THE WAR OF GREEK INDEPENDENCE 1821 TO 1833 BY W.ALISON PHILLIPS 1897

KESIGNATION OF PKINCE LEOPOLD 337
tion of the country, the general corruption and insubordination,
and, above all, the absolute lack of
money. He impressed upon him the advisability, nay,
the necessity, for joining the Orthodox Church;
he asked whether he would be prepared to unite with
the people in arranging a Constitution, in accordance
with the decrees of the Congress of Argos, and whether
he would consent to be bound by the decisions of that
Assembly.
There has been some controversy as to what ultimately
induced Leopold to resign the trust which had
been solemnly conferred upon him, at his own solicitation,
by the Powers of Europe. The death of George
IV., and the shadowy prospect of a possible regency
in England during the minority of Queen Victoria,
can hardly be judged a sufficient motive, though they
were considered so 1
by many at the time. It is more
probable that the intrigues and innuendoes of Capodistrias
were successful, and that Leopold
was disgusted
by the prospect which his acceptance
Greek crown had opened before him.
of the
The policy of
the President in suppressing the addresses of welcome
had also borne fruit,
and the Prince was more than
doubtful as to the nature of the reception that awaited
him on the part of the Greek nation. On the 21st of
22
i So Prokesch-Osten, ii. 417.