, 1876-05-14

l IL
as is awkwardly styled the bill for female sui
frage, was lately again brought before th
British Parliament, only to be again defeat
ed. The event Of the protracted debate t.
which it led wes the speech against the bill
of that pre-eminent exponent of sturdy En-
glish common~sense and iberalisme jon,
BR1GHr, who, when the same measure wa
brought forward by JOHN STUART Mill, il
1867, heartily supported it. Sober second
thought has led Mr. Ba1oHr to wholly re
consider his views as to the "subjugation o,
women," and a. to whether the extension oi
the franchise to them would free them from
that subjugation, whatever that may mean,
Discarding altogether the sentimentalism
that obscures the question, he challenged
the assumption Of the supporters of the bill
that women must needs be armed against
the tyranny Of men. This, he declared, was
based upon that other assumption, that
women are 1egislated against rs *s class," !" as
for example ara criminals; and he thus dis
posed Of that branch Of the subject:
Nothing can be more monstrous or absurd than
such IN appeilstion for women. Why, sir, women,
30 to speak, are everywhere. Not In d class as
agricultural lahorers or factory workers. They are
in your highest, your middle, your anmblest ranks
They are our mothers, our wives, our sisters and
our daughters. They are ourselves. We care a.
much for them sitting In this House as members Of
Parliament Us legislators for this country and
they are as near our hearts here as in oar homes
and our families. I venture to eay that It is
scandalous and an odious libel to say that women
are class, and that therefore they arc excluded
from our sympathy, and that Parliament can do no
Justice in regard to them -
But. what may At last be styled senti-
mental view Of the question was that upon
which he based his chief objection to the bill
His senhmentalism in this, however, was but
that the force Of which must needs be ap~
preciated by every father, husband, and
brother. It was as to the effect upon the sex
Of introducing them into the foul atmosphere
Of party politics, upon which be said. With
significant emphasis:
We In this House have ons peculiar know}edce.'
that Is. Of the penalties we pay for our constitu-
donA freedom. There are many men in this
House who cannot look buck upon their election
eering experience without feelings Of regret and
an afraid there are soma who must look back
with feelings Of humiliation Now, should like
to aek the House whetAer It Is desirable to intro
duce our mothers. aud wives, and sisters, and
daughters into the excitement ond the tur7no5,
and, it may be, into the very humiliation which
scems in every country far to attend system Of
Parliamentary representation, whether it be in
the United States, where 60 many systems arc
tried, Of in this country, and in France, OF which
We recently had an example. We SEQ there how /
much there Is that candidates can scarcely avoid.
yet must greatly deplore, and we are asked to in
troduce the women Of England into systcm like |
this from which we can hardly extract ourselves !
without taint Of pollution, which We look back |
upon even with sbane and disgust.
'HeIevidently sets little store upon tho ar
zument that women would enter upon poll
les in the missionary spirit to purify them,
aor that if they did that they could succeed:
The dangerous power which they would
certainly bring into politics, he did not
hesitate to declare, Was, as q matter Of fact
which could not bs denied, s that the influ-
'nce Of priest, psrson, and minister would be
,reatly increased if this bill and similar
measures we're passed" And one OF the most
Necessary reforms yet to BE- accomplished in
ireat Britain is to get rid Of the priests and
'arsons in politica
His conclusions upon the whole subject
'ere that the so-called subjugation Of wom-
n il but mere fgureo Of speech, 80 far IS
olitcal subjugation is concerned: that