0,000 men he proposes to enfranchise shall
be perfectly pure and moral men? Would he propose a clause to
exclude from the franchise those men who lead and retain in vice
and degradation these unfortunate women? No--men may sin and be a
power in the State, but when a woman sins not only is she to have
no power, but her whole sisterhood are to be excluded from it. He
believed that every idea of common sense pointed to the
desirability of supporting the amendment, and he therefore had
great pleasure in doing so.

There were also excellent speeches from Mr. Cowen (Newcastle),
General Alexander, Sir Wilfred Lawson and Mr. Story, and finally
from Sir Stafford Northcote the leader of the Conservative
opposition. He observed:

That the prime minister had told them that they did not consider
this clause to be properly introduced now, because this was not
the time for the question. It seemed to him, on the contrary,
that it was the very best opportunity for dealing with it,
because they were going enormously to increase the electorate,
and would, therefore, make the inequality between men and women
much greater than it was before. It would be said they were going
to extend the property franchise if this amendment were carried.
On that issue they were prepared to join and to maintain that it
was a right thing, and it was the duty of that House to make
proper provision for those classes of property holders now
without a vote. Members who had canvassed boroughs would remember
that after going into two or three shops and asking for the votes
of those who were owners, they have come to one perhaps of the
most important shops and have been told, "Oh, it is of no use
going in, there is no vote there." Such women are probably of
education and gentle character, and perhaps live as widows and
take care of their families; they have every right to be
consulted as to who should be the man to represent the
constituency in which they lived and to take care of their
interests and the interests of those dependent on them. That was
the ground on which Lord Beaconsfield stood. They had adhered to
that ground for several years, and there they stood now.

The division took place at a late hour with the result that the
clause was defeated by 271 votes to 135, being a majority against
it of 136,