The Mahommedans of India are protesting, as might have been
expected, against the introduction of the principle of election into India. They are ready to obey the race which defeated them, but not races whom they regard as properly their subjects. They are preparing a petition to Parliament expressing their views, showing that they are fifty millions, but that the Hindoos are two hundred millions, and that as they are scattered, they would be outnumbered by their enemies in every district, and could not be defended even by proportional representation. They pray, therefore, that Parlia- ment will continue to maintain the practice of nomination. As they all act together, know how to die if need be, and would govern India within a week of our departure, Parliament must listen respectfully to their prayer, even though it cannot in logic declare that a majority is less than divine. It is a curious incident in the wonderful history of English dominion in India, that it should be pro- tected by Mussulmans and assailed by Hindoos ; but we do not know that it is unnatural. The Mussulman cannot get rid of his belief that government must be from above, and that a plebiscite as ultimate law is contrary to the very nature of things.
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