[United Principalities.] No. 497.-DESPATCH from Safvet Pasha to Musurus Pasha, on the attitude of the United Principalities towards Russia. Constantinople, 2nd May, 1877.* (Translation as laid before Parliament.) (Telegraphic.) THE Government to which you are accredited will have taken cognisance of the Message which Prince Charles addressed to the Chamber of Deputies, which met at Bucharest on the 26th April.† The United Principalities had been invaded two days previously, and in many directions, by the Russian armies (No. 492). It is consequently the duty of the Sublime Porte to consider the sentiments pronounced in this Message, and the acts of the Government of the Prince, which have or might follow this, not as springing from the free-will of the authorities or inhabitants of the Principalities, but rather as the direct consequence of the foreign occupation. The sad condition to which the Principalities are thus reduced is now a fait accompli. The Porte has, then, only one duty to fulfil, to call attention to the fact that she has done all in her power to prevent it, and that she has not incurred in any manner or degree any responsibility on this head. It did not depend on the Sublime Porte alone to recognise and to cause Europe to recognise the neutrality of the Principalities. If she did not think it necessary to initiate in the Constantinople Conferences the proposal for the perpetual neutrality of the United Principalities, it was because the object of the Conference was of another character, and because the Porte would not have been justified in raising on its own account alone questions foreign to the programme of the Conference. She was, moreover, afraid, in approaching this question in any sense whatever, that it might furnish Russia with new pretexts for grievance, as the latter would doubtless have looked on such a proposal as a measure directed against herself. The Sublime Porte was, moreover, convinced that the Principalities would, if they wished it, always find in the dispositions Communicated to the Earl of Derby by Musurus Pasha, 4th May, 1877. [United Principalities.] of the Treaty of Paris (No. 264) sufficient means to cause the protection of their territory, and that Russia would herself pause before the barrier which engagements entered into with all Europe had created. These dispositions of the Treaty of Paris enjoined, in fact, the Principalities to combine their military action with that of the Imperial Government for the defence of their territory, at the same time that they forbade the entry of the Principalities themselves, even by the armies of the Suzerain Court, and this even if the internal order was disturbed, without the previous agreement of all the Powers signatories of the Treaty. In face of such explicit international stipulations, it is impossible to admit the excuse alleged by the Government of the Prince, to wit, legal and physical inability to oppose the invasion of the Principalities. It is quite as plain that Russia, by entering the Principalities, as she has just done, has broken international engagements not less solemn than those which would have followed a formal acknowledgment of the neutrality of this territory. On the other hand, the Imperial Government had not omitted proposing to the Government of the Prince to unite with his Suzerain Court with reference to the military action which circumstances might dictate; and although this offer was declined, the Sublime Porte nevertheless addressed lately an official invitation to the Government of the Prince to unite their efforts with the Porte's to combat the common danger. The answer of the Prince in the face of an imminent invasion was most dilatory. Your Excellency will judge of this by the telegram of the Sublime Porte which I communicated to you on the 22nd of April and by the one which I transmit herewith, addressed to His Highness the Grand Vizier by M. Cogalniceano on the 23rd April, as answer to the offer of defence and protection which was made him. The Sublime Porte is conscious of having scrupulously fulfilled her duties as Suzerain Government towards the United Principalities. It now is the part of the great friendly Powers to judge whether, in view of the schemes of Russia against which the Sublime Porte protests sword in hand, the attitude which the Government of Prince Charles has preserved in this state of affairs is really in conformity with the obligations imposed upon him. Whilst the Sublime Porte was offering to that Government the means of defending the country [United Principalities.] against the invasion of the enemy, the Ministers at Bucharest were in secret negotiation with Russia, and concluded on the 1th April (Nos. 485, 486) the Convention which has just been communicated to the Chambers, and by which all the resources of the country were put beforehand at the disposal of the invader. The publication of this Convention has revealed a state of affairs which the Porte was far from suspecting, and which causes the gravest responsibility to rest on a Government which, forgetful of all its duties, has not hesitated to contract with the foreigner shameful arrangements for facilitating the invasion of the Empire, thus betraying at once the interests of the country, the confidence of the Suzerain Government, and the hopes that all Europe had founded on the institutions of the United Principalities. The judgment pronounced on acts stained with such flagrant treason cannot be too severe. Meanwhile, and notwithstanding that Russia has promised not to enter the town of Bucharest, the Sublime Porte must consider the Prince, as well as the legal authorities of the country as being in the enemy's power, and consequently such acts and decisions as may emanate during the period of occupation, and which might affect directly or indirectly the relations of the Principalities with the Sovereign Court, are deprived of lawful authority. You will read and give a copy of this despatch to His Excellency the Minister for Foreign Affairs. ANNEX. M. Cogalniceano to the Grand Vizier. Bucharest, 23rd April, 1877. (Translation as laid before Parliament.) The Government of the Prince has considered the despatch addressed by your Highness on the 22nd instant to His Highness the Prince of Roumania; and the contents of that despatch, requesting us to take military steps in concert with the Imperial Government, so as to repel the Russian invasion, is of too serious a nature for the executive power to take on itself to pronounce upon them. I have, therefore, the honour to inform your Highness that [United Principalities.] the Roumanian Parliament alone has the right to decide whether Roumania shall take part in the war, and thereby abandon the neutral course which has been moreover constantly recommended to her by the Sublime Porte herself, as well as by the Guaranteeing Powers. The Parliament is convoked in an extraordinary session on the 26th of April. As soon as the new Senate has been verified, the political situation will be instantly communicated to the legislative bodies, and your Highness's note at the very first moment. Immediately afterwards I shall lose no time in communicating to the Imperial Government the decision of our Parliament. Your Highness-now Prime Minister of a Constitutional and Parliamentary Government-will surely not ask the Roumanian Government to violate the rules of a Constitution recognised by Europe, and without the opinion of the nation to pronounce on an affair of such importance as that which forms the object of the despatch of the Imperial Government. Explanatory letter and details by courier. [Suspension of Relations with Roumania.] No. 498.-TURKISH NOTIFICATION of the Suspension of Relations with Roumanian Diplomatic Agent. Constantinople, 3rd May, 1877. (Translation as laid before Parliament.) (Telegraphic.) Constantinople, May 3, 1877. IN continuation of my telegram of yesterday, I hasten to inform you that, in consequence of the Convention agreed upon between the Government of the Prince and Russia on 16th of last April (No. 485), with the object of preparing the way for the occupation by the enemy of the territory of the Principalities, which occupation took place on 24th of April, I have just notified to the Agency of the Prince that his duties are suspended from to-day's date. Nevertheless, the Moldo-Wallachians inhabiting or chancing to be in the Empire will still enjoy, as before, the protection of the Imperial laws and authorities in the same degree as the faithful servants of His Imperial Majesty the Sultan. The Moldo-Wallachian ships will continue in the same way under the protection of the Imperial authorities in the Empire and of the Ottoman Consuls abroad. You will communicate this decision to the Government to which you are accredited, and give instructions to the above effect to the Consuls under your orders. |