Editing Joseph Chamberlain (section)

=== Parliament and National Liberal Federation: 1876–80 ===
Chamberlain was invited to stand for election as an MP by the [[Sheffield]] Reform Association, an offshoot of the Liberal Party in the city, soon after starting as mayor. Chamberlain's first Parliamentary campaign [[1874 United Kingdom general election|in 1874]] was a fierce one; opponents accused him of [[republicanism]] and [[atheism]] and even threw dead cats at him on the speaking platform. Chamberlain came in third—a poor result for a leading urban Radical—and rejected the possibility of standing in Sheffield again. Instead, he stood unopposed for a [[Birmingham constituency]] by-election in 1876, after [[George Dixon (MP)|George Dixon]] resigned. Following his nomination, Chamberlain denounced Prime Minister [[Benjamin Disraeli]] as "a man who never told the truth except by accident." After Chamberlain came under heavy attack for the insult, creating anxiety for the Liberals, he apologised publicly.{{sfn|Mackintosh|1914|p=39}} Upon his election, Chamberlain resigned as mayor and was introduced to the House of Commons by [[John Bright]] and [[Joseph Cowen]]. On 4 August 1876, Chamberlain made his maiden speech during a debate on elementary schools, using his experience on the Birmingham School Board. He spoke for twenty minutes on the maintenance of clause 25 with Disraeli present.

Almost immediately upon entry to the [[House of Commons]], Chamberlain began to organise the Radical MPs into a coherent parliamentary group, with the intent to displace [[British Whig Party|Whig]] dominance of the Liberal Party. Early difficulties within Parliament led Chamberlain to favor a [[grassroots|grassroots approach]] instead, organising local chapters as the foundation of an effective national movement.

To gain footing for the Radicals, Chamberlain sought to close ranks with Gladstone to profit from the leader's increasing popularity and harness popular opposition to Disraeli's aggressive foreign policy, beginning with outrage over [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] atrocities in [[List of massacres in Ottoman Bulgaria|Bulgaria]] and the resulting [[Russo-Turkish War, 1877–1878|Russo-Turkish War]]. Chamberlain joined Gladstone in arguing Disraeli's policy diverted attention from domestic reform, but unlike many Liberals, Chamberlain was not an anti-imperialist; although he berated the government for its Eastern policy, the [[Second Afghan War]], and the [[Anglo-Zulu War]], he supported Disraeli's purchase of [[Suez Company (1858–1997)|Suez Canal Company]] shares in November 1875. At this stage of his career, Chamberlain was eager to see the protection of British overseas interests but placed greater emphasis on a conception of justice in the pursuit of such interests.

On 31 May 1877, the [[National Liberal Federation]] (NLF) was founded at [[Bingley Hall]], with Gladstone offering the inaugural address, Chamberlain as its president, and Birmingham politicians playing a dominant part in its organisation. The NLF enhanced Chamberlain's party influence and gave him a national platform. Through the NLF, Chamberlain tightened party discipline and campaigning, enlisted new party members, organised political meetings and published posters and pamphlets. Contemporary commentators drew often-disparaging comparisons between the Federation and the techniques of American [[political machines]], with Chamberlain serving the role of a [[political boss]]. Chamberlain joined the Liberal denunciations of the government's foreign policy in the [[1880 United Kingdom general election|1880 general election]], and Gladstone returned as prime minister.