revail. He stated that where women had the
vote they exercised it to an equal degree with the men. Mr.
Lings, the comptroller for the city of Manchester, affirms that
according to his experience the number of men and women who vote
in local affairs bears a just proportion to the number of each on
the register. He showed that as the bill was a largely
enfranchising measure, his clause was in strict harmony with it,
but that while the bill sought to increase the representation of
those who were already considerably represented, the clause which
he wished to add would give representation to those who within
municipal towns were totally deprived of it. He concluded by
saying that questions had come to him, since these amendments had
been on the paper, from women in different parts of the country,
and from those who by their social and intellectual positions
might be regarded as representatives of their sex, asking why
there should always be this tender regard for the representation
and therefore the protection of men, and this apparent disregard
for the interest of women; and he appealed to the House, by its
decision, to show that as regards these local franchises it had a
common regard for the whole body of rate-payers.

Mr. Jacob Bright's motion, which he supported with all the tact,
earnestness and judgment of which he afterwards gave such repeated
proofs in bringing forward his Women's Disabilities bill, was
seconded by Mr. Rylands. Mr. Bruce (the home secretary) said he
had shown conclusively that this proposition was no novelty, and
that women were allowed to vote in every form of local government,
except under the Municipal Corporations act. The clause introduced
no anomaly, and he should give it his cordial support. Mr. Hibbert
also supported the clause, which was agreed to amid cheers, and it
was passed without a dissentient word or the faintest shadow of
opposition, as was also the proposal of Sir Charles Dilke, to leave
out the word "male" in the first clause.

In the House of Lords an attempt was made by Lord Redesdale to
reverse the decision of the House of Commons, but the proposal
found no seconder, and therefore fell to the ground. The Earl of
Kimberley, on behalf of the government, supported the proposition,
as did also Lord Cairns, from the opposition benches. The Municipal
Franchise bill became law in August,