second was called for by the preference which
the common law gave to a distant collateral over the brother of the
half-blood of the first purchaser; the fourth conferred an indefeasible
title on adverse possession for twenty years (a term shortened by Lord
Cairns in 1875 to twelve years); the fifth reduced the number of
witnesses required by law to attest wills, and removed the vexatious
distinction which existed in this respect between freeholds and
copyholds; the last freed an innocent debtor from imprisonment only
before final judgment (or on what was termed _mesne_ process), but the
principle stated by Campbell that only fraudulent debtors should be
imprisoned was ultimately given effect to for England and Wales in
1869.[1] In one of his most cherished objects, however, that of Land
Registration (q.v.), which formed the theme of his maiden speech in
parliament, Campbell was doomed to disappointment. His most important
appearance as member for Stafford was in defence of Lord John Russell's
first Reform Bill (1831). In a temperate and learned speech, based on
Fox's declaration against constitution-mongering, he supported both the
enfranchising and the disfranchising clauses, and easily disposed of the
cries of "corporation robbery," "nabob representation," "opening for
young men of talent," &c. The following year (1832) found Campbell
solicitor-general, a knight and member for Dudley, which he represented
till 1834. In that year he became attorney-general and was returned by
Edinburgh, for which he sat till 1841.[2]

His political creed declared upon the hustings there was that of a
moderate Whig. He maintained the connexion of church and state, and
opposed triennial parliaments and the ballot. In parliament he continued
to lend the most effective help to the Liberal party. His speech in 1835
in support of the motion for inquiry into the Irish Church temporalities
with a view to their partial appropriation for national purposes (for
disestablishment was not then dreamed of as possible) contains much
terse argument, and no doubt contributed to the fall of Peel and the
formation of the Melbourne cabinet. The next year Campbell had a fierce
encounter with Lord Stanley in the debate which followed the motion of
T. Spring Rice (afterwards Lord Monteagle) on the repair and maintenance
of parochial churches and chapels. The legal point in the dispute (which
Campbell afterwards made the subject of a separate pamphlet) was whe