I studied the English Factory legislation, and read Macaulay's speeches on the subject.
I became an earnest advocate for shortening the hours of labor by legislation.

That was then called the ten-hour system.
Later it has been called the eight-hour system.

I made, in 1852, a speech in favor of reducing the time of labor in factories to ten hours a day which, so far as I know, was the first speech in any legislative body in this country on that subject.
My speech was received with great derision.

The House, usually very courteous and orderly, seemed unwilling to hear me through.
One worthy old farmer got up in his seat and said: "Isn't the young man for Worcester going to let me get up in the morning and milk my caouws." When a member of the Senate in 1857, I was Chairman of the Judiciary Committee.

I made a very earnest and carefully prepared speech against the asserted right of the jury to judge of the law in criminal cases.