The following letter was received from the Emperor William on March 30, 1871:
"Accept my heartiest thanks for your affectionate and welcome congratulations for the 22nd. This time, certainly, the day overflowed with feelings of gratitude towards Providence, which decreed that I, aided by my army and the self-sacrifice of my people, should achieve things, to expect or demand which at the commencement of this glorious but bloody war would have been presumption. The Almighty has guided and secured all, and we must rejoice that He has found us worthy to be His instruments. The foundations of a new German Empire have been laid, and the blood shed has been made into a mortar with which we may hope that a strong house will be built upon _this_ foundation, under the wise guidance of my successors.
"With heartiest greetings to the Princess, "I remain, your faithful Cousin and Friend, "WILLIAM."
"P.S.--I say nothing about your situation, and can only pray that the Lord may help you to choose whatever way is right and best."
In reply, Prince Charles expressed his grief that March 22, an anniversary so dear to him, should have been troubled by such an occurrence in Bucharest. "Nothing could have wounded me more deeply than that this particular occasion should have been seized for the outbreak of a long-smouldering intrigue.... Having regard to the critical situation, especially that of the great and calamitous financial question, I was forced to take extreme steps to rally the better element from its apathy. I therefore summoned the _Lieutenance_, from whose hands I had received the reins of government in 1866, in order to return them their trust. Terrified by this imminent danger, all the Conservative factions combined to form the new Ministry. To-day it is a point of honour with me to support with all my might those men, who are resolved to protect the country against serious complications, and in conjunction with them to carry out the necessary reforms. Should these prove unattainable with the aid of such supporters, the country will be irretrievably lost.
"It cannot be denied that the state of affairs is very serious, and that the creation of a better state of things is beset with the greatest difficulties: the future is hidden from me in impenetrable darkness. But the greater the danger, the less must one's courage be allowed to sink!"