In 1825 John Cam Hobhouse had introduced a Bill to reduce the working day for children in cotton mills to eleven hours, but in face of organised opposition had settled for a three-hour reduction in their working week by a short Saturday. In 1831 Hobhouse introduced a Bill to consolidate the cotton mills Factory Acts and apply them to all textile mills; again there was considerable opposition and the Act passed applied only to cotton mills (and banned nightworking up to the age of 21). Sadler had been absent from Parliament because of ill-health, but attended specifically to speak on the Third Reading of Hobhouse's Bill, regretting its reduced scope (and referring to a petition in its favour from Dundee spinners to whom it was now irrelevant).
In 1825, John Cam Hobhouse introduced legislation to decrease children's working hours in cotton mills but faced organized opposition. In 1831, he proposed consolidating the Factory Acts for all textile factories; however, there was considerable resistance and only the cotton mill act passed (banning nightwork until age 21). Sadler attended Parliament to speak on Hobhouse's bill, expressing disappointment with its limited scope.