Fawcett about the same time. Cairnes and Mr. Leonard Courtney were afterwards his closest political allies. In 1860 he published pamphlets advocating Mr. Hare's scheme and criticising Lord John Russell's measure of reform. Mill encouraged his political ambition, and in November 1860, with singular audacity, he proposed himself as a candidate for the borough of Southwark, vacant by the death of Sir Charles Napier. He brought a letter from Brougham, who had seen him at the Social Science Association. He was otherwise utterly unknown to the constituency, but he speedily won the enthusiastic support of the popular voters by energetic speeches at public meetings. Crowds came from all parts of London to hear the blind orator; but he ultimately had to retire upon the appearance of Mr. (now Sir) A. H. Layard as the government candidate. Fawcett's fame spread. His name became known among politicians. He had been much interested in Cornish mining, and had shown such an aptitude for speculative adventure that his friends held that he would have made his fortune. He now gave up all speculation in order to devote himself exclusively to politics. He stood for Cambridge in February 1863, but was beaten by a small majority, owing to a split in the liberal party. In February 1864 he stood for Brighton. His blindness was still considered to be a fatal disqualification by many persons, and the party was divided by three candidates. At a disorderly meeting held to consider their claims, Fawcett succeeded in obtaining a hearing, and told his own story with a simple eloquence which completely fascinated his hearers. The other candidates, however, persevered, and the result was the election of a conservative by 1,663 votes to 1,468 for Fawcett, while nearly 1,000 were given to other liberals. Fawcett was afterwards accepted as the liberal candidate, and on 12 July 1865 was elected, along with Mr. White, as member for Brighton in the new parliament.
In his first parliament Fawcett became known as a vigorous, though still subordinate, member of the radical party. In that capacity he took a strong part in the strategy by which the Reform Bill of 1867 was finally carried. He was more prominent in advocating the abolition of religious tests at the universities; and he supported various measures of social reform, especially the extension of the factory acts to the agricultural labourers, whom he knew intimately and for whom he always felt the keenest sympathy.
In November 1868 he was re-elected for Brighton. He became conspicuous by his severe criticisms of the liberal government. He held that they did not carry out with unflinching consistency the policy which they were pledged to support. He gradually became so far alienated from the party that the government whips ceased to sent him the usual notices. The abolition of university tests was finally carried in 1871, with reservations and after attempted compromises which Fawcett strongly condemned. He protested against the concessions to the Irish landlords which smoothed the passage of the act for disestablishing the church of Ireland in 1869. He complained of the provisions of Mr. W. E. Forster's Education Bill in 1870 as falling short of the principle of universal compulsion. He separated himself also from the Birmingham league, who seemed to him to be attaching excessive importance to a ‘miserable religious squabble.’ In after years he actively supported the various educational measures in which his views have been virtually embodied. In 1871 he protested against the royal warrant by which Mr. Gladstone brought about the abolition of purchase in the army. In 1872 he vainly attempted to add to the Ballot Bill a provision which he had much at heart for throwing the official expenses of parliamentary elections upon the rates. He had been long endeavouring, in concert with Cairnes, to throw open the fellowships of Trinity College, Dublin, to members of all creeds. In 1873 Mr. Gladstone proposed his scheme for dealing with the whole question of university education in Ireland. Fawcett condemned the measure as favouring denominational instead of united education. The bill was thrown out upon the second reading by 287 to 284; and the defeat, to which Fawcett had mainly contributed, was a fatal blow to Mr. Gladstone's ministry. Fawcett's measure for throwing open Trinity College was afterwards passed. He had offended many of his supporters by his attacks on the government; and additional offence was given by the discovery that he belonged to a ‘Republican Club’ at Cambridge. The name suggested a revolutionary tendency, from which he was quite free, though he had strong republican sympathies. He was defeated in the next election for Brighton (5 Feb. 1874), two conservatives being returned. The loss of his seat caused a very general expression of regret, showing that his independence had earned the respect of the country, and on 24 April following he was elected for Hackney, the votes being Holms 10,905, Fawcett 10,476, and Gill (conservative) 8,994.
His share in two movements, in both of which he had to struggle against the prejudices of indolent ‘officialism,’ had greatly con-
