The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-08
WOMAN'S SUFFRAGE.

WOMAN'S SU Ft2AGE.
JOHN BRIoHTs SPEECH ON THE PARLIAMENTARY
QUESTION OF FEMALE voTISG--ARE THE ''MEN
TyRANTs" AND THE Z" WOMEN sLAvEs?"
During tho debate In the House OF Commons ON the
above subject on April 20, Mr. John Bright rose amid
loud cheers and said
need hardly tell you sir that II is with extreme
luctancc that take part in this debate; but | am
question. In the year 1867, when Mr. Stuart Mill first
made proposition like that contained this bill ~ tho
House, was one OF those who with hun into the
lobby In his autobiography he refers tins fact and
he says that | OF those who oppo ell to
the proposition submitted to the House, but that tho
weight Of argument IN his favor grcnt that
obliged TO go with him into the lobby. very hon.
esy say that he entirely mistaken that statement
Though did vote with him, voted under extreme
doubt, and nr more from Sympathy with him for whom
In many respects and on many grounds had great
admiration than for the proposition with which he was
then identified But II ! had doubts then may say
that those doubts have been only confirmed by the
thcr consideration have been able give this qucs-
ton. The bill seems to based upon proposition
which IS untcnablc (car. hear '') and which, think
Is conradictcd by universal experience Cheers is
bill based upon assumed hostility between the
r'Hcar hearty Now don't believe that any man IN
this house cntertains that view Hear hear ~ but II
speeches OF the principal promoters OF this bill out OF
docrsif they had had the opportunity have had OF
familiar conversation with tho promoters Of tho
measure with regard to this question, think they
would admit that the bill as offered to Is bill based
upon an assumed, constant and rreconcilablc hostility
between tho two tsHear, hcar." The men
represented being tyrants, the woman
sunk In the lowest del tbs OF slavery.
Those are words which are actually made use
Of by the persons who the principal promoters OF
the bill ('hear hcar' and mind you this Is said Of
savage nations but it Is said OF men in this civilized and
Christian country in which VIC live. tear, heari) II
We look at the mon OF this country what strikes US
than anything elseY That at this moment there
sacrificing comfort, suffering hardships, confronting
difficulties In every shape and FORM for WHAT
why, for the sake Of securing tho comfort and
happiness OF women and children. General checrs)
And yet II is OF these men that this language Is
made use Of by the chief promoters OF this bill
(.'Hcar, hearty What the object Of the mcasurcY
Is It not to enable women defend themselves agadst
Parliament OF men; and tho facts which brought
forward IN It's favor they not OF the fmscs char
actcr? The question has been raised as the inus
tcc Of tho laws which Affect the property of married
women, but rs there no injustice in the laws Of the
country affecting tho property Of mcnY Havo younger
cause to complaint t''Hear, hear!', II man
dies II tho street, leaving real property, amounting
who, by accident OF birth, happens to DO the
eldest, to the exclusion OF the younger children Tins
to my mind than any one which has been urged in
favor OF the before the House. These
may not In reality affect the question at stake, but
they undoubtedly have bearing upon Nothing can
be moro monstrous and absurd than to place women
who are our mothers. our sisters or our
daughters, whose whole existence is wrapt up
in own, who and dear TO our
hcarts-as separate class, and II is scandalous
and odious libel 10 say that they separate class
aud that they arc therefore, excluded from our sympa
thes and that Parliament cannot and will do JUS
tice in regard TO them. loud cheers) do not be-
levc that women suffer BY being rep presented in
Parliament, and do not believe il would be nm ad-
vantage 10 them If they were represented (sHear,
hearty BY this bill II - said that something like
900 400 000 will be placed the register
about Is per of the present constituency;
but tho intentionally excludes by far the great
est portion OF women who may be said TO be specially
qualified TO exercise tho franchise-l mean married
women tiear, hear!J II this bin passes what will
be the question asked in this Houscy We shall
have gvcn votes TO young women who
not married, and to old widows, and We shall
be asked, "Why do tho same toward the
othcrsY Why should married women directly they
came out Of the church or The chapel lose their prv
csc this rcspects Is IL a lair thingg II unmarried
women arc quaiiacd Why should married women DO
dsqualdods" l.Hcar. hearty We have right to ask
the promoters Of the bill these questions have
right TO demand that an answer should DC given
(hcar hearty II we are to adopt this bill let us know
how far VIC are going and 10 what IL tends have
but want TO know before putting TO what weather
We are likely to have, and TO what haven We arc
Lincolnshire alluded 10 the double vote-onc for
the husbcnd and ono for the wife. II they
were agreed II would mako no difference In the cleo
tion but II they were not It would produce the great
dscord in families and generally the daughters
side with tho father and the boys with the mother
should produce OF unhappIness families
which cannot possibly arise under the present system
There are, perhaps, TOW members Of this House who
can look back upon their clcc,onccrng experiences
without regret, and some, icar without Humiliation
Is II desirable then, 10 introduce NIL the excitement
which sccms attendant on election contests, not
States and in Francois havo lately seen
TO domestic life? don't say women
liable TO be by these influences than
are ourselves, but so far as municipal contests
concerned, scenes took place In certain boroughs
could name and great drunkenness prevailed among
women owing to the fact Of opportunities being
afforded during the elections which would not have
been offered except during the continuance OF nerce
political contest or one thing there is no doubt-,hc
influence of priest parson AMI minister Will be greatly
increased II this aud similar measures passed
(sHcar hear ~ recoect last year discussing tins bill
with q gentleman who was former member OF parlm-
m, and who represented IRISH constituency, and
he said that in Catholic ireland the women's vote
might be always taken to be the priests. (car hcar
aud mo, no!') Well, give II on the authority II q
member who represented Ireland aud who was at
TO give opinion as any English or Irish
member the present House OF Commons We
asked TO make this great change in order 10
the women OF this country against the men--to set
them against their fathers, their husbands, their
brothers and their To tho idea strange
and monstrous and in my opinion more basslcss
case submitted to the House OF Commons
(.'Hear hcar!') cannot, however, believe Paria-
mcnt win be so unwise; 50 far as am concerned the
difficulties of the subject become stronger and stronger
tho have considered them, and, notwithstand-
Ing that many OF those respect and love inter
cslod in tho matter, am Obliged to give my vote
against tho honorable ana learned member for Maryc
bono. tchecrA)