borough, but withdrew in order to avoid division in the liberal party. A similar incident took place in 1867 in connection with Denbigh borough. In 1868, on Miall's recommendation, he was invited to stand for Denbighshire. He was returned as junior colleague to Sir Watkin Williams Wynn on 24 Nov. 1868. His maiden speech, delivered on 15 March 1869, was in support of the second reading of the university tests abolition bill. It struck the attention of Bright, and led to a friendship maintained throughout the rest of his life. On 6 July Osborne Morgan seconded Henry Richard's resolution upon the subject of evictions of liberal tenants by Welsh landlords during the recent elections. During this session too he first addressed himself to a question which long occupied his energies, that of the law affecting married women's property (14 April 1869), and he supported by a speech the second reading of Sir Wilfrid Lawson's permissive prohibitory liquor bill (12 May). On 10 Feb. 1870 he first introduced the measure with which his name was long associated, the burials bill permitting any Christian service in a parish churchyard, and on the same day he obtained the leave of the house to introduce the places of worship (sites) bill, facilitating the acquisition of land for religious purposes. From this bill, as introduced in 1870, W. E. Forster borrowed the clauses of the Elementary Education Act of that year empowering school boards to acquire land compulsorily. The places of worship (sites) bill did not become law till 1873. In 1871 and 1872 he seconded Sir Roundell Palmer's resolutions in favour of the creation of a general school of law, which led to the institution of examinations by the inns of court before calling students of law to the bar. He had been appointed a queen's counsel on 23 June 1869, and elected a bencher of Lincoln's Inn in the Michaelmas term following. In 1890 he became treasurer. His profession led him to take much interest in the reform of the land laws. During the session of 1878 he acted as chairman of the select committee on land titles and transfer, and drafted its report dated 24 June 1879. He also contributed an article upon the same subject to the 'Fortnightly Review' for December 1879, and in 1880 reprinted it as a pamphlet under the title 'Land Law Reform in England.' On all topics directly associated with law, such as the bills for the reconstitution of the courts of judicature (1873 and 1875), he frequently addressed the house. He supported the measure for the reform of the universities of Oxford and Cambridge (1877), Mr. (now Sir George) Trevelyan's resolution for the extension of the suffrage to the counties (1879), and the Welsh Sunday closing bill, which became law in 1881. For ten successive sessions he introduced the burials bill, sometimes carrying it through the House of Commons by considerable majorities, but it was not finally passed by the House of Lords till 1880.
On the accession of Gladstone to power in that year Osborne Morgan became a member of the ministry as judge-advocate-general, and retired from the bar. He was also nominated a privy councillor. Upon the introduction by him on 28 March 1881 of the annual army discipline &c. bill, he provided for the abolition of the punishment of flogging, and carried it in spite of a strong opposition. He had sole charge of the married women's property bill, 1882, a bill which, bristling with legal difficulties, required exceptionally skilful handling in its passage through the House of Commons. It became law the same session. He took a warm interest in Welsh intermediate and higher education. On 14 March 1884 he supported by a speech Mr. (now Lord) Rendel's motion in favour of placing Aberystwyth College, 'in respect of state recognition and support, on an equal footing with the colleges at Cardiff and Bangor.' He was anxious to improve the education of women, and took part in the foundation of a women's hostel at Bangor College. An 'Osborne Morgan exhibition' was founded in the University College of North Wales after his death to commemorate his services. After the redistribution of the constituencies in 1885 Osborne Morgan, as sitting member, had the natural right of choice between East and West Denbighshire. West Denbighshire was held to be a safe liberal seat, whereas East Denbighshire was the centre of the influence of the Wynn family. With characteristic courage and self-sacrifice he chose the constituency which no liberal but himself could hope to contest with any prospect of success. In the result he won the election by 393 votes, and the Wynn family was deposed from the representation of the county for the first time for 182 years. This service was rewarded, on Gladstone's accession to office in February 1886, by the appointment of Osborne Morgan as parliamentary under-secretary for the colonies. As his chief, Lord Granville, sat in the House of Lords, the labour of representing the department in parliament chiefly fell upon Osborne Morgan. His tenure of office lasted only six months, but it was marked by exceptional activity. The distress
