Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-02-04
WOMEN AS LAWYERS.
The BILL ALLOWING THEM ropHAc-
{tcE DISCUSSED IN The SENATE.


E ~ iHQ1e8 AGAIN thfongoo tho senate
ebsznbsr yesterday. the attraction being
The discussion Of the bill to allow females
- well q males 10 practice Law In tho
c0ustt Of the Commonwealth.
At l o'clock Mr.. Hurt called up the bill
- the special order. Indeed, this move
va necessary, ~ il was evident that the
eeaste could not have quiet for the dispo-
sitson Of routine work until the measure
Wns gotten rad Of.
Mr.. Peters offered On amendment, which
Vas agreed to. inserting the words
women" and "msn" in the places OF
females" and males"
Mr.. Flood moved TO amend by providing
vnei the provisions Of the act should not
yeers OF age.
A FRIEND IN NE. rErKrs.
Mr.. Peters opposed Mr.. Floods amend
20 the bill on its merits, for he considered,
he said, that the amendment was offered
In pleAsantry. He had opposed the wo-
mau'e doctors bill. but would vote for the
measure before the Senate. Had the wo-
mans doctors bill been merely to allow
women to practice medicine he would have
voted for IL. His objection was that 1t pro-
RO3ou W lOIct INC &4Fi OobIuS W hpboiht
female physicians He heartily championed the
opening OF al proper channels for tho cxercs
OF Wcmnn's energy and talents, although ne Do
ueved there was popular sentiment against u
among the women themselves, and way back In
the district be represents woman could keep q
bar, keep hotel, be merchant, but the anomaly
existed Of raising q barrier between her and the
courta This he regarded as reflection on the bar.
He would deplore the day, he said, when women
would come into the courts under the conditions
described In DIR. Parkers pamphlet When that
oAy cnmc government ana society wouin DC SUD
vsrted. But did tho Senate suppose that women
would practice under such conditions? NO:
popular sentiment would frown II down. The wo-
man did not derive her instincts from the rights
conferred on her BY the ststute-book. They were
derived from inside conditions OF refinement As
for women's intellect VINO dared questionit? ilad
not England made moro progress under Eiza-
beth and Victoria than during any other perioes7
He believed that women were as wen endowed 70
practice law as nine tonths OF the lawyers In the
Commonwealth. The cry had been raised save
us from the Goths and vandais OF the North. NO
man cherished our traditions moro ,hsn ne d,a
down OF that fag at Appomattox-tho social
fabric Of the South was crushed. Whatever
may be said OF slavery, under Its blnck shadow
were reared the fneet women that ever graced
tho earth. The master walked the Garth q king,
this mistress queen, and the children princes.
1t was an era OF caste, but an era OF glory. Eml-
nent northern authorities had confessed this
But when the war came ard cur forces were
shattered, and the government made stops TO
wards monarchical forms the whole status cf 30
ciety was changed, and new demands upon wo-
men were made The efoft OF Mr.. refers was
strong and earnest.
PgRScIous MEASURE.
Mr.. Flood spoke TO his amendment lie re-
gardcd the measure one OF the most per-
nicious AMI subvertlye ever brought before this
body. He offered the amendment not because
be was Ia favor OF she bill in any form, but be-
cause If our Anglo-Saxon civilization OF virginia
was TO 20 down, be wanted u 10 90 down In tho
least Objectionable form. There was no neces-
sty for the measure. The advocates OF IL naa
advanced no argument bearing on its necessity.
II had been said that no woman lawyer had
absconded with her clients money. That might
De true, but what would be the result OF throw
ing the doors vide openI Inc bar OF slrginW
was not immaculate, he admitted, but as
rule the profession would compare favor
ably with any other profession. He regarded
tho law az calculated to do moro 10 take away
the refinement Of woman than any other pro
fessional field. He had heard OF but one woman
in all the Commonwealth who was knocking al
the doors OF the courts. He would feel that the
men who made the last charge at Appomattox
hal died In vain. II IL were true, as contended
by the Senator fIom Henry, that the
social fabric was shattered. Our civlnza-
ton would produce race and social conoi-
lions as grand az had ever obtained.
How long after the bill passed would II be before
women would be on the stump ana knocking a.
the door OF the halls OF iegislationg There would
soon DO IN the State q progressive womans
party wanting political position. lt had been
argued that women would DO 90 carried away
with her profession that she would not marry:
The bill would spoil NO ncn for the sphere God
placed her In and not make particularly good
lawyer of her.
TYLER AND BLACKSTONE IN FAVOR.
Mr. Tyler said that owing 10 the fact that he
had antagoniZed the womans doctors bill no
felt that he ought to make an explanation. he
heartily favored this bill and wished to strike
from woman's hands any manaclo that would
prevent her from entering any honorable field.
He believed the entrance OF woman into any
field would elevateit. He believed her entrance
into the legal profession would prevent many
Objectionable scenes from being enacted IN the
courthouse. As n bachelor OF law, he was ready
20 open bis arms 20 womankind
Mr.. Blackstone championed the bill. He would
never believe with the Senator from Henry that
Aho time would como when being a Nirginian
would not be a distinction or when the people OF
the United States would be homogeneous. lie
did not believe that they would ever be homo
ecneous. He was perfectly willing 10 trust TO
the instincts OF woman 70 keep her In place IN
the courtroom or anywhere else. He had no
sympathy with the contention that cur ancient
civilization was broken.dogn. lie honestly and
sincerely hoped that the Senate OF Virginia
would pass the bill and give women all the priyi-
leges mon enjoyed In tho matter OF the practice
Of law.
AT the conclusion OF Mr. Blackstones speech
Mr.. Floods amendment was voted down. and on
motion of Mr.. Watson, the bill was passed by
and made the special order for to-day at i
O'Clock.
During the discussion Mira Annie Smith, OF
Dsnvile, at whose instance the bill was intro
cuced, occupied the scat OF Senator Hurt.
MR. M'DoSALD EXPLAINS.
When the bill reapportioning the State
for Members OF Congress was reported
from he Committee on Privileges and Elections,
soon after the days session opened, Mr.. hcDon-
aid stated that had he been able 10 be in the
caucus on Tuesday night no would have ep-
proved the change OF Botetourt county from the
Sixth 10 the Tenth District. as he considered 1t
worked great injustice to his constituents.
PRESENTED AND REfERKED
Tho following bills were presented and re-
ferfed BY Mr. Barnes. TO amend the charter OF
Suffolk by Mr.. Peasants, TO amend the char
ter OF Petersburg; by Mr.. Loyenetein, 70 fncor-
porate the Virginia Christian Female Seminary,
by MIR. Echols, TO amend the charter Of the An
nuity Company OF Staunton ; by Mr.. Marshall,
10 ratify and confirm the charter OF Clanto-
graph Company by Mr. Wells, to incorporate
the town OF Norton by Mr.. Scott, 20 amend tho
Code in relation 10 rights and liabilities OF pur
chasers by Mr.. Mcdonald, to authorize the
lynchburg and Durham Railroad Company to
make and carry out contracts for the sale OF the
railroad property Of the Lynchbarg and Durham
Mr.. Walton introduced q Joint resolution de-
clarng election OF judges to I'LL vacancies to DO
for the unexpirod terms Of their predecessors,
which, under the rules, lies over. Mr.. Barnes
presented petition from citizens of Nanse-
mond which was referred 10 the Committee on
Roads, praying the passage OF the same bill
Nj bOott presented similar petition nom
citizens Of Charlotte, which went 70 the same
committee
Mr.. Stubs presented q bill for the protection
OF the oyster interest, prepared by tho Oyster
Protective Union, which was referred 70 the
Committee on Fish and Game.
HOUSE BILLS PASSED.
To authorize the Council OF the town Of Rocky
Mount 70 levy tax 10 pay subscription to the
Roanoke and Southern Railway Company; 70
amend and re-enact section OF chapter 315 Of
an act entitled an act 70 incorporate tho town OF
Cape Charles. In the county of Northampton; TO
detue the line between the ma gietoriai districts
Of Atlantic and Metompkin In the county OF Ac-
comae; 10 allow the troasurers OF Northampton
and Acoomac counties additional time 10 levy
Tor and collect tax bills, county levies
held by said treasurers for the years
1887, 1883, 1850, 1890, and 1891, and as TO
which they have settled with the Auditor and
boards Of supervisors without returning the
same delinquent; TO authorize the town OF Cow
ingson 70 issue bonds and borrow money; for the
relief Of John q. Adams, OF Nelson county: 70
amend and rc-enact an oct passed March 21,
1886, entitled "an act 70 Incorporate the town
Of Salem In the county OF Botetourt, and all acts
Amondatory thereof; 20 allow the treasurer of
Washington county additional time 70 levy for
and collect tai tickets held by said treasurer and
not returned delinquent.