New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-10-28
BIJLGARIA IN REVOLUTION.
THE PRINCE OF BULGARIA RENOLTS
AGAINST HIMSELF

10 create large anxieties III this part Of the world
within few weeks past. 1t has been so unwlse as
10 return to Constitutional Government, and the
prophets say this implies near catastrophe. Inc
history of the Constitution Of Bulgaria mas oeeh
somewhat remarkable and is worth recalling LII
will be remembered that the Russian war against
Turkey in 1877 was undertaken in order TO give
freedom to the Bulgarians. The tender heart OF
Russia was moved with pity by the fact that her
Christian brethren of Bulgaria under the iron
rule of the Sultan Hence the moral necessity for
armed Intervention in their behalf The war ended
in a nearly complete destruction OF the Turkish
authority in Europe, and the Car obtained freedom
for Bulgaria while his troops were holding the Tor
tifcations of COnstantinOple The BulgaiianS ana
all who knew Them excepting the Turks rtJ"lcen
mt the result. The Bulgarians themselves nat
urally considered the primary object in the re-
construction of their political relations t" ho the
securing 10 them of that freedom for which their
deyererS had fought tho fearful winter campaign
in the Balkans The Congress of Berlin however
east q slight shadow upon these hopes Al ierih
policy was more powerful force than sentiment
and the Bulgarans found themselves divided where
they had hoped to be one. The Congress "i betith
excluded from that Principally of bulgaria Wh'ch
il manufactured the very districts which had WIZ
messed the foulest of the Turkish outraeeS. ohly
the territory within the curve of the Balkans was
allowed TO the Principality. The more southern
mart of the region inhabited by Bulgarlans was lett
under the rule of the Sultan, with special adnln-
istratiyc machinery designed to prevent that rule
from becoming too Onerous. The BulgaIlanS were
thus divided between two separate provinces, the
one the Turkish Province of Eastern Roume'a, with
q Christian Governor appointed by the Sultan, and
with an administration devised, under Turkish
law by a European commission, and the other, the
Principally of Bulgaria. part of the Turkish En-
pire but entirely free from obligations to Turkey
beyond the obligation to pay certain yearly ulD-
ute to the Imperial Treasury. This division OF the
Bulgarian people a token of the TACT That the
policy of Europe rather than the sentiment OF
regard for deserving people was to be the force OF
greatest weight in shaping the future OF the Bull
garians. 1t is only fair to remark that this par
ticulaT triumph of policy over sentiment was not
approved by the Russians.
The Province of Eastern Roumelia was organized
ON the basis of local sef-government under Euro
pean supervision 1t was fairly launched on its new
career by the end of 1873 The Principally of
Bulgaria was also organized. Prince Alexander OF
the German house of Battenberg was chosen to be
its ruler The Bulgarians of the Principally looked
pitying across the mountains at the Bulgarians OF
Eastern Roumea, who were not privileged to share
in the possession of Prince, and vowed in the near
future to save the Eastern ROumeians from Turkish
tyranny in spite of the Treaty of Berlin. Perhaps
beyond the Balkans. Since then, however in their
peace and freedom they have hadmany an occasion
to thank their stars that their territory not part
of the Pnncpality!
In the organization of the Principality the first
step was the framing of a Constitution by il great
National assembly cOnvoked at Tirnova. Russian
officials had prepared Constitution for the assem-
bly, to adopt. 1t was Constitution OF the paternai
kind full of tender expressions of love for the bcr-
ties of the people, and of provisions
against the abuse O. liberty by the people.
IL placed the absolute control of the adj
ministration in the hands of the Prince and the
higher clergy But to the horror of the Prince, the
Russian officials and the Bishops, the Bulgarian
Assembly prepared Constitution OF its own and
adopted it with enthusiasm. The Constitution
adopted provided for representative government
under the presidency of the Prince for ministerial
responsibility for freedom Of the press, for freedom
of instruction. and for many other kinds of freedom
which have a dsagreeable sound III the ears oil
European pOtentates.
This Constitution the Prince obliged to ac-
cept and he made oath that he would uphold it.
EVERYTHING moved swnmingy until the beginning
Of 1881 when the Prince suddenly announced that
he could no longer be responsible for the state of
the country without a Constitution which should
give him a tangible control Of affairs. He therefore
summoned a National Assembly TO authorize the
suspension OF the llrnONd COnSlltuIlOn'
The reasons for this step various. The
Prince frankly said that he could not endure
position in which power really rested with the
people or with the ministers responsible to the
people. He privately gave it as a grievance that
the ministers had more than once dlsObeyed posi-
tive orders, screening themselves behind the Con-
stitution. Meanwhile the little clique about him
who had advised this step, fortfying their
position by rdculing the members Of the
Ministry. They pointed out that the PIlme
Minister Caravelor had been frequently seen in
public with unclean fnger-nails that the Minister
Zankoff had been known to make remarks W6e-
coming to one in high Office, and they assured the
Prince that the people throughout the country were
cool in their demonstrations OF affection only be-
cause the Liberals in power everywhere restrained
such outbursts of love as the people were buIning
to exhibit to their Prince.
The Prince advised by his Russian friends, sent
out military Observation-Disclosures control
the district governors throughout the land In order
to prevent election frauds" These gentlemen
worked diligently to enlighten the people before the
election assuring them that the question was one
of choice between the Prince and return to Turkish
rule Whoever preferred the Prince to the Sultan
must vote for the candidates nominated by the
Prince. The press was gagged by martial law and
the right of political meetings was denied to the
Liberals The election held under these conditions
returned large majority i'll favor Of suspeuding
the Constitution.
The Constitution was Immediately set aside by
Prince Alexander. Russians were put into all i'm
portant offices. The army reOrganizcd, the po-
lice all over the country changed into mill
tary force that acknowledged no authority but that
of the Russian officer who held the Ministry OF
War. by the first Of January, 1882, terrorism had
silenccd the Liberal newspapers, Zankoh, Bala-
hanoff CaTavelof and other leaders Of the Liberal
party had been imprisoned OF forced TO leave the
country, and the revenues Of the country had been
sedistrbuted 50 that one-haf of the whole went to