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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 3

[comments from Mrs. Taylor]

Mrs. Taylor.—Gentlemen and Ladies, I feel very much and very deeply honoured in being chosen to preside over this meeting, but I also feel great diffidence in occupying this position. I should feel still greater diffidence if it was expected of me to make a speech: fortunately I am not expected to do that. Before, however, calling upon our Secretary to read the Report, I will, if you will allow me, very briefly mention a few of the most important facts connected with this Society. Our Society has been in existence now exactly two years, and I think we may congratulate ourselves upon the rapid progress that our cause has made during that time. Before Mr. Mill brought forward his Bill for Women's Suffrage, in June 1867, our question was either ignored altogether or treated with ridicule. This is no longer the case—it has now reached such importance that the world can no longer ignore it, and it is recognised as one of the questions of the day. This rapid progress is chiefly owing to the fearless and eloquent advocacy of Mr. Mill, for whose spoken and written words, every woman in Great Britain owes a large debt of gratitude. During the Session of 1868 we had seventy-five petitions presented, with nearly 50,000 signatures. Mr. Chisholm Anstoy having stated, in his Notes on the New Reform Act that, according to that Act, every woman householder was page 3 entitled to vote for members of Parliament, several thousand women householders sent in their claims. Many were accepted, but very many rejected, and the question of appeal was taken to the Court of Common Fleas. We did not anticipate success, and therefore can scarcely be said to have been disappointed at the decision which was given against us. But, unfortunately, that adverse decision has operated rather injuriously. It has prevented a great many from signing the petition this year who signed it last year, and some friends have been so disheartened that they have advised us to give up our work and keep quiet for the next Jew years. That advice we have not followed, for we felt that by so doing we should have to do all our work over again which we had accomplished. In the month of November the general election took place, when, as you know, Westminster disgraced itself by the rejection of Mr. Mill. A great many women householders, whose names were left on the Register, determined to exercise their right of voting. This is not very important, except as an answer to those who assert that the polling booths are unfit places for women. As far as I can ascertain, at the places where women voted, not only was there no disturbance whatever, but order and quietude prevailed. At Finsbury, where fifteen women went to record their votes, the lady who accompanied them to the poll said that not only was there no disturbance, but she did not hear a remark made upon the fact that they were there to give their votes, and the women themselves expressed great surprise that it was so very easy a thing to vote; that it occupied so short a time, and did not interfere with their domestic duties. I took one woman to the poll at Leicester whose vote was rejected, but no disturbance took place, and no comment was made. Some seven years before that, during an election at Leicester, where there was a very sharp contest and great excitement, upon the polling day 1 visited several of the booths, and I neither saw nor heard anything which made me think them unfit places for women. During this Session we have pelted Parliament with petitions; to some of the boroughs where we failed to get petitions signed we have sent our pamphlets to prepare the ground for future action. Many of our friends have expressed disappointment, not to say dissatisfaction, that our question has not been brought before Parliament this Session, but we have not thought it right to do so during the agitation upon the Irish Church question; yet the Session has not been entirely barren, for two important questions, 'The Married Women's Property Bill,' and 'The Municipal Franchise Bill,' have been introduced. And this reminds me that we have to regret the absence of Mr. Jacob Bright, who has not been able to attend our meeting Women page 4 have been accused of acting from impulse, not from principle; of taking up a cause hastily, working at it enthusiastically for a time, but, when the novelty is over, ceasing to work. That will not be our case. We are art earnest, and we will prove to the world that when women are in earnest they are capable of persistent energy. No delay, no obstacle, will daunt us; we do not expect to win easily or soon; we may have to work for five, ten, or fifteen years; we know that in the end we shall be successful; and we will not put off our armour until the battle is won. And we have this satisfaction, that whilst we are working and waiting for the victory, we are educating the women of England for the franchise. We are educating them to form an opinion, and to give expression to that opinion; for, as one of the most eloquent speakers in America said, at a meeting that was held not long ago at Boston, 'A vote is only the expression of an opinion.' It has been said, I do not know how truly, that no mischief, no crime, even, whether it be the murder of an individual or war on an extended scale, ever took place in which a woman had not something to do with it. But there is a reverse to the shield. I believe no moral progress, no great or permanent good to humanity was ever achieved in which women have not had some share. I will now call upon Miss Caroline Biggs, the Secretary, to read the Report. The Report was then read as follows:—