d
that. Mr. Jacob Bright, seconded by Sir Charles Dilke and Mr.
Peter Rylands, proposed the omission of the word "male" from the
bill, and the insertion of a clause securing to women the right of
voting in municipal elections. Mr. Hibbert concurred in the
introduction of these amendments, though he did not anticipate they
would lead to any result beyond a discussion. A circular containing
full information upon the ancient and existing rights of women to
vote in local affairs was sent to each member of parliament by the
Manchester committee. It showed that before the passing of the
Municipal Corporation act of 1835, women rate-payers had rights
similar to those of men in all matters pertaining to local
government and expenditure; and that in non-corporate districts
they still exercised such rights, under the provisions of the
Public Health act, and other statutes guarding the electoral
privileges of the whole body of rate-payers. But when any district
was incorporated into a municipal borough, the women rate-payers
were disfranchised, although those not included within its
boundaries remained possessed of votes. It showed also that women
can vote in parochial matters, and take part in vestry meetings,
called for various purposes, such as the election of church-wardens
and way-wardens, the appointment of overseers, the sale of parish
property, and, formerly, the levying of church-rates; also that
they can vote in the election of poor-law guardians--that in fact,
in none of those ancient voting customs, was the sex of the
ratepayers taken into consideration as either a qualification or
disqualification. We quote from the Manchester society:

In the House of Commons on June 7, 1869, on consideration of the
Municipal Franchise bill as amended, Mr. Jacob Bright rose to
move that in this act and the said recited act (Municipal
Corporation Reform act, 1835) wherever words occur which import
the masculine gender, the same shall be held to include females
for all purposes connected with and having reference to the
election of or power to elect representatives of any municipal
corporation. He stated that his object was to give the municipal
vote to every rate-payer within the municipal limits; to give to
municipal property the representation which all property enjoyed
elsewhere; that had the proposition been an innovation, a
departure from the customary legislation of t