Page:Twelve men of Bengal in the nineteenth century (1910).djvu/154

132 In the following year a committee of the English House of Commons was appointed to enquire into the economic and financial condition of India, the Viceroy being asked to nominate representative Indians to proceed to England to give evidence. Abdul Latif had the distinction of being chosen by Lord Northbrook to represent the Muhammadan community and, welcoming the opportunity of making the needs of his fellow-countrymen better known to the English people, he accepted the office and was prepared to start for England. The dissolution of Parliament, however, caused the abandonment of the plan. Seven years later, another opportunity for usefulness outside the narrow limits of his ordinary official studies was afforded him. Almost at a moment's notice in December 1886 he was asked officially to proceed to Bhopal to undertake the important duties of Prime Minister of that state. It was a special and temporary appointment deemed desirable under special circumstances by the Government of India and the following letter of June 5th 1886, written to him by Sir Lepel Griffin, Agent to the Governor-General for Central India, on his relinquishing the office, is the best evidence of the manner in which he performed his difficult duties.

"It gives me the sincerest pleasure" wrote Sir Lepel "to communicate to you by direction of the Government of India, the following remarks contained