ARABI ON THE EGYPTIAN QUESTION.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1643, 16 January 1883, Page 3

ARABI ON THE EGYPTIAN QUESTION.

-The. following arc the points of a con-j venation which the special correspondent of a London contetnijorary says he has had with Arabi : !' Otyone of you^ can understand Egypt or Egyptian politics. We, in many ways resemble Mexico. You call yourselves the champions of liberty, and would send us back into the serfd6m Y6u aYe great and powerful ; but I cannot respect you. 'I his Tewfik, in whose cause you have made so grand a display, is utterly contemptible — wellmeaning possibly, like Louis XVI., but a*prey to the wor,st advisers. He is not so bad »s his father, I admit, nor so silly aud useless as his brother ; but , the,, wickedness of his counsellors make up for such deficiencies. You restore Tewfik in spite of the unanimous desire or a country to the' contrary. On y6u'r head beour misery then. Ido not like you, but lam obliged to respect your power ; knowing what I udw ktiow, I see how vain were my hopes, and can only be proud to think that miserable Egypt could stand against your strength for nearly sixty days. If you great European Powers choose to dictate, we have no option but to obey.' ' Then Egyptian liberty is but a dream ! ' ' Yes, alas ! since the so-called champions of liberty side against the oppressed. Two days before your bombardment Tewfik loaded me with honors, and called me friend. I have not, nor never had, any personal hatred against the Khedive. The Khedive is nothing in himself, but always the sorvniit of another. Jf you like to give him a tutor who will whisper to him, all may go well ; but if not, the Turkish and Circassian rig'tmc will be re-established, and the bastinado be rampant as of yore, and it will be jour doing. What would T wish to do ? I would wish to be banished fioni Egypt for ever. My heart is sick of Egypt. I would live quietly in Europe with my family, and trouble no one any more, for my dream is patted and I was deceived. • Quietly •>.' ' Ha, ha '. How could I live, otherwise ? Liars say that I filled my purse when in office. lam a, very poor man ; have only one little house near Zagasrig, where I was bom ; my palace at Cairo is not mine— was only lent to mo as Minister. I am very poor, indeed, and if you set me free shall have to work for my living and my family.' ' But you will give us up to our enemies — I feel a presentiment of that, he concluded quietly, 'and it will soon oe all over —all over.' When we declared war did you think we were in earnest?' I asked idly. 'No !' replied Arabi, with emphasis, and that was one of the most dreadful moments in my life. Your Seymour sent me a message that he would bombard the City of Alexandria at eight next morning. I laughed, for I thought half the wealth of Alexandiia •was English, and they will surely not wreck their own property. I lay awake all night thinking, growing suier and more sure ; and dawn came, and eight o'clock struck, and there was no unusual noise, and I breathed freely and turned to sleep. At ha If- past eight I hcaid the first Kirn, and it .set me shivciing, for I heard in it the knell of established hopes, and wondered who would win the victory.' 'Youaiengie.it nation,' he repeated presently. ' You cm afford to be genet ous> and great to Cetewayo — a savage—and surely should be to me. Treat me as you have treated Cetewayo, and I will be satisfied.' "