ands.
With few exceptions they have been addressed by men and women
jointly; the resolutions passed have generally been of a directly
practical and political character. They have been presided over,
whenever possible, by the chief magistrate, or some other
well-known man in the locality; in comparatively few cases have
women presided, and very seldom, indeed, strangers. Thus they have
been modeled closely on the ordinary English political meeting; and
this form, quite apart from the principles discussed at the
meetings, has done much to identify women's suffrage with the
practical politics of the day. The first meeting ever held in
London (July, 1869,) excited much attention. Admittance here was by
ticket. Mrs. Peter A. Taylor took the chair; Miss Biggs read the
report, and a noble array of speakers followed.[542]

The principle of women's suffrage was unhesitatingly conceded by
the passing of the Municipal Amendment act of 1869. The time was
come to demand its application in parliamentary elections.
Moreover, the decision of the Court of Common Pleas had left no
mode of action possible except for parliament to reverse that
decision. Mr. Jacob Bright, therefore, on the first day of the
session gave notice of his intention to introduce a bill to remove
the electoral disabilities of women. Sir Charles Dilke, a Liberal,
and Mr. E. B. Eastwick, a Conservative, also gave their names on
the back of the bill.

A BILL _to remove the Electoral Disabilities of Women_:

Be it enacted by the Queen's most excellent Majesty, by and with
the advice and consent of the Lords, spiritual and temporal, and
Commons in this present parliament assembled, and by the
authority of the same, as follows:

_First_--That in all acts relating to the qualification and
registration of voters or persons entitled or claiming to be
registered and to vote in the election of members of parliament,
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 right to be registered as voters, and
to vote in such elections, any law or usage to the contrary
notwithstanding.

On February 16, the bill was read for the first time, and on May 4,
it came on for its second reading. Mr. Jacob Bright earnestly
appealed to the House to grant this measure of justice:

The women who are interested