Extreme violence by the Opposition Press

The charge was made use of with extreme violence by the Opposition Press, especially in Philippopolis, and the common expectation was that the agitation against Turkey would soon be converted into a popular outcry for the dismissal of the Ministry. Happily, the Turkish Government became alive to the danger of the situation.

The Sultan gave way and revoked the decree in a very frank and prompt manner. He not only yielded on the school question, but he consented to the appointment of Bulgarian bishops in Macedonia, a favour which he had hitherto persistently refused. He also granted a site for the erection of a Bulgarian school at Constantinople, and gave the Exarch permission to build a new official residence at Pera. He further promised that in future the ownership of the Bulgarian schools in Macedonia should be vested in the hands of the Bulgarian bishops or of their nominees.

The conclusion of this settlement was extremely gratifying to national feeling in Bulgaria, and was popularly attributed to the great skill with which M. Stambouloff had worked on the apprehensions of the Porte and had carried his point without resorting to any military demonstration. The Premier himself attributed a great part of his success to the active support he had received from Sir Philip Currie, who had only recently taken up his position as British Ambassador at Constantinople.

Stambouloffs abode at Sofia

In common opinion, however, throughout Bulgaria, the whole thing was Stambouloffs doing. As soon as the news of the settlement became known in Sofia, a large crowd proceeded with torchlights to M. Stambouloffs abode at Sofia. In reply to the cheers with which he was greeted, he came out on the balcony and made a speech appealing to the Bulgarians to display their special gratitude for the gracious concessions made by the Suzerain, and urging upon them the paramount necessity of keeping on good terms with Turkey as Bulgaria’s best friend and ally.