Mr. Labouchere used to relate the following reminiscence of the days when he was member for Middlesex: "It is a curious fact--such is the irony of fate--that these dues (the Middlesex Coal Dues) were once prolonged owing to me. About twenty years ago, I was member for Middlesex. A Bill was brought forward to prolong the dues in order to borrow the money for certain Metropolitan improvements. Now the dues are collected from the inhabitants, not only of the metropolis, but of all Middlesex. My constituents wanted the bridges over the Thames and the Lea, beyond the Metropolitan area, to be freed. So I persistently opposed the Bill by much talking, by amendments, and other such devices (for although blocking had not been invented, obstruction was even then not without its resources). This led to negotiation, and it was finally agreed that the prolongation should be for a still longer period than was proposed by the Bill, in order that money should also be borrowed to free the bridges."[17] Lord Derby's administration, under which Labouchere had become one of the Liberal members for Middlesex, was succeeded by the first administration of Mr. Disraeli. In December, 1868, the General Election took place, by which Mr. Gladstone, in his turn, was put, for the first time, at the head of Queen Victoria's Government. Mr. Labouchere presented himself for re-election at Middlesex in November. It was at first thought that both the sitting members, himself and Lord Enfield, would have a quiet "walk-over." The Conservatives, however, were determined to put forward at least one candidate, and they selected Lord George Hamilton, the third son of the Duke of Abercorn. On November 2, both Henry Labouchere and Lord Enfield issued their addresses, Lord Enfield appealing to his electors on grounds no more vital than that he had {86} represented Middlesex in Parliament for the last eleven years, and Mr. Labouchere because he frankly avowed himself in favour of the disestablishment of the Anglican Church in Ireland as being likely to strengthen the establishment of the Church of England in the sister isle, and, to quote verbatim from his speech: "I shall," he said, "oppose the proposal which was made last year by the Government of Mr. Disraeli to endow a Roman Catholic university. While I respect the sincere convictions of my Roman Catholic countrymen and desire that their religious convictions should not subject them either to civil or political disqualification, I do not think that their Church or their educational establishments should have any portion of the revenues now enjoyed by the established Church." He went on to say: "Since a Conservative Government has been in power the public departments have vied with each other in extravagance. The efforts of private members in which I have joined have proved ineffectual to check the waste. The sooner Mr. Gladstone is in office the better for the taxpayer."[18]