BOOK VIII: THE FLASHING OF THE HANDJAR
PRIVATE MEMORANDUM OF THE MEETING OF VARIOUS MEMBERS OF THE NATIONALCOUNCIL, HELD AT THE STATE HOUSE OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS AT PLAZAC ONMONDAY, AUGUST 26, 1907.
(_Written by Cristoferos_, _Scribe of the Council_, _by instruction ofthose present_.)
When the private meeting of various Members of the National Council hadassembled in the Council Hall of the State House at Plazac, it was as apreliminary decided unanimously that now or hereafter no names of thosepresent were to be mentioned, and that officials appointed for thepurposes of this meeting should be designated by office only, the namesof all being withheld.
The proceedings assumed the shape of a general conversation, quiteinformal, and therefore not to be recorded. The nett outcome was theunanimous expression of an opinion that the time, long contemplated byvery many persons throughout the nation, had now come when theConstitution and machinery of the State should be changed; that thepresent form of ruling by an Irregular Council was not sufficient, andthat a method more in accord with the spirit of the times should beadopted. To this end Constitutional Monarchy, such as that holding inGreat Britain, seemed best adapted. Finally, it was decided that eachMember of the Council should make a personal canvass of his district,talk over the matter with his electors, and bring back to anothermeeting--or, rather, as it was amended, to this meeting postponed for aweek, until September 2nd--the opinions and wishes received. Beforeseparating, the individual to be appointed King, in case the new ideashould prove grateful to the nation, was discussed. The consensus ofopinion was entirely to the effect that the Voivode Peter Vissarionshould, if he would accept the high office, be appointed. It was urgedthat, as his daughter, the Voivodin Teuta, was now married to theEnglishman, Rupert Sent Leger--called generally by the mountaineers "theGospodar Rupert"--a successor to follow the Voivode when God should callhim would be at hand--a successor worthy in every way to succeed to soillustrious a post. It was urged by several speakers, with generalacquiescence, that already Mr. Sent Leger's services to the State weresuch that he would be in himself a worthy person to begin the newDynasty; but that, as he was now allied to the Voivode Peter Vissarion,it was becoming that the elder, born of the nation, should receive thefirst honour.