The character of the new Czar will engage our attention in the following chapter; here we need only say that the more his narrow, hard, and overbearing nature asserted itself, the greater appeared the danger to the liberties of the Principality. At last, when the situation became unbearable, the Prince resolved to restore the Bulgarian constitution; and he took this momentous step, on September 18, 1883, without consulting the three Russian Ministers, who thereupon resigned[188]. [Footnote 188: For the scenes which then occurred, see _Le Prince Alexandre de Battenberg en Bulgarie_, by A.G. Drandar, pp. 169 _et seq_.; also A. Koch, _Fürst Alexander von Bulgarien_, pp. 144-147. For the secret aims of Russia, see _Documents secrets de la Politique russe en Orient_, by R. Leonoff (Berlin, 1893), pp. 49-65. General Soboleff, _Der erste Fürst von Bulgarian_ (Leipzig, 1896), has given a highly coloured Russian account of all these incidents.] At once the Prince summoned Karaveloff, and said to him: "My dear Karaveloff--For the second time I swear to thee that I will be entirely submissive to the will of the people, and that I will govern in full accordance with the constitution of Tirnova. Let us forget what passed during the _coup d'état_ [of 1881], and work together for the prosperity of the country." He embraced him; and that embrace was the pledge of a close union of hearts between him and his people[189]. [Footnote 189: See Laveleye's _The Balkan Peninsula_, pp. 259-262, for an account of Karaveloff.] The Czar forthwith showed his anger at this act of independence, and, counting it a sign of defiance, allowed or encouraged his agents in Bulgaria to undermine the power of the Prince, and procure his deposition. For two years they struggled in vain. An attempt by the Russian Generals Soboleff and Kaulbars to kidnap the Prince by night failed, owing to the loyalty of Lieutenant Martinoff, then on duty at his palace; the two ministerial plotters forthwith left Bulgaria[190]. [Footnote 190: J.G.C. Minchin, _The Growth of Freedom in the Balkan Peninsula_ (1886) p. 237. The author, Consul-General for Servia in London, had earlier contributed many articles to the _Times_ and _Morning Advertiser_ on Balkan affairs.]