[425]Digest of the Labour Laws, signed by F. Harrison and H. Crompton, and issued by the Trades Union Congress Parliamentary Committees, September 1875.
[426]They were, however, eventually released after a few months’ imprisonment; see Henry Broadhurst, the Story of His Life, by himself, 1901, pp. 59-64; Labour Legislation, Labour Movements and Labour Leaders, by G. Howell, 1902, pp. 237-53.
[427]See letter to Beehive, January 11, 1873.
[428]Hansard, vol. 212, p. 1132, July 15, 1872.
[429]This formed the subject of bitter comment in the Beehive, January 1874, just before the General Election.
[430]The following letter, addressed to Odger by John Stuart Mill, will be of interest in connection with the perennial question of the expediency of “independent” candidatures. It will be found in the Beehive for February 13, 1875:—
“Avignon, February 19, 1871.
“Dear Mr. Odger,—Although you have not been successful, I congratulate you on the result of the polling in Southwark, as it proves that you have the majority of the Liberal party with you, and that you have called out an increased amount of political feeling in the borough. It is plain that the Whigs intend to monopolise political power as long as they can without coalescing in any degree with the Radicals. The working men are quite right in allowing Tories to get into the House to defeat this exclusive feeling of the Whigs, and may do it without sacrificing any principle. The working men’s policy is to insist upon their own representation, and in default of success to permit Tories to be sent into the House until the Whig majority is seriously threatened, when, of course, the Whigs will be happy to compromise, and allow a few working men representatives in the House.
John Stuart Mill.”
[431]Beehive, August 9, 1873; see also that of August 30.