In the meantime, the "Cabinet of Generals" was forced to resign owing to its inherent weakness, and a "Ministry of Conciliation," as Prince Charles termed it, was formed by M. Jepureanu on May 8, 1876.
Prince Charles welcomed the two Vice-Presidents of the Senate, Prince Jon Ghika and Demeter Sturdza, whom he had not seen for more than five years, with a few friendly words on the presentation of an address from the Senate on May 14. A few days later the Prince expressed his regret to M. Sturdza that he, whom he had always trusted, should have adopted during the past five years an anti-dynastic policy in personal opposition to the Sovereign. The Roumanian statesman replied that the only excuse he could offer was that he had misunderstood the Prince's motives, and thought that he had allowed himself to be induced by the views of _one_ party to measures which would be of no benefit to the country.
_From the_ GERMAN CROWN PRINCE, _May 22nd, 1876_.
"Ever since your last letter reached my hands the rapt attention of Europe has been fixed on Stamboul and the seething Turkish provinces. This state of affairs reminds me of the time before 1864, when every conversation about the solution of the Schleswig-Holstein Question ended thus: 'Let us wish the Danish King long life, that the conflict may be delayed as long as possible.' But Frederick VII. died suddenly, and misfortune was at the doors. The situation to-day is the more favourable in that none of the Great Powers have any longing to fight, because, God knows, enough blood has been shed these last few years. So far as we Germans are concerned, the Eastern Question possesses no immediate interest for us: our only care is the protection of our countrymen, on whose account our iron-clad squadron is now manœuvring."
A revolution in the palace at Constantinople resulted in the deposition of Abdul Aziz in favour of Murad V. on May 30, 1876; but, though the accession of the new Sovereign brought with it plenty of promises of reform, the situation remained as threatening as before. Almost every day fresh reports of unheard-of cruelties and massacres were received from Bulgaria, where _bashi-bazouks_ were suppressing the insurrection with barbarous severity.