The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-28 00:00:00

Prince Couza's Coup D'Etat.

BUCHAREST, July 16.
Prince Court has issued the following pruclatnal
tien to the Roumanian people
Bucharest, July 2 (14), 1864.
Roumans,—Between the 10th (22d) and the 14th
(26th) May, the nation has replied with 682,681
votes to the appeal of your Prince, and has approved
the principles of the appendix to the constitution
and the electoral law Lubmitted to its consideration.
But these new ins!itivions voted by the nation al-
tered several articles of the European convention,
and abolished appr,,,ndix No. 11. to this convention,
viz-, the electoral law. So important a reform,
therefore, required the recognition cf the Sovereign
Porte and of the powers guaranteeing the political
existence of Rourncnia, who have signed the tens
vention.

I have announced to you my janrney to Constan-
tinople, to strengthen the autonomy of the country
by a new international understamling. My hopes
and your hopes are realised. His Mfjesty the Sul-
tan, our illustrious sovereign, and the guaranteeing
powers, hive recognised the new instituticns of
Roumania created by the plebiscite of the 10th
(22d) to the 14th (26th) May. From the documents
I now publish and bring to your knowledge you will
gain the conviction that the existence and the fun-
damental basis of the new institutions voted by the
natioz., are neither endangered nor changed by the
alterations to which I have consented in agreement
with the Sublime Porte and with the assent of the
collective guaranteeing powers. These modifica-
tions, however, are merely provisional ; they
may be supplemented and completed by the legisla-
tive bodies in their approaching session. For, Rou-
mans, I declare to you, and you will yourselves
admit, that Roumania only enters upon its full au-
tonomy from this day, as contained in our ancient
agreements concluded with the Porte and guarani.
teed by the Treaty of Paris.

This autonomy has been until now practically
obstructed in many respects. A proof of this was
afforded by Appendix No. 11. to the convention
viz., the electoral law—which could not be altered
without foreign assent.

Now, upon the other hand, the high powers, in
consideration of our ancient rights and the Treaty
of Paris, by which Europe took our political exist-
ence under her protection, have sanctioned our in-
ternal autonomy in its fall extent, At the head of
the document by which the new institutions of
Roumania are recognised, the Sublime Porte, in
conjunction with the guaranteeing powers, has
written these words—" The united principalities
are in future at liberty to change and modify the
laws affecting their internal administration, with
the legal participation of the collective authorities
established by the State," From this day forth,
therefore, and only from this day forth, the Rou-
man nation takes possession of its autonomy—from
this time forth it may alter and improve its internal
institutions without foreign intervention.

Roumans, the future is oar own. May the confi-
dence of the nation in its chosen head become still
greater, that we may recover the time lost—that
our beloved country may rapidly rejoice in the
fruits of its patience and sacrifices, and the Roamen
nation may in this manner recover the place to
which it is entitled in the great European family
of peoples. Let us, then, warmly greet the new Le•
gislative Chambers which are summoned to develop
our laws and public liberties, while regarding our
ancient ties to the Sublime Porte, and preserving
the fundamental principles of the convention of the
7th (19th) August, 1858, so that the internal con-
stitution of Roumania may be further built up upon
solid foundations. Long live Roumania.
(Signed) ALEXANDER JOHN I.
(Countersigned) CAGALNITSCHEANO, BALANESCO,
BOLINTINIANO, ORBESCO, Gee
ner al MAN u.

The document alluded to in Prince Couza's prod
clamation is as follows :
SUPPLERENT TO THE CONSTITUTION.
The united Principalities will in future be at
liberty to alter the laws affecting their internal ad-
ministration, under the legal participation of the
authorities instituted by the State, without any in,
tervention whatever. It is, however, to be of course
understood, that this capability neither extends to
the ties connecting the Principalities with the Otto-
man Empire nor to the treaties concluded between
the Porte and the other Powers, which are and re-
main collectively binding upon the Principalities.
To Art. 111. No law can be laid before the Prince
for sanction until it has been discussed and passed
by the elective Chamber and the Senate (delibera-
tive bcdy). The Prince is to confer or refuse his
sanction. Every law requires the assent of the
collective State bodies. If the government should
take urgent steps requiring the assent of the Cham-
bers at a period while they are not sitting, the
Ministry is bound to lay the reasons and come■
quences of these measures for subsequent ratifioa.
tion before the Chambers at their next meeting.
To Art. VII. Of the 64 members composing the
Senate 32 will be nominated by the Prince from
among persons who have held the highest functions
in the country, or who possess an annual income of
800 ducats. The other 32 are to be elected from
the members of the general district councils and
nominated by the Prince from a list laid before him
of three members for each of the 32 districts.

To Art. VIII. These 64 members will be renewed
every three years in the proportion of one half.

To Art. XL The metropolitan is de jure president
of the Senate. One vice-president will be appointed
by the Prince from that .body—the other vice-
president and the remaining officials of the house
will be elected by the Senate itself.
To Art XII. At the close of each session the
Senate and the elective chamber shall each choose
a committee of their members, who will assemble as
a mixed committee to draw up a report upon the
labours of the past session, and recommend such
improvement in the various branches of the ad-
ministration as may be thought desirsble.
To Art. XV. The petitions presented to the
Senate will be examined by a committee, and
passed over to the government upon its report, if
requsite.

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