Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria, in the course of an interview
'with a member of the staff of the Nem Freie .Presse, declared that he did his best to keep M. Stambouloff in office, but that when the Minister approached him with demands which he could not legally grant, it was no longer possible to retain him. When M. Stambouloff said half in anger, half in irony, "I have not three sincere friends in the whole country," he spoke the truth. The safety of the Crown and the peace of the country would have been imperilled had the Prince refused to listen to the general voice. It was not merely a political party, but the entire Bulgarian nation which d. emanded a change of Government. In such circumstances it was impossible to pit the army against the people and thus to maintain the Government by force. " The only course open when the hour of trouble had arrived, was to remember his merits and to protect him from the injustice which threatened him. After the acceptance of his resignation, ray autograph letter was addressed to him with that object in view." At the time the letter was written, adds the Prince, the sentiments expressed therein were not endorsed by the country at large, and, " indeed, for a moment the popularity of the writer hung in the balance." M. Stambouloff was the victim of his own system. The Prince ends by saying that an experiment will now be made of legislating with a Chamber elected without the slightest Government inter- ference. It is natural to wonder whether M. Stambouloff's eclipse will be permanent, or whether some rush of popular feeling will recall him to the helm. In spite of his despotic temper, he was a good pilot in adversity.
