, c. 43, he must be a
lawyer of three years standing.

Eleanor, Queen of Henry III. of England, in the year 1253, was
appointed lady-keeper of the great seal, or the supreme
chancellor of England, and sat in the _Aula Regia_, or King's
Court. She in turn appointed Kilkenny, arch-deacon of Coventry,
as the sealer of writs and common-law instruments, but the more
important matters she executed in person.

Queen Elizabeth held the great seal at three several times during
her remarkable reign. After the death of Lord-keeper Bacon she
presided for two months in the _Aula Regia_.

It is claimed that "admission to the bar constitutes an office."
Every woman postmaster, pension agent and notary public
throughout the land is a bonded officer of the government. The
Western States have elected women as school superintendents and
appointed them as enrolling and engrossing clerks in their
several legislatures, and as State librarians. Of what use are
our seminaries and colleges for women if after they have passed
through the curriculum of the schools there is for them no
preferment, and no emolument; no application of the knowledge of
the arts and sciences acquired, and no recognition of the
excellence attained?

But this country, now in the second year of the second century of
her history, is no longer in her leading strings, that she should
look to Mother England for a precedent to do justice to the
daughters of the land. She had to make a precedent when the first
male lawyer was admitted to the bar of the United States Supreme
Court. Ah! this country is one that has not hesitated when the
necessity has arisen to make precedents and write them in blood.
There was no precedent for this free republican government and
the war of the rebellion; no precedent for the emancipation of
the slave; no precedent for the labor strikes of last summer. The
more extended practice, and the more extended public opinion
referred to by the learned chancellor have already been
accomplished. Ah! that very opinion, telegraphed throughout the
land by the associated press, brought back the response of the
people as on the wings of the wind asking you for that special
act now so nearly consummated, which shall open this professional
door to women.