Kara George would have been completely successful

Immediately connected with this, was the second resolution ; which involved a complete reformation of the Senate. Its judicial and administrative functions were separated. For the former, a Supreme Court of Justice was instituted, to be composed of the less important Sowietniks ; the latter, on the contrary, were to be entrusted to the most influential men, in the form of a Ministry.

They were to be designated Administrators   Popet  schiteli: the first, of “War; the second, of Justice; the third, of Foreign Affairs ; and so on for Ecclesiastical Affairs, the Home Department, and Finance. The intention was that, besides Mladen, Knes Sima Markowitsch, and Dosithei Obradowitsch, who were all declared adherents of Kara George, Jacob Xena  dowitsch, Milenko, and Peter Dobrinjaz, should also be employed in these Ministerial duties.

By thq first resolution, the greater part of the power which the Gospodars had hitherto held was taken from them : they were disengaged, as it were, from their respec tive districts. By the second, an office was found for them beyond the influence of their former relations : an office which, in fact, left them little independent power; as the chief appointment  the Ministry of War was placed in the hands of Mladen. Ilad they assented to this, Kara George would have been completely successful. Precau tionary measures, however, had been taken, in the event of their non compliance: a la^v had been passed in the Diet, that resistance to these resolutions should be punished by exile.

All this having been concluded, the Commander  in chief made the Woiwodes swear that they would obey him; and only him. At his command they then separated, and each at once repaired to his own district.

Such was the state of affairs, when Milenko and Peter, accompanied by the Russian regiment, at length arrived at Belgrade. Unquestionably they were still in a position to offer resistance. Could they but continue united, their combined authority would yet be of great weight. On their side was the Ileyduc Weliko, to whom all rule was irksome; and who, since the preceding year, had held himself in a position of obstinate isolation. So many complaints, of acts of violence and manifold crimes committed by him, had been brought before the Diet of that year, that it was intended to imprison him in some fortress. He assembled his Momkes, and said: “ When I came here, 1 thought I should bo asked how many wounds I had received ? how many brave companions I had lost ? how many horses had been killed under me?

But they ask   how many girls I have kissed! Come ! let us depart.” lie now appeared by the side of the other Gospodars at Belgrade, with seventy resolute com panions  Bekjares, so far as they were paid by him ; Momkes, so far as they were bound to him by personal obligations   who were ready for any enterprise. The Gospodars had also a strong faction in the town; and were altogether in a position to undertake something serious. But already was their unity destroyed and their power lessened by several losses.

Milan, on whom they could reckon unconditionally, had fallen ill at Bucharest, not long after Lasar Woinowitsch had returned to him, and he died on the last day of the year 1810. It was asserted by some that he had been removed by poison. But what to them was of greater importance, Jacob Nenadowitscli had now other views : he determined to fill his place in the Senate. Having married his son Efrem to the daughter of Mladen, and joined himself entirely to the party of Kara George ; instead of coming with a numerous troop, he appeared at Belgrade in his sledge, accompanied only by two Momkes. Thus Peter and Milenko alone remained with Weliko.