Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-12
BULGARIA..
BattenberE's Broiher Alexander hs First
Christian Prince since the Invasion OF the

what an outburSt Of enthusiasm the
young man, then but twenty-five years
old, was receiyedat Rustchuk and Sofa
by the population to which the treaty
Of Berlin had granted a semi-independ-
ence. lie was the first Christian prince
Of the Bulgarians since the invasion Of
the Turks. and his personal appearance
was well fitted to win every heart. Tall
and strlkingly handsome, with stately,
military bearing, and manners not only
most courteous but kind, the Prince
seemed admirably chosen 10 rouse the
loyalty Of a new y-enfranchised people.
The honeymoon of his reign, how
ever, soon passed, and troubles cropped
mp when the Bulgarian cravings after
full Independence began to manifest
themselves in opposition to the Russian
policy. 1t was not to be expected that
a young prince Of manly character,
eager to win the affections of his sub
jects, should tamely brook the kind Of
tutelage which the Russians sought to
maintain, or submit personally to the
dictatorial tone used toward him
by the Cars representatives. at Sofia.
As a soldier Prince Alexander took
natural interest in his army, but in this
direction he met with ceaSelesS annoy
ances from the Russians, who, looking
upon the bulgarian army as a branch
Of their own, bestowed all the important
commands on their own countrymen,
insisted that Bulgarian youths who
wished to enter the service as officers
should be educated in Russia, and, in
short, tried in a multitude Of ways to
interpose themselves between the
Prince and the army, so that he should
have no effective control over his own
troops.
During the life Of the late Car mat
tiers did not come to crisis, because
Alexander II felt a fatherly affection
toward his kinSman, the son Of his
wife'S brother and he was repaid by
filial gratitude and respect. But the
Prince of Bulgaria could not entertain
the same feelings toward the pres
ent Gar, especially as Alexander
III. allowed himself to be persuaded
that Bulgaria might be coerced into
subsection by strong measures. The
position Of the Prince became almost
intolerablc when NJ. JOninc was
sent a. Russian diplomatic agent TO
Sofia. while Generals Soboletl' and Kaul-
bars held the posts of Ministers Of War
and Home Affairs. These persons were
not even careful to treat Prince Alex
ander with the eXternalS of ciyility.
and at their instigatlon every means
were employed to SOW dissension be-
tween the Prince and his people, and
especially to affect the army.
Russia, who within her own borders
crnshe, every liberal growth in the
bud. placed herself in Bulgaria on the
side Of the radical party, which agi-
tatcd for a restoration of the demo-
cratic Constitution Of Tirnoya. This
Constitution the Prince had been driven
in 1881 to abolish. The Prince GER
tainly made a mistake in efecting his
corp-d'dd', and he showed a sense of
his error by restoring the Constitution
in 1888. But it must be recOlleCted
that this Constitution, which was pro-
mulgsted by Prince Observation-Disclosures
koig. and which granted universal
suffrage with triennial parliaments
on the one-chambcr system to a pco-
pie without experience of free institu-
tions. could not possibly work well.
Perhaps it was never intended that il
should work we'll At all events,
Prince Alexander had the full approval
of his Russian advisers when he sum
moued an assembly Of notables to set
aside the Constitution and confer upon
him dictatorial powers for seven years.
1t was not till he found that the official
journals Of Russia Joined in a vail over
the downfall Of Bulgarian liberties that
he perceived he had been inyeigled into
n position which enabled Russia to play
her layoritc part Of protectress OF OPP
pressed nationaltics at his expense.
He retrieved his false step, and the
effect was not exactly what the Rus
slams desired. For the Prince. not
outstanding his youth, has considera-
bic fnesSc, and. ;rumpng his oppo-
nent's ace in the game Of liberalism
which the Russians play but clumsily,
he has asked why the free Bulgarians
should not he allowed to have a home
minister Of their own nationality. The
Bulgarians caught up this cry,
and the Prince. pressing his advantage,
Informed the Cabinet of St Petersburg
that he declined to work with ministers
whom he had detected in fragrant in
trigues against him. and that conse-
qucntly NJ. Jonine, General Sobolef,
and General kaulbars must be recalled.
Russia yielded, and even showed some
good grace in doing so, for new mill
tary convention was signed with Rnlga-
ria. Russia claim to appoint the Home
Minister in the Bulgarian Cabinet was
withdrawn, and two suitable men were
found for the posts of war minister and
of Russian agent at Sofia in Prince Can
tacuzene and NJ. koiander. Since the
appointment of these gentlemen, who
have shown tact in the discharge Of
their functions, the relations between
Russia and Bulgaria have been fairly
smooth. But it is an immutable prin-
ciple Of Russian policy never to forgive
those who have thwarted her designs in
the East. The intrigues by which Aleko
Pacha was deposed from his governor
ship in Eastern ROumelia offer case in
point. And therefore it cannot be said
that Prince Alexander has nothing to
fear in the future from his powerful
neighbOr.
At present it would be difficult for
foreign influences to promote discomfort
in Bulgaria, because the Karaveloif
Ministry, which has been in Office for a
twelyemonth, represents the Radical
party. NJ. Karayeloff succeeded VI.
| Zankoff, a Liberal, who, after trying to
govern first in alliance with the Con-
servatiyes and then with only Liberal
colleagues, was upset by coalition
of Conservatives and Radicals. 1t
was regarded as a bold step when
Prince Alexander called NJ. Kara
yeloff to power, but the experiment
has succeeded, for after few weeks Of