The Life & Work of Charles Bradlaugh

This book is a 2-volume record of life and work of the English political activist Charles Bradlaugh (1833-1891), written by his daughter, that features his parliamentary struggle, politics and teachings. Bradlaugh was an advocate of trade unionism, republicanism, and universal suffrage, and he opposed socialism. His anti-socialism was divisive, and many secularists who became socialists left the secularist movement because of its identification with Bradlaugh's liberal individualism. He was a supporter of Irish Home Rule, and backed France during the Franco-Prussian War. In 1880, he was elected as the Liberal MP for Northampton. His attempt to affirm as an atheist ultimately led to his temporary imprisonment, fines for voting in the Commons illegally, and a number of by-elections at which he regained his seat on each occasion. Bradlaugh was finally allowed to take an oath in 1886. Eventually, a parliamentary bill which he proposed became law in 1888 which allowed members of both Houses of Parliament to affirm, if they so wished, when being sworn in. The new law resolved the issue for witnesses in civil and criminal court cases. Part I: Parentage and Childhood Youth Army Life Marriage Hyde Park Meetings, 1855 Early Lectures and Debates A Clerical Libeller The "National Reformer" and the Government Prosecutions Italy Platform Work, 1860-1861 "Kill the Infidel" Debates, 1860-1866 The Reform League, 1866-1868 Provincial Lecturing, 1866-1869 Ireland Northampton, 1868 Southwark Election, 1869 Litigation, 1867-1871 Lectures, 1870-1871 France – the War The Commune, and After A Dozen Debates Republicanism and Spain First Visit to America Two Northampton Elections, 1874… In the United States Again The Prosecution of Mr Bradlaugh and Mrs Besant An Unimportant Chapter More Debates Some Later Lectures The "Watch" Story Peace Demonstrations, 1878 The National Secular Society… Part II (by John M. Robertson): Philosophy and Secular Propaganda Political Doctrine and Work The Parliamentary Struggle Closing Years