Men of this sort, who, while sharing the democratic feeling of the working classes, judge political questions for themselves, and have the courage to assert their individual convictions against popular opposition, were needed, as it seemed to me, in Parliament; and I did not think that Mr.Bradlaugh's anti-religious opinions (even though he had been intemperate in the expression of them) ought to exclude him." It has been said that Mr.Mill's support of Mr.Bradlaugh's candidature at Northampton cost him his own seat at Westminster, and so bitter was bigotry at that time that the statement is very likely to be true.

On this, Mr.Mill himself said: "It was the right thing to do, and if the election were yet to take place, I would do it again." At this election of September, 1874--the second in the year, for the general election had taken place in the February, and Mr.Bradlaugh had been put up and defeated during his absence in America--I went down to Northampton to report electioneering incidents for the _National Reformer_, and spent some days there in the whirl of the struggle.

The Whig party was more bitter against Mr.Bradlaugh than was the Tory.

Strenuous efforts were made to procure a Liberal candidate, who would be able at least to prevent Mr.Bradlaugh's return, and, by dividing the Liberal and Radical party, should let in a Tory rather than the detested Radical.Messrs.Bell and James and Dr.Pearce came on the scene only to disappear.

Mr.Jacob Bright and Mr.Arnold Morley were vainly suggested.