236 supporting all its aims, submissive to the orders of the Khedivial Highness, which is the cause of this great good. Therefore, you must all call out: Long live His Highness the Khedive, may God prolong his life! Then, President Mustafa Riad Pasha rose and spoke, addressing the officers. He said, among other things: The manifestations of justice and the aspects of reform that have distinguished the days of His Highness the Khedive's rule in these lands are a known matter, and counting them is like stating the obvious. You, officers, know this with certainty, so there is no need to elaborate. The army officers, who are among the most honorable members of the government, have been encompassed by these improvements and benefited from the reforms. He continued: You have seen for yourselves that your rights have reached you, and you are the strength of the ruler and his executive tool. If the ruler shows you kind attention and looks upon you with compassion and mercy, it is incumbent upon you, just as you have received your dues, to fulfill your obligations, which is obedience to the ruler, who is the greatest cause of all these good things. He concluded: We must all implore God Almighty for the Khedive's longevity and the confirmation of his glory, and call out in deed and word: Long live His Highness the Khedive! The attendees responded to him. I say: These banquets, speeches, and praises of the soldiers' obedience did not remove the hatred in the hearts of the leaders of the faction for President Mustafa Riad Pasha, nor did they diminish their determination to depose him and get rid of him. When Ahmed Urabi Bey gained the obedience of all the soldiers and the affection of all the officers, he set about winning over the people of the country, its cities, its sheikhs, and the sheikhs of the Arab tribes, and the support of the scholars, sheikhs, and notables. Then he began sending out emissaries who roamed the country, inciting the masses and igniting in their hearts the fire of hatred for the President and his aides, and pushing them towards rebellion. He went so far as to write to the village heads and notables of the Upper and Lower Egypt, through his messengers, saying: The Riad Ministry, meaning the body headed by Mustafa Riad Pasha, has gone to extremes and deviated from the straight path. Its only intention is to work for the ruin and dissolution of the country, as evidenced by the sale of many lands to foreigners and the handing over of most government interests to them, and the payment of exorbitant salaries that burden your treasury. Furthermore, it has decided to raise the natural tariffs at the port of Alexandria so that foreign ships can enter the country unimpeded. Our silence and abstention from all this is considered cowardice, incompetence, and negligence in our homeland and our place of origin. Know, O patriots, that your sons serving in the military have relied on God Almighty and have resolved to prevent any injustice to your rights and to defend them to the best of their ability. It is not hidden from you that this cannot be achieved without the downfall of Riad Pasha's ministry and his removal from the presidency, and the formation of a parliament for the country so that our homeland may attain the desired freedom. The objective is that you sign the letter sent to you by its bearer, and the purpose is to appoint him as your representative in all matters concerning the country's affairs. Many village heads, notables, farmers, and landowners responded favorably to this. In the meantime, it happened that the Khedive, his entourage, and his men... ...request... ...among Ahmed Urabi Bey to win over the people of the country.