Pray excuse the observations of a humble admirer. The Jingoes, it is true, are not so hostile as they were, but you do not suppose that they would vote for the present Government, whilst on the other hand the Radicals will sulk and not vote so long as Radical principles are ignored in Egypt. Government has not yet announced its policy, so at present no great harm is done, but the appointment of Baker, the handing over of Arabi to the Khedive, the reign of Generals and diplomatists, the absence of any appearance of consulting the Egyptians, and various other similar things are producing distrust. You will say, "What can a fellah know of politics?" To this I can only answer, {200} "What does a Wiltshire peasant know about them?"--Yours truly, H. LABOUCHERE. Mr. Labouchere soon began to put forward his reformed views in Parliament. On October 30 we find him asking Sir Charles Dilke whether "Her Majesty's Government is a party to any treaty, alliance, or compact with any foreign power which would oblige it to prevent the Egyptians from exercising that control over their taxation, expenditure, and administration which is enjoyed by the inhabitants of the independent or semi-independent States which formerly were integral parts of the Ottoman Empire,"[8] and demanding information as to the cruelty and insults to which it was alleged the Egyptian prisoners had been subjected. Mr. Labouchere wrote a long article in _Truth_ under the heading: "Egypt was glad when they departed" (Psalm cv., 38), the following extracts from which put the situation very clearly as he conceived it. "That a small body of English troops should remain for a brief time in Egypt at the expense of that country is, perhaps, a necessity of the position. But what I contend is, that during their stay the Notables ought to be called together, that every place of emolument ought to be filled up by an Egyptian, that the bag and baggage policy ought to be adopted towards the Turkish officials, who are as objectionable to the natives as were the Turkish officials to the Bulgarians, and that a free constitutional government ought to be established, based on the two corner stones of all constitutional liberty--Ministerial responsibility and the right of taxpayers over the purse. In order to carry out this programme--distasteful alike to professional diplomatists and to professional soldiers--we ought at once to send to Egypt a stalwart and experienced Liberal, who has graduated in the school of Parliamentary Government, and not in those of the Horse Guards, of the Foreign Office, or of the India Office. Looking round, I see no man better able to fill the post than Mr. Shaw {201} Lefevre. He is able, he is a skilled and successful administrator, he is untainted with the creed that all Orientals are made to be bondsmen for Europeans, and his political principles are exceptionally sound.