Edwards was elected to represent the electorate of South Sydney in the House of Representatives in 1901 as a Freetrader. He retired from Parliament in 1906 owing to ill health and to look after his business interests. In 1910 he was elected as the member for North Sydney for the Liberal Party, and died in office in February 1911. During the first Parliament Edwards campaigned for the introduction of a decimal system of coinage and measurement for Australia, and was successful in having a favourable resolution on this matter passed in both houses. He was Chairman of the Select Committee on Coinage.