Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1888-10-31

KING MILAN AND QUEEN NATHALIE
piled to the sovereign. who stood above
them. demanded that the Metropolitan
avert the danger threatened for the Servian
state and dynasty by dissolving his Maj
esty's marriage with Queen Natalie.
The gravity OF the Metropolitans act in
declaring a dissolution OF Queen Natalie's
marriage will be appreciated throughout
the world. No such ecclesiastical procedure
has been recorded since Napoleon's divorce
from Josephine.
1t is hardly four months since Queen
Natalie wrote thus to the Metropolitan. who
is absolute head of the Servian Church:
"The King writes to me- saying that he has
taken steps to secure divorce. Neither the
canon nor the civil law permits divorce
without real causes. Not knowing Of any
In our case. l, for my part, shall never con-
sent TO it. l trust in Gods Justice"
The Metropolitan did not deign to reply.
SO the Queen telegraphed:
THE journals tonight pretend that am
divorced. Kindly inform me how q divorce
can be pronounced while l. Queen Natalie.
one OF the interested parties, have not re-
ceived any citation whatever. Up to the
present day l have not single paper
about it,"
The Metropolitan briefly replied:
His Eminence the Bishop of Nisch will
present you with reply to your telegram"
And the Queen answered:
4 must inform you that shall not re-
ceive the Bishop Of Nisch before know be-
fore what ecclesiastical court a demand for
divorce has been brought. Having abso-
lutely nothing to reproach myself with am
not afraid Of the light. and ! will accept
nothing clandestine. Do not forget that at
yonr age the hour cannot be far OIL when
you must appear before our Sovereign
Judge. and do not burden your soul with
another sim"
To this the Metropolitan replied:
Tho demand for u divorce has peen pre-
sented to the SYNOD. the competent RI.
thority OF the independent autoceph~lous
Servian Church"
And the Queen sent her last despairing
The Holy Synod not being qualified to
concern itself with divorce. l protest en-.
ergetically against this iniquity and illc-
gality."
These letters will go into history. They
trace every step in the conspiracy between
King Milan ct Servia and the Metropolitan
Theodoslus, The third party to the plot
was NJ. Cristitch. President Of the Council.
who In the following words announced the
| forthcoming divorce to the Queen:
Il have the honor to inform your Majesty
that his Majesty, our august master, has
| defgned to communicate TO his Council OF
Ministers the step which he has thought
| well to take"
And when Natalie. with cry Of anguish.
called for her son, Cristitch replied
i have the honor to inform your Majesty
that his Majesty the King has contlded to
Gen. Protitch the mission to take his High
ness. the heir apparent. to Belgrade, and
that full official powers have been given to
the General"
| Robbed Of her son, the Queens mis-
| fortunes reached their climax. Refused aid
from Austria. expelled by Prince bismarck
| from Berlin, she has wandered from capital
| to capital, the most unhappy Queen in
Europe.
| The King was only heir apparent when he
married her. She was exceptionally beau
! tiful. the daughter OF Col. Rechko. Rus
| sian. and OF Princess Puicherie Stoudza.
| She is 20 years old and was married at 1G.
| Her nearest relations are her two younger
sisters, one OF whom is Nine. Eugene
! Ghika. Her aunt. Princess Constantine
Mourousy, has been q mother to the three
| sisters, and has been the Queens constant
| friend and adviser.
| King Milan is a confirmed yoluptuary.
With his health he has lost his nerve. He
/ soes conspiraces everywhere. HE In fT-
] capable OF self-restraint," said Count Her
1 bert Bismarck. We must appease him at
all hazards. After the war between Servia
and Bulgaria King Milan. worsted at every
| point. leaned on Austria for support. The
| Queen. surrounded by Russians. looked for
| sympathy to st. Petersburg She isNeeply
| religious. besides being cultured. talented.
and an excellent iinguist. She educated her
| boy to be different from his father. And ii
| was when King Milan found that the lad
was Russian rather than German in his
tastes that he precipitated the conflict with
/ Queen Natalie.
/ In this conflict he has found ready aid
| from his Prime Minister and from the Met
| ropolitan. Tho condition OF Seryia is such
| that the interference Of any power In its at
| fairs might provoke a European war. Hence
| the King has been suffered to have his way.
But nobody in Europe doubts that the
- f. Al.