Chamberlain had previously informed the Cabinet that, though he
differed from me about woman's suffrage, and regretted the course
that I had felt myself obliged to take, he intended to stand by me
"to the fullest extent."' [Footnote: The further negotiations with
regard to Franchise and Redistribution in 1884, and the 'compact'
which ended them, are dealt with in Chapter XXXVI., infra, pp.
63-79.]


II.

While the great measure of the Session went steadily through its stages,
various other questions were also occupying the Cabinet. The search for
a new Speaker in succession to Sir Henry Brand, who had declared at the
beginning of 1883 his unwillingness to retain office beyond that
Session, was one, and not the least important, of these questions. Sir
Henry James was first mentioned, and he refused.

'November, 1883. Some had thought of putting up Dodson, but the
Tories had announced that they should run Ridley in opposition to
him. There was also a difficulty about filling Dodson's place.
Trevelyan was the only man who could be put into the Cabinet without
causing the resignation of Courtney and Fawcett, and Mr. Gladstone
was still in the humour which he had developed at the time of the
offer of the Chief Secretaryship to me, and declared that he would
not have the Chief Secretary in the Cabinet, the Viceroy being in
it, for this would be to have two Kings of Brentford.'

On November 10th 'Childers seemed the favourite for Speakership,' but on
the 12th it was decided that Herschell, Goschen, Arthur Peel, and