The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-08-03
economy. or Of ~enliveuipc and bea,aifyins

We C~OnRThtulatS thS
movement In their interest by :" great o
man.
Mr., Mill had presented during the se'-
sion y number oil petitions for the e1'ei'
sion Of the elective franchise TO Tue "o"
of England, and at the sitting OF July 80"
he made q motion to ascertain the hummer
~ ,er<oos in the Kingdom who would,
under the law, be entitled to The electoral
franchise were thoy not excluded by their
s.x In the course Of q briei speech he
made on the subject, lie alluded to The
number of signatures 10 the petitions in
behalf Of the franchise Tor women, and
remarked 81 recognize In il the &c
custo,ncd sign tina; the time has arrived
when IL proposal o. 4 public nature is ripe
for being taken into seriou, consideration
namely when a word spoken on the suD-
icct i found TO have been Tic expression
OF q silent wish pcrvading a great number
vt minds; and . signal given in the hope
Of rullyius Il few supporters Is nnc1-
pcc;cdly answered 10y many. !, Is hot
necessary Ia "tlrr amy Justification Tor
the particular motion which | AN about to
make. When the complaint IL made
that certain citizens of this nation
fulfilling all the conditions, and giving
all the guarantees which the Constitution
and the laws require from those VIII"
ar, admitted to a voice in determining
who shall b: their rulers, are excluded
from that privilege by What appears 10
them, and Tor what appears to me- 'le en-
tirely irrelevant consideration OF their sex,
the least wo can do is 10 inquire "i'a'
number Of persons urc affected by the
~pr;. and how great an addHi"h
w,uld lr made to the constituency II tins
disability were removed" Further on III
his s,,ccch liz. declared that, in the cst'-
nation of many influential members, he
r~ro,r,ol IT, extend the suffrage 10 ladies
VAS rs "tynlr Conservative Is ii was
liberal" lie concluded hr making a
strong iit for the ladies ia reproducing q
remark of Mr.. DISEACIl'S that hc could
not see Why wVu!cn al independent means
sho,id not possess the electoral franchise
in a country where the can preside IN
manorial courts and ill parish offices :
land" said Mr.. Mil, let me add. IN"
ITr0ue.' Clics u Hear. hear: The
motion, ii cVCrsc, prevailed.
The movement is quite \ sensation
among the danes aud dem>rls OF old lug
land. We coucar with Mr.. MILL in the opiu.
lon. at l,as, - IA! ~ The mere exercise oil
the. right 10 vote j. concerted. that the con-
irrring II il on Tie ladies would DC Il most
conservative measure. But IL TO the cir
culn>tenccS surrounding elections, and tho
inillcucce growing ont d! them, they are
such ~ vii! 10 poorly adapted ~ ihe cha,lc
and dcrorous character OF the SEX. ltmar
l- that, ~ Introducing them, the manner
and mode 81 election, would he reformed
aud tie whole purified. II Is, however, Il
pciilous enterprise. and il il welt awry it
would lc very bad. For safety, the right
should be limited, and strongly hcdGed in.
Elderly persons ~ property, faded SPIN
strrs, and d~"wagcr>, might be allowed IL
tho arena hu. oh, y" gentle aud hluoIiimg
girls. whose eyes make dim the ga1elle'S,
and whose checks bear the hucs Of the
ripcnci peach, keep away from the rough
and vuisar lvrd called men in the
sirucllc tor Office. Mr.. Null may IL
vesticato this new branch IL Ii, science
to lis cwn qualification, oni may secure
the right t. the elderly ladies oi property
of Eugland; but ~ have 10 apprehension
tia. our own lair c"untry"Vm"n Will, o;
least for . long time to CONG, hc iMbued
with a,v desire 10 90 into the political
arena ~ voters. New England preceded
Old England in the agitation, and her
i.isl.v daughters viii probably renew the
war for wumIu's rights, now that they have
Mr.. Mill on their side. But here in Nir-
cini, aud the Sunth, even Mr.. Mills re-
spcclablc authority will not inspire our
dear c~unntrywomcn with u feeling OF dis
content because they are not voters. They
have been ANGELS, and are angels still, and
long may il he ere they bcocmc, through
trailing their skirts III the dust of the
Drawing political arcna-iallen angels