Since the failure of this scheme, the Prince has applied all his energies to the acquisition of independent power.  He first endeavoured to effect it by means of a deputation to the Sublime Porte.  Failing in this, he resorted to the internal means at his disposal, and has gained his point.  The principal objects which he had in view, and which he has succeeded in carrying out, were the declaration of hereditary succession, and the abrogation of the Ustag or Constitution, by which his power was limited.  The Senate, as the deliberative body may be termed, originally consisted of 17 members.  They were in the first instance nominated by the then reigning prince, but could not be removed by him, while vacancies were filled up by election among themselves.  The whole of these rules he has now set aside, and, albeit he has given a colouring of justice to his proceedings by restoring the original number of members, and some other customs which had fallen into abeyance, he has virtually stripped them of all power.  With great astuteness he induced the Skuptschina to deprive the Senate of legislative functions, and immediately afterwards to relinquish them itself, thus placing absolute power in his hands.  This grossly illegal action has met with some faint resistance, but the Prince will without doubt carry out his wishes.  He has only to fear internal discontent, as he is entirely independent by virtue of the guarantee, not only of the European powers, but even of Turkey.  It is true that this very policy cost him his throne in 1838, but with years he has gained prudence, and he is now pursuing it with far greater caution.  The Servians, too, having sunk immeasurably in the social scale, are less likely to stand upon their rights, or to give him the same trouble as heretofore.

Up to the present time all these schemes have weighed but little in the scale against the one absorbing ambition of his life.  In a word, Michael is a hot Panslavist.  Of this he makes no secret, and he has probably shared hitherto, in common with all Servians, very exaggerated notions of the importance which Servia would assume were the dismemberment of Turkey to take place.  Their self-conceived superiority over the other Christians of European Turkey, induces the Servians to regard the northern provinces in the same light as do the Greeks the southern.  The ambition of Michael, however, is not satisfied with the prospect of dominion over the undeveloped countries south of the Danube.  His conversation, character, and previous history all point to one conclusion—­that he aspires to sway the destinies of the Slavish provinces of Austria, and maybe of Hungary itself.  His marriage with an Hungarian lady of the name, and it is to be presumed of the stock of the great Hunyadi family, would appear to give some consistency to these dreams.  The chief drawbacks to its fulfilment are the unreality of the agitation among the Slavish populations, the power of Turkey to crush any insurrection unaided