the energy with which the leading states-
man in Berlin is endeavouring to smooth the way of
Russian policy. The Fester LloNd pretsnds to know
for certain that Germany would at the present
moment have been disposed rather.to relinquish her
alliance with Austria-Hungary than to plunge herself
side by side with the latter into a war against Russi s
in consequence ef Bulgarian affairs. Though this
assertion may be going too far, it is clear that Prince
Bismarck has thrown all his great authority into the
balance to induce Austria-Hungary to assume the
character of a passive spectator of the strtigge
between Russia and the national and patriotic efforts
of the Bulgarians.
It is positively assertecl in the diplomatic world
here the mission of Prince Dolgorouki to Bulgaria is
not abandoned, but merely postponed, and that it
will be fulfilled after the departure ofr hince Alex.
ander. Whether Prince Alexander will await the
meeting of the Bulgarian National Assembly on the
11th instant or quit the country previously is still un-
known; but it is thought most probable that he will
delay his departure until he can leave with a tranquil
mind regarding the fate of Bulgaria. The Prince will
then go to Jugenheim. He is suffering in con-
sequence of 14 days' over exertion from want of sleep
and great nervousness. These symptoms cause his
friends much uneasiness, and they recommend him
to depart as soon as possible.
It the Russian Consulate at Sofia e paper has been
prep ared for the signatures of such persons as are in
favour of the candidature of the Prince of Oldenburg
as Prince of Bulgaria. It is said to be already well
supplied with signatures.
A message from the Montenegrin frontier states
ti at a portion of the Shumla regiment was about to
desert to Turkish soil but was prevented by force of
arms by other Bulgarian troops, who wounded maay
V. the deserting soldiers and officers. The remainder
were disarmed and arrested by Bulgarian gendarmes.
All the arrested officers have been taken to Sofia.
ST. PETERSBURG, Sept. 4.
Prince Dolgorouki is waiting for Prince Alexander
to leave Bulgaria again, and for good, in order to
start for Sofia, where, after a gathering together of
the Russian party, he will organize a Government in
the name of the Czar. He takes with him a large
sum in gold half-imperials. It is therefore evident
that Russia does not expect that Prince Alexander
will have the " audacity " to remain after the Czar's
answer, and especially if it be true that Prince Bis-
marck has counselled him to resign. After the offer
to surrender the Crown to Russia, the Prince can only
explain his stay by saying that as the f.)zar did not
directly accept his offer, but left it to him to judge
what was best to do, he judges it best to stay at his
post in the interests of the Bulgarian people.
The Bulgarian people, however, are mere ciphers
in this matter, and would go down upon their knees
before the first Russian officer who entered the
country, even though they had only the day before
proclaimed their devotion to the Prince on his return
to power. Russia is bound to have him out sooner or
later, and in order to avoid something worse he
had better give up the struggle at once. The poli-
ticians of Bulgaria are divided into no fewer than
nine parties or cliques, and no Government will ever
be strong enough to put down the intrigues of the
Russian party.,

THE PRINCE AND THE ARMY.
SOFIA, Sept. 6.
Prince Alexander has held two meetings with the
officers of the army, in which he besought them to
abandon their resolution and make no opposition to
his departure.
His Highness announced that he would leave Bul-
garia on the 13th inst. Steps will be taken to appoint
a Regency before that date. Great sorrow is ex-
pressed by the inhabitants at the Prince's departure.
SEPT. 7.

The Regency has been appointed and consists of M.
Stambonloff, M. Karaveloff, and Colonel Moutkoureff.
The Ministry resigned this morning, and a new
Cabinet has been formed as folloWs : M. Radoslavoff,
Premier and Minister of the Interior; M. Nacevich,
Minister of Foreign Affairs; M. Gueshoff, Minister
of Finance • M. Stoiloff. Minister of Justiee ; M. Ivan-
,

chotf, Minister of Education; Colonel Nicolaieff

Minister of War.

PHILIPPOPOLIS, Sept. 7.
Surprise is expressed here that the Turkish Govern-
ment still prohibits the resumption of railway traffic
between this city and Adrianople, the closing of the
line being very prejudicial to trade.
RUSTCHUK, Sept. G.
The authorities here, who have hitherto prohibited
the introduction of the Roumanian newspapers con-
taining the text of the Czar's reply to Prince Alexan-
der's telegram, raised the prohibition yesterday. The
tenour of the Emperor's answer has produced a
general feeling of indignation. Some of the military
officers advocate resistance should Russia eventually
adopt forcible measures to depose Prince Alexander
against the people's will. Great consternation pre-
vails among the population.