The Sun.
London, England, 1870-03-29 00:00:00

COURSE OF EXCHANGE.

Amsterdam,-.. Short ... 11 181 ... 11 19
Do
Rotterdam — ... 12 ot ... 12 11
Antwerp — ... 25 421... 25 47
Brussels — ... 25 421 ... 25 47
Hamburgh — ... 13 10; ... 13 10
Paris Short .4 5 20 ... 25 271
Ditto
Marseilles
Frankfort-on-the-Main... ... 120 f ... 121
Vienna — ... 12 65 ... 12 70
Trieste — ... 12 65 ... 12 70
Petersburg
Copenhagen — ~ 3 23 ... 9 27
Berlin
Madrid..
Cadiz — ... 49 ... 49/
Leghorn
Milan — ... 26 25 .., 26 30
Genoa — ... 26 25 ... 26 30
Naples
Palermo -. ... 26 25 ... 26 30
Messina
Lisbon '

THE EXTENSION OF THE SUFFRAGE
TO WOMEN.

Saturday afternoon a large and fashionably-attendee
meeting was held at the Hanover-square rooms, London,
for the purpose of advocating the extension • of
the suffrage to women. The meeting was
one of an extremely novel character, from the
fact that the chair was occupied by a lady—Mrs. Taylor
—and that several ladies addressed the assemblage it,
highly interesting speeches. Amongst the gentlemen
present were—Mr. J. S. Mill, Professor Cairnes, Sir R.
Anstruther, M.P., Viscount Amberley, the Hon. Auber tt
Herbert, M.P., Mr. Jacob Bright, M.P., Siz
C. W. Dilke, M.P., Sir W. Lawson, M.P., Professor
Hunter, Mr. P. A. Taylor, M.A., Professor Fawcett, Dr.
Yeates, Mr. F. Pennington, Mr. Russell Martineau, Mr.
31'Laren, M.P., Mr. W, T. Charley, M.P., Mr. F. T.
Palgrave, Captain Maxse, Mr. T. Hare, Mr. W. T. Mal-
-le3on, Mr. Biggs, and Mr. J. Morley. The ladies comprised
Lady Amberley, Mrs. Grote, Mrs. Fawcett, Miss H.
Taylor, Miss E. Taylor, Miss Hare, Miss Biggs, Mrs.
Donkin, Mrs. F. Pennington, Mrs. Bremer, Mrs. Lucas,
Mrs. Boycl'Kinnear, and Miss L. P. Cobb.
Mrs. TAYLOR said she had the great honour and privi-
lege of presiding over that meeting, but she did not feel
quite the right person in the right place. When they had
their meeting last year, it was a meeting composed
entirely of members and friends of the associa-
tion, and she believed she had the sympathy
of the whole meeting with her, and that any shortcoming
on her part would be excused. But looking at this meeting
she could not hope that such would be the case ; she
c suld not flatter herself that the large num-
b 3r of persons present had the same view
of woman's franchise. She hoped, however,
thet there were some persons who would listen to the
eloquent speeches which would be given, and be converted.
When they held their last meeting they were fearful of a
failure, and the result of a failure was ridicule, and they
feared that had their meeting last year been a failure!it might
very much have injured their cause. But the success of it, and
the great progress they had made, was amply shewn by
the meeting that day, which about doubled in numbers
that of last year. One great evidence of the success
and progress of their cause was the constant
addition of new members they were making
from the members of the Royal Society. As their num-
bers increased their opponents of course decreased, but as
their opponents' numbers diminished, their fertility of
arguments against them appeared to bein-
creasing, and she should certainly say that
one o f the arguments was a very one-sided one,
If politics had never been keard of by women—if they
had to go to the dictionary to look for the meaning of
political election, there might be great anxiety on the
minds of their opponents on the subject of admitting them
to the franchise. She must also question the assertion
made in a daily paper a few weeks back, that politics were
new to them, A great many women, wives of members,
and their friends, had from time to time been present
and taken a lively interest in politics. They
had never yet heard of any very serious or
dangerous results arising from the interest they displayed.
She was sure they would have greater interest in recording
their votes for the candidate they thought would
best represent their views in Parliament. The
study . of politics was far more likely to elevate
the mind of woman than the reading of
sensational novels, which were a disgrace to
the literature of the nineteenth century. But they were
told that they might talk politics if they liked in their
own homes ; but they were denied the practical
application. That being so, they must not
rest satisfied with their present position. Some of the
Conservative had expressed great apprehension lest the
extension of the suffrage would be bad for them because
they would have the working classes against them ; but she
did not think there was much apprehension to be felt
under that head. The petitions which they had presented
from the large metropolitan and other boroughs, and were
about to present, were signed -largely by the working-
classes ; indeed she might safely assert that half of the
signatures were those of working-men. Women were held to
be fitted to pay taxes and other penalties which were
levied on householders, and the very unjust argument
used against them was that if they had the franchise it
would unfit them for their domestic duties.
But some few years ago, before the aboli-
tion of negro slavery in America took place, a
similar argument was used. They were told that the
negroes were not fitted for freedom ; but slavery was
abolished, and the negro sheaved that he was quite fitted
for his new sphere. (Hear, hear.) The same would be
the case with women. Let the electoral disabilities be
abolished, and they would at once be fitted for the fran-
chise. (Cheers.) She concluded by calling on Mr. J. S.
Mill to move the first resolution.
Mr. J. STUART MILL said that since the first meeting of
the society in July of last year, they had had ample
reason to be satisfied with the progress their cause had
made. (Hear.) That progress had manifested itself, not
only with the increase of the number.of their friends, but
still more in the altered tone of their opponents. During the
year which had just elapsed,much had been written in various
publications as to the equality of the sexes. It was, however,
remarkable how few of the writers had expressed their
disapprobation of the objects of the society, but had, on
the contrary, admitted that a vote at an election was a
small thing, which they could afford to concede to women.
(Hear.) Those who contended that women were secondary
objects in the Sta.e, and ought not, therefore, to exercise
equal electoral priviliges with men, did not understand
the question of the sufirage, and were not cognizant of the
whole of its bearings : and if it was an undoubted fact
that women were subjected to the authority of men
they would need the protection of the suffrage all the
more. (Applause.) Everything that spoke in favour of
the granting of the suffrage to men applied with equally
as much force in the case of women. (Hear.) The
particular manner in which the addition of women to the
electoral body might be expected to affect the character of
Parliament, was a matter which had been repeatedly and
actively discussed, and various opinions had been ex-
pressed in relation to it. He thought the most marked
effect in the immediate future would be to infuse into the
Legislature an increased disposition to grapple with the
great physical and moral evils which prevailed in
society in the present day. (Hear.) Women electors
would be harder to persuade than men that those evils
must be expected that we might look at them with an un-
troubled conscience, and not endeavour to avert them,
thinking that we did our duty by occasionally
grumbling at the additional cost they inflicted upon us in
the shape of taxes. (Hear, hear.) He should expect,
therefore, as an effect of the increased political influence
of women a considerable augmentation of activity in
' dealing with the causes of those evils. He knew there
were many men who regarded the increasing activity in
that direction with alarm ; but it was his conviction
that if the State used all the means it possessed,
in promoting the object in view it would be the means of
raising the standard of morality, and even in some res-
pects, the physical well-being of the community.' (Applause. )
The time had passed away when Governments could
afford to be indifferent and allow mountains of evil
to pile up from age to age without attempting to check
their growth. •The Government of men alone •encouraged
a spirit of self-satisfaction ; men were more mentally
indolent than woman,and the stronger natural impulses of
women were needed to rectify that. (Hear.) If, how-
ever, -he were asked- in the present position of affairs
whether the natural impulse could be depended upon, and
that it would not be apt sometimes to make a mistake,
he confessed that he would be•obliged to hesitate before
making a reply. The 'education of women in questions
of 'political morality was a thing which must be
attended to.. All that was wanted to effect the
object was that women should• be obliged to take counsel
together in those matters with greater frequency than at
present. • They wanted the - ship of State to have both
tail and ballast, and not, as was too often the case, all
ballast and no sail. (Applause.) The natural influence
efhich women possessed would not, in his opinion, be pro-
ductive of consequences which they would have occasion
to regret,, inasmuch as the zeal of ' women would
he tempered by the overcaution of men. (Hear.)
Women, even with the present defects of their education,
were quite equal to that office—(hear and laughter)—and
as their education increased they would not only be a
stimulus to men, but he more calculated to participate in
the legislation of the country themselves.— (Hear.)
Women were more active in mind than men, more
especially, in those undertakings the success of
which depended upon details of education. Men,
formed great projects—projects which were sound in prin-
ciple and rational in general conception, bat failure was
frequently the result in the execution, and he was con-
vinced that many more of those projects would succeed if
women had a share in planning them.' (Applause.)
Those would be the more marked general effects
of government if women enjoyed the privileges
of citizenship ; but he would not stop there.
If the 'influence of women was more strongly felt there
would be a far sterner interest evinced in repressing those
outrages on women, which had, unfortunately, been of
such frequency in recent times, and which would
not have risen to such a height were it not
for the inexcusable leniency of the law. (Ap-
plause.) If women had had votes there would
not have been passed such a measure as the Contagious
Diseases' Act. by which the children of the poor were
subjected to such. indelicacies (hear) ; and if the provisions
of the enactment were not extended to the whole popu-
lation of the country, it would be owing to the courage of
those ladieS who had interested themselves in the
matter. (Hear.) Some of their opponents thought the
measures which had been adopted, in 'relation to that
question, an unfavourable indication of the use which
women would make of the political influence,
assuming the act to which he referred to be as beneficent
as he held it be pernicous. (Applause.) But was it not
evil that the laws of the country should be repugnant to
the moral feelings of confessedly half the population of the
country. (Hear, heat.) hutting a check to such
proceeslinges as those, and compelling the Legisla-
ture- to take into account the moral feelings of the
people and carry those feelings with them, instead of
contemptuously setting them aside, must be counted as
one of the advantages which would arise from granting
woman suffrage. There were men—not a few—who
dreaded the immediate effects of admitting women to the
suffrage, because it would greatly increase the
rawer of the clergy. He • did not deny that
f the suffrage were given them to-morrow,
something of the kind would not be the result, but it
was to him obvious that if the clergy had now an undue
ascendancy over woman, the very influence of human
intelligence had not been allowed to reach them.
(Hear.) What was it that made clergymen in
general, even where professional prejudices did not
interfere, such unsafe advisers ? It was that they were
so much in the position of women, that they were
treated too mu9h wonip. wire, ind were struck out
from a fair discussion of gMoJt isir/2pal_ subjNts, hccaßsk

they were apt to consider themselves as being concerned
only with the moral and religious aspect of human affairs.
(Applause.) Every question in which there was a
eight and wrong was a moral and religious
question. The clergy were the only persons
who, as a class, had taken any pains in the
formation of women's minds ; but if wonien were taught
that they also had a responsibility in public questions,
and that it was as much their duty as that of men to have
some regard for the physical, moral, and political future
of the country ; no injury would be derived from placing
themselves under the advice of their clerical
ad visers— (a p plans e). In stead, then, of 'considering
clerical influence as any obstacle to giving women votes,
he regarded it as a most effectual means of emancipating
them. (Hear.) But, even if there were any force in the
argument, it would be an unworthy thing to exclude
women from the suffrage in consequence—(hear) —and
of all those who had ever claimed the suffrage, there were
none in whose case there was so little reason for apprehending
evil consequences, and none for whose continued ex-
elusion the excuse was so insignificant as in the
case of women. (Applause.) Mr. Mill concluded by pro-
posing . a resolution declaring that the extension of the
franchise to women was calculated to promote the general
welfare of the country. (Cheers.)
Professor CAIRNES, in seconding the resolution, said
that if the electoral disabilities upon woman were re-
moved, he did not deny but that most important legisla-
tive results might follow. Very far from it ; but he
thought they would not be doing justice
to their case, if they allowed all argument
on this question to turn upon that one subject. Now it
was elear to him that one result which would follow the
extension of the franchise to women would be to raise
them in ;,he scale, because that would be the natu-
ral result of a consciousness of freedom. He knew
that he should be accused of giving utterance to mere
moral platitudes. He admitted they were so, but he
must say hewas scarcely responsible for that, because it
was in the very nature of these discussions. The
rights and the claims of womenwere connected and sprung
directly from the root of morality. He knew that wo-
men could and had entered into discussion on most im-
portant and difficult moral problems, and he contended
that this was most decisive evidenr in favour of the
principles they were advocating. If women did
take a deep interest in politics, it did not militate against
the cause they were fighting for ; it was rather evidence in
its favour ; and when they came to
,see who it was
who had taken this deep interest, they would find
it was those who had found out the means
of exerting influence as well in political affairs. They
were women who, independent of the suffrage,
owing to their exceptional talents and quali-
fications, had been able to make their opinions
felt in public discussion. That afforded a
weighty argument in favour of the extension of the fran-
chise to women. Be lately saw in the public press a cri-
ticism which took the following form : It was said
that there was already a large field open to
women which they did not occupy. There was
the field of commercial life, of industrial life, and litera-
ture, and in this branch it was admitted they had done
something. Medicine, too, was open to them; but it
was alleged that very little advantage was taken
of these open fields. It might bd said—
Why did they not descend into the arena and
act, and they were further told that as they did not
do so, it was a proof they were not suited for this kind of
occupation. The only reason, however, why they had not
done so was because of the prejudice which existed against
them, and when by the extension of the franchise
they were shewn that women were to be
admitted to a voice in public affairs they would see that
greater interest would be taken in the fields for operation
which were at the present time open to them. As it was
they were not considered in their place outside of
a narrow and conventional limit, and this barrier they
were determined to break down. The great way to
break this barrier down was to extend to women political
rights so that they might know they had public as well
as private duties to perform.
Mrs. GROATE supported the resolution, and said she
had always advocated the enfranchisement of women,
and she came there to discharge a duty—namely, to
acknowledge the untiring zeal and effective management
of this movement in.the hands of the committee. In doing
so, he might congratulate them upon the advance
they had made towards the realisation of the- object they
had in view. She -might call theirs a hopeful position,
and she was bound to confess that they never would
have arrived there had it not been for the gallant
assistance of the members of the other sex. The stronger
sex had came to their help, and had given them such
assistance that she began to think they were seeing day-
light at last. Their ship had been conducted into the
iluannel, and the pilots must now take her in tow and
eanilluct her through Parliament. Professor Cairnes was
she wished to observe a most useful advocate for them,
nod his arguments in the Westminister Review had been
read with much interest. He had appealed to the com-
m,n sense of the people, and she must say most sue-
zessfullv. With reference to the last Reform Bill, she
contended that that was evidence in favour of their
movement. They had greatly augmented the numbers
of thse who had the franchise, and they should further
extend it to those women who had to fill the position
of citizens. (Cheers.)
Sir R. ANSTRUTIIER, M.P., in supporting the resolution,
doclared that all the anomalies which existed in our Poor-
kw system, and the great distress which prevailed in the
houses of the poor, would have been prevented if women
hid been admitted, as they ought to have been, to the
franchise.

The resolution was then put and carried unanimously
a nid loud applause.
Mrs. FAWCETT moved " That this meeting regards with
stisfaction the introduction into the House of Commons
3' a bill for removing the electoral disabilities of women."
The speaker said she thought that every one interested in
the extension of the suffrage to women felt the time had
gain arrived when the question should be brought before
Parliament and the country in a practical form. The
3' j ection they constantly met with was that women suffrage
was repugnant to the feelings ; but people did not
s :em to think it necessary to state what feelings
it was repugnant to. (Applause.) The best way to meet-
such a position was to appeal to the frequent discussion of
Lae claims and of the equity upon which they rested them,
and there was nothing so likely to awaken discussion, both
publicly and in private, than the introduction of a bill
Into the House. There were some sanguine people who
told them the bill would he carried this session, and that
the subject would soon be settled. Whether this happy
prediction would be realised or not she thought that
nothing but good could possibly come from its introduction.
Some looked upon it simply as a whim, but they would have
more respect for the subject if they saw it embodied in a
bill. Throughout the country, women had taken part in
public meetings despite the feeling which existed against
them • and if the subject was fairly considered it
would be found that the rights of men and Women
rested on exactly the same basis. (Applause.) Such
being the case, they might look for the assistance of the
working men, and those who, prior to the Reform Bill of
1867 gave such able assistance. They could hardly expect
to carry such a great alteration at once, but she hoped if the
bill was lost notice would be given for its re-introduction
the very first day of the next session. (Applause.) Many
people declared that the women generally were Conser-
vatives, and if they were -so the representatives of Con-
servatism in the House were desperately weak in com-
parison to their position in the country.
Lord A2IBERLEY, M.P., seconded the resolution, and in
doing so, said that if the passage of the bill had the effect
of raising the condition of women, instead of their
reading novels, they would be studying that dread-
ful work, "Mill, on Logic," and the young men
who had just passed a course of education in our public
schools would have just reason to complain of being out-
done. (Laughter.) He felt sure if the franchise was ex-
tended to women it would have the effect of advancing their
sex, and tend to the progress of the country at large.
Yliss H. TAYLOR supported the resolution in an able
speech. -
The Hon. A. HERBERT said from what he had that day
heard the men must,look to their laurels,. for if they did
not they would find themselves in the-second rank. (A
laugh.) He could not resist the claims of ivomen to the
suffrage when once the question Iv as seriously asked. It
was Well known that men were rot strong enough to do
without the good influence which was shed about them by
women, and - the only thing which had, prevented
them from being oft terms of greater equality was the gap
which had been made by our own preciseness, and the
quicker it was bridged over the better for all of us. (Ap-
plause).
The resolution was put and unanimously adopted.
Mr. JACOB BRIGHT, Al.r.,moyed "that a great extension
of the suffrage, so long as women are excluded from it, is
a positive injury to them; since it is rapidly making them
the only excluded class." He • had, be said, been asked
to pilot the bill, with Sir C. W. Dilke, through the
House, and he was glad to say 'they had good
supporters in the shape of Cabinet Ministers, law officers
of the Crown, and members of both sides Of the House.
Sir C. W. DILKE, M.P., seconded the resolution, and
said he was one of the sanguine ones who believed that
the bill would be passed this se ;sion without a division:.
(Applause.)
111'ss HAItE supported the resolution.
Professor HUNTER also added a few worc:s, an said that
nany feared if the suffrage was extended to women they
would not he satisfied with that, but would wish to become
- members of Parliament There was nothing, however,
to justify the assertion. They did not want to
enter the house, but to take part in the election of thoss
who were to represent them.
The motion having been unanimously agreed to, a vote
of thanks to Mrs. Taylor for presiding terr_lluatel Lt.)
Leet .which lasted two hours and a halt..

JEREMIAII.—The following story, made up for The
American market, appears in the Philadelphia papers :
In the English court of law, lately, a witness was called
to attest to a person's insanity. " I know he's mad,"
said witness, "because the poor fellow imagines himself
t) be the prophet Jeremiah." "Do you consider that
to be a proof of mental derangement ? " asked the ex-
amining counsel. " I should rather think so," confidently
replied the witness, "seeing that I myself am the prophet
Jeremiah."
A DOG'S BED.—The best bed that can be made for
a dog consists of dry, newly-made deal shavings ; a sackful
of these may be had for a shilling at almost any carpenter's
shop. The dog is delighted in tumbling about in them
until he has made a bed to suit himself. Clean wood
shavings will clean a dog as well as water and fleas will
newer infest dogs that sleep upon fresh deal shavings. The
turpentine and resin in rew pine soon drive them away.
Aanica' 111"6

ADVICE TO SILY PROPLE.—The best and easiest
escape for shy men and women is to make a rush into the
enemy's country, and divert their attention from them-
selves by sheaving to good purpose that they have been
studying some one else. There is nothing which is so
much observed as apparent silence and reticence. Be
full of interest in others, of whatever kind, and you
ars as much hidden as the cuttle-fish in the inky fluid
it expels. In point of fact, shyness creates what it fears.