No sooner was the Nottingham method of settling trade disputes by arbitration recognized as feasible, than Mr. Mundella, as its author, was invited by many towns, and, among others, by Sheffield, to give popular expositions of his system. Sheffield had suffered many things at the hands of Broadhead and his infamous crew; and so pleased was the cream of the working-men with the prospect of escape from the vicious circle in which they were involved, that, in 1868, they invited the chairman of the Nottingham board to come forward as their candidate. He was returned at the head of the poll, notwithstanding the strenuous support given to Roebuck by the assassin Broadhead at trades-union meetings.
On entering Parliament, the honor of seconding the address was conferred on him by Mr. Gladstone. Since then his efforts to benefit the working-class have been unflagging, and, on the whole, most successful. His speech on the second reading of the Education Bill was pronounced by Mr. Gladstone to be the most important delivered on the occasion. He had examined into the educational systems of America, Germany, Switzerland, and Holland, on the spot, and was therefore in a position to speak with authority on the all-important theme.
His persistent efforts to repeal the Criminal Law Amendment Act, that the equality of workmen before the law might be established, and to pass the Factory Nine Hours Bill, in order that the hours of labor might be shortened to hapless women and children, have been rewarded. The late Tory Government itself did what it would not permit him to do. All the same, the credit must be accorded to Mr. Mundella, whose views
