seems
never to have spoken upon it in parliament. The subject was in the hands
of Mr. Bruce, the home secretary, an accomplished and amiable man of the
purest public spirit, and he passed his bill; but nothing did more to
bring himself and his colleagues into stern disfavour among the especially
pagan strata of the population. An entry or two from Mr. Bruce's papers
will suffice to show Mr. Gladstone's attitude:--

_Home Office, Dec. 9, 1869._--I am just returned from the cabinet,
where my Licensing bill went through with flying colours. I was
questioned a great deal as to details, but was ready, and I think
that Gladstone was very well pleased.

_Jan. 16, 1871._--I called upon Gladstone yesterday evening. He was
in high spirits and full of kindness. He said that he had told
Cardwell that I must be at the bottom of the abuse the press was
pouring upon him, as I had contrived to relieve myself of it.
"Some one minister," he added, "is sure to be assailed. You caught
it in the autumn, and now poor Cardwell is having a hard time of
it." I went with him afterwards to the Chapel Royal, which he
never fails to attend.

_Dec. 14._--We have a cabinet to-day, when I hope to have my
Licensing bill in its main principles definitely settled.
Unfortunately Gladstone cares for nothing but "free trade" [in the
sale of liquor], which the House won't have, and I cannot get him
really to interest himself in the subject.

This is Speaker Brand's account of the general position:--

Throughout the session the opposition, ably led by Disraeli, were
in an attitude of watchfulness. He kept his eye on the proceedings
of the government day by day on the Alabama treaty. Had that
treaty failed, no doubt Disraeli would have taken the sense of the
House on the conduct of the government. For the larger part of the
session the Alabama question hung like a cloud over the
proceedings, but as soon as that was settled, the sky cleared. It
has been a good working session.... Of the two leading men,
Gladstone and Disraeli, neither has a strong hold on his
followers. The radicals below the right gangway are turbulent and
disaffected, and the same may be said of the independent
obstruction below the left gangway.... B., E., H., L. avowedly
obstruct all legislation, and thus bring the House into discredit.

(M128) It was now th