[11] _Hansard_, July 14, 1884. [12] Alexander II. [13] _Truth_, July 16, 1877. [14] _Truth_, May 23, 1878. [15] _Florence Herald_, Dec. 28, 1909. [16] Rumbold, _Recollections of a Diplomatist_, vol. ii. [17] The letter, signed by Lord Russell, appointing Henry Labouchere Second Secretary is dated February 3, 1863, so that the one, referred to by Sir Audley Gosling, appointing him to Buenos Ayres, must have been of later date. The latter is not in my possession. [18] _Truth_, Nov. 20, 1879. {74} CHAPTER IV PARLIAMENTARY AMBITIONS (1866-1869) Being asked on some occasion, "Why do men enter Parliament?" Mr. Labouchere replied: "Some of them enter Parliament because they have been local Bulls of Bashan, and consider that in the localities where they have roared, and pawed the ground, they will be even more important than heretofore; some because they want to be peers, baronets, and knights; some because they have a fad to air; some because they want to have a try at climbing the greasy pole of office; some because they have heard that the House of Commons is the best club in London; some because they delude themselves that they are orators; some for want of anything better to do; some because they want to make a bit out of company promoting; and some because they have a vague notion that they are going to benefit their country by their devotion to legislative business." He frankly confessed, however, that none of the above considerations had influenced him in his own decision to enter upon a parliamentary life. Curiosity had been his inducement in the first place, and secondly, a conviction that the House would benefit considerably from contact with so sound a Radical as himself. In the autumn of the year that he left the Diplomatic Service, it was suggested to Mr. Labouchere by several {75} friends that he should come forward as a candidate in the next General Election for the borough of New Windsor. There was already another Liberal in the field--Mr. Flower of Stratford-on-Avon. Labouchere decided to confer with him on the subject. They met, accordingly, at the Reform Club, Labouchere having been previously warned by the Town Clerk of Windsor, Mr. Darvill, to act quite independently of Flower, as he was in the hands of agents, in whom the leading men of the place had little confidence. Mr. Labouchere describes in his own words the upshot of the interview: "We met at the Reform Club, in the presence of Mr. Grant (one of Flower's agents) and Mr. Darvill, junior. As, however, both of us evidently thought that only one Liberal could be returned at Windsor, and as each of us intended to be that Liberal, we separated without coming to any arrangement to act together."[1]