The _Examiner_ thereupon draws this conclusion: "Making
allowance for the reluctance of old spinsters to change
their habits, and the more frequent illness of the sex, it
is manifest that women, if they had opportunity, would
exercise the franchise as freely as men. There is an end,
therefore, of the argument that women would not vote if they
had the power."

Our law books furnish, perhaps, more satisfactory evidence of the
earnestness with which women in England are claiming the right to
vote, under the reform act of 1867, aided by Lord Brougham's act
of 1850. The case of Chorlton, appellant, _vs._ Lings,
respondent, came before the Court of Common Pleas in England in
1869. It was an appeal from the decision of the revising
barrister, for the borough of Manchester, to the effect "that
Mary Abbott, being a woman, was not entitled to be placed on the
register." Her right was perfect in all respects excepting that
of sex. The court, after a very full and able discussion of the
subject, sustained the decision of the revising barrister,
denying to women the right to be placed on the register, and
consequently denying their right to vote. The decision rested
upon the peculiar phraseology of several Acts of Parliament, and
the point decided has no applicability here. My object in
referring to the case has been to call attention to the fact
stated by the reporter, that appeals of 5,436 other women were
consolidated and decided with this. No better evidence could be
furnished of the extent and earnestness of the claim of women in
England to exercise the elective franchise.--Law Rep. Com. Pleas,
4-374. I infer, without being able to say how the fact is, that
the votes given by women, as mentioned in the newspapers, were
given at municipal elections merely, and that the cases decided
by the Court of Common Pleas relate to elections for members of
Parliament.

Another objection is, that the right to hold office must attend
the right to vote, and that women are not qualified to discharge
the duties of responsible offices. I beg leave to answer this
objection by asking one or more questions. How many of the male
bipeds who do our voting are qualified to hold high offices? How
many of the large class to whom the righ