 Under it the voter struck out the name of any candidate he did not desire to be elected, and this procedure was followed in Victoria until federation came in.Though without a seat in parliament, he had been defeated at an election at St Kilda, Chapman was Attorney-General in the first O'Shanassy ministry for a few weeks in 1857, and securing the St Kilda seat in December, in the following March was asked to form a ministry.This was done with O'Shanassy as premier and Chapman as attorney-general.