Mite Kremnitz

“ I make no claim to be infallible, but I should like to impress upon you that the Teuton element to-day possesses the greatest vitality and the richest future, and that Roumania can only remain the master of her own future by a sensible union with it. Let society, the Press, and the general instinct of the nation be anti-German if they will—they must not, if they intend to put their feelings into practice, throw down the gage to the Teuton spirit. ”

“ Thanks to your Majesty's wise and vigorous rule over a richly endowed and sober nation, Roumania has become an equal and respected member of the Council of the Nations, and under your Majesty's sceptre every Roumanian can rejoice in the proud consciousness of belonging to a State which, as warden of an old-world civilisation, enjoys the sympathetic goodwill of all civilised nations. ”

“ This moderation is the only means by which Europe can be prepared for the approaching independence of your country—an independence which must be founded on the belief of its necessity, and when it comes, must come as a surprise to nobody. I congratulate you on your political reserve and on the art of waiting, the exercise of which you seem to have mastered in opposition to the character of the Roumanian nation. ”

“ Our rapprochement and understanding with Austria last autumn was, no doubt, under the circumstances, a correct step, and has given the Czar's Empire something to think about. If we could only succeed in preventing France from forming the ardently desired alliance with Russia—which has probably been postponed for some time—we might then see favourable guarantees for peace everywhere. No one wants war, because all have much to do at home, and have enough to think over in the consequences of the last bloody war. ”

“ You know that we desire to do everything for Roumania that is possible in the field of diplomacy. But your Excellency knows also that we have interests and rights to guard which we cannot forego. What we expect from the Roumanian Government is a just and rational appreciation of its situation and ours. This is the way in which the traditions which unite Roumania to Russia may be perpetuated and consolidated. Your country owes its past to us, and I believe that it will also find in us its most solid support in the future. ”

“ Russia's eyes will always be fixed on her own interests, never on those of Roumania; and, since there is no such thing as gratitude in politics, I recommend you to exercise the utmost caution.
"Europe will not interest itself in a defeated and fallen Roumania—it will only have regard for a free country which is not tied down by treaties. Prudence and moderation are therefore necessary at so critical a period, which will either prove to be a wholesome era of transition for your country, or will bear the seeds of its annihilation." ”

“ I have observed two currents in the policy of Austria-Hungary regarding us: the official circles appear at present to favour the stability and peaceful development of Roumania, whilst others—I know not how to define them: clerical, financial, Jewish—show their animosity by an incessant paper-warfare against the country. The Austrian and Hungarian papers compete with each other in this rivalry. What lasts too long ends by becoming tedious, and one may hope that the world will some day have had enough of this tangled web of printed lies. ”

“ I shall therefore not be at all surprised if the next few years bring us some most disagreeable conflicts of aim. The peculiarities of each separate country forming the Empire will always be respected and interference with their internal affairs must be avoided; I therefore do not at all like the expression 'a uniform State.' But it is for that very reason that earnest pains must be taken that perfect unity may be shown in military, legal, and foreign-political fields, and that these elements may become more and more firmly welded together. ”

“ So long as the suzerainty was merely an empty form, restricted to the payment of tribute or to impediments in affairs of treaties, mints, and orders, Europe was justified in declining to hear our complaints; but from the moment that our dependence on the Porte hinders our economical development, hampers our financial reforms, and damages our credit, we can reasonably demand that a sharp political line of demarcation be drawn between an Empire which is incapable of any reform and a flourishing young State which has given Europe material guarantees during the last few years! ”

“ Prince Charles realised that a weak State like Roumania, surrounded by its powerful neighbours, Russia, Austria, and Turkey, must place its army, on a thoroughly satisfactory footing, unless it were content to play the unsatisfactory part of being forced to side, possibly against its will, with whatever State was first to mobilise its forces, whilst its very weakness might be the cause of a war. The safety and welfare of Roumania, he was firmly convinced, rested on a sound military constitution, by means of which its independence would some day be achieved on the field of battle. ”

“ The North German is too stiff; the South German is too heavy ever to awaken feelings of sympathy. This is as true as that the earth turns on its axis. Even admitting that in diplomacy one may be ungrateful, nevertheless the punishment seldom fails, as witness Austria, which has paid heavily for its ingratitude. It is most imprudent to alienate yourself from France. ”

“ As affairs stand at present only some external crisis can affect the resignation of the Cabinet; luckily it is in such favour with the Great Powers that even this anxiety disappears.... It is the immediate duty of my Government to maintain order at all costs, and to aim during the coming session at putting an end to the abuse of liberty, which only damages and discredits us in the eyes of foreign countries. As Roumania is the spoilt child of Europe and has been permitted to do so much, it knows nothing of reflection or fear. ”

“ When the Budget of Love (education) is as high as the Budget of Hatred (war) , the Eastern Marches will be under the protection of Europe even without treaties.
"Public opinion in England remains unaltered—the arrival of a telegram from the Danube makes us tremble in every limb. Two reasons for this are apparent. Humanity is the slave of phrase, and the phrase, 'integrity of the Ottoman Empire,' is as much a matter of course to the English as 'Britannia rules the waves.' Such phrases have a firmer hold on English policy than on French or German. The Turkish funds form the second reason...." ”

“ For the present the ruler of Roumania will continue as a vassal of the Porte. Is this a dignified and acceptable position for a Hohenzollern? And though it may be expected that in future this position will be exchanged for that of an independent sovereignty, still the date of the realisation of this aim is very remote, and will probably be preceded by political convulsions through which the ruler of the Danubian Principalities might perhaps be unable to retain his position! With such an outlook, are not the present position and prospects of your son happier than the life which is offered him? ”

“ At the same time Austria looked upon the interior development of Roumania with an even more unfavourable eye than Russia, and it seemed as though Moldavia and Wallachia, in spite of the ever increasing desire of their inhabitants for union and for the development of their resources, so long restrained, were condemned to remain for ever in their lamentable condition by the jealousy of their three powerful neighbours. ”

“ Though the dearest and most intimate bond of our family circle has been severed, a still stronger tie unites us now with our greater family, the Roumanian nation, which joins with us in mourning the loss of our and their child. ”

“ And so the saying of Napoleon III., that a Latin race is almost ungovernable, received a melancholy confirmation, which was only partly refuted by the Prince Charles's unquestioned success in ruling the "Latin sister-nation." Public opinion was only now beginning to realise the great merit of the Prince in achieving, by patience, abnegation, and perseverance, a stable Government, which only a few years before had appeared to be an aim Utopian and altogether beyond realisation to all those who were acquainted with the people and the affairs of Roumania. ”

“ The Clericals do not cease to add fuel to this smouldering fire, and it will not be their fault if the national hatred does not break out into open flames. The Emperor is the most sober and reasonable of all Frenchmen, but it is quite possible that he may allow himself to be dragged into a war with Prussia in order to preserve his dynasty. ”

“ My groundwork was the execution of the net of roads and railways. This is the national-Roumanian policy which I have so far pursued, and which I shall continue in the future. Perhaps this is the very reason of the great wrath of those to whom the existence of Roumania is a thorn in the flesh. The enmity to which it is exposed by a paid Press is therefore well founded, for even a small country which [179] makes material progress daily may in time become a factor with which perhaps the world may be forced to reckon. ”

“ For let us not forget that it is possible to be lenient, even forgiving, in the face of calumny, and yet to suffer agonies of torture in the task of repressing our wounded feelings. King Charles is said to have read many scurrilous pamphlets and papers directed against him and his dynasty—for singularly atrocious examples have been ready to his hand—and to have been able sometimes even to discover a fund of humour in the more fantastic perversions of truth which they contained. ”

“ If you look back upon the scenes which took place nearly a year ago in Bucharest on the occasion of the Emperor's birthday, you cannot expect that Germany should meet the Roumanian population with much sympathy. Such incidents have a lasting and estranging influence. Moreover, the continual demonstration of the Roumanians in favour of France cannot but displease Germany, who has lost many thousands of her best sons in a war which was forced upon her against her will. ”

“ Roumania, like Belgium, must not attempt foreign politics, but must live on the best possible terms with her neighbours: she will then share in the fruits which in due season will fall from the tree of Europe. But she must not pluck them herself, especially while they are unripe.... The situation of the Jews, such as prevails on the Lower Danube, is an evil rash upon the body of the State; but it is as impossible to solve this Jewish Question with one blow as to drive a rash away at once. ”

“ If the Turks preserve their proverbial powers of resistance, and so protract the war to an indefinite and costly length, we have no guarantee that the Russians would not conclude peace with the Turks in one way or another and abandon Roumania, who would then be overwhelmed by Turkish malevolence. ”

“ I do not think it can be necessary to assure you how much my heart draws me to my deeply loved parents, my dearest possessions on earth. But he who assumes so great a responsibility as I have must not be ruled by his heart, but by his head. I fear Krenski has described the situation here in too gloomy a light—it is not so serious as he thinks. With patience, endurance, and energy everything can be attained, and I am convinced that I shall reach my appointed goal. ”

“ The foreign policy of the kingdom has constantly had one aim and object in view—to find support and aid from the great Teutonic Powers, though at times it seemed as if the religious tradition of the nation or the sympathy for the Latin sister nation were about to force the real interests of Roumania into the background. As a German prince, King Charles had recognised the supremacy of Prussia, and never doubted the power and force of the Teuton genius. ”

“ From Prince Charles Anthony, October 16th, 1876.
"I heard to-day of the mobilisation of the Roumanian army and its concentration in Northern Moldavia! What is to be understood by that? Is the march of the Russians through the country to be opposed; or will Roumania side with Russia? All this is not clear to me! The pusillanimous policy of England has completely entangled the whole Turkish-Christian Question. Austria-Hungary is crippled by its dualism, the German Empire is shrouded in aristocratic silence, and only Russia perseveres with an iron persistence in her far-reaching aims." ”