131-689.xml

Title: [1819 Sept. 19 Parl. Reform Bill or]

Description: 1819 Sept. 19

Parl. Reform Bill or Defence ag. Ed Review

Reasons, or […?]

§.2. Electors Who

Females?

Historical cause

2

Not only Naturally; but one should have thought necessarily. But in this case as in others, accident will sometimes produce /clog general rules with/ strange exceptions.

Among our British ancestors, not only the head of the state but the conductor of the war – the war against the oppressing Romans – was of the female sex – Queen Boadicea

Among our Saxon ancestors we find another such anomaly in the person of Matilda, wife of the /an/ Emperor of the West, our /in the language of our early English/ historians stiled the Empress Maud, who disputed the Crown with our King Stephen, and left her pretension to her more successful /fortunate/ son, King Henry the second. /our second Henry./

In the portion of time stiled the reign of Henry 6 th the Monarch being in a state little if any thing above that of idiocy, and having a woman of spirit for his wife, of spirit sufficient to take a lead in the command of such armies as were then in use here then was another example of where a part destined by nature for the male sex, was under the pressure of necessity acted occasionally by a female.

It must have been Nothing less than a /an extraordinary/ concurrence of circumstances could have produced an arrangement /a pretension/ so all according with the general state of the public mind in that rude age.

By this example /these examples/ added to the support sought for /to/ his title by Henry the seventh to /in his marriage with/ the heiress of the House of York, and the extraordinary ascendancy /influence/ obtained over the public mind by the strength of character of Henry the eighth prepared the people for quiet submission after the death of his son Edward to his daughter Mary, and thus to his daughter Elizabeth. In her days it was no longer necessary that supreme ruler should be a military leader

In all its branches appropriate probity, appropriate intellectual aptitude, and active talent, her aptitude for the situation equalled at least if it did not exceed that of any Monarch we then had or have since had of the male sex.

Adverting to /Led blindfold by/ the custom formed by these examples /instances/ the /it was by /in the eyes of/ the/ politicians have /been/ deemed it right, proper and unexceptionable that the supreme acting power should be in the hands of a female: why? because they have been used it: /to see it there:/ in the same eyes the notion that it has been absurd and ridiculous absurd to such a degree as to be ridiculous /a just object of ridicule/ to suppose that a /this the/ minutest fraction of what controuling power there is that can apply a check to that same supreme power should be in female hands: Why? because they are not used to see it there.

JB_160_087.xml

Title: [1822 May 29 Economy On this]

Description: 1822 May 29

Economy

On this subject if they laugh it is either [...?] or the [...? ...?]

for want of thought

To the admission of females into official situations at large,

objections present themselves - objections that are obvious, and that seem to be

conclusive. In the difference between sex and sex presents an obvious cause of

political corruption: as in the choice of functionaries beauty would /might/ stand in

the place of every branch of appropriate aptitude

But the more unavoidable the continuance is of unequality to the

prejudice of one half of the species in respect of this branch of power, the more

reasonable and urgent the demand is /appears to be/ for the removal of it in the case

of a branch of power in the exercise of which by that sex there is no room for

corruption in this or in any other shape: alway understood that the veil of secrecy

covers the delivery of the suffrages

With respect to intellectual aptitude, not any the slightest ground presents itself

for any such operation as that drawing a line between the two sexes, and saying the

place of the whole of the male sex is above the line, the place of the whole of the

female sex below it. If for the possession of adequate intellectual aptitude the

faculty and habit of self seated judgment were necessary the bulk of the female sex

have the same leisure /applicable time/ and the same means of information as the

male. If for the possession of this same attribute /qualification/ a borrowed

judgment be regard as sufficient, the parity /equality/ is still more obvious and

incontestable

158_348.xml

Title: [[clviii. 348] 1822 May 22 Economy]

Description: [clviii. 348]

1822 May 22

Economy etc

Ch Securities for I Moral Aptitude

.2.I. Identification of Interests

8 or 7. Q. Females - does greatest happiness principle require their exclusion.

A. Not more than males. Yes, if females are not members of the community: their happiness not a portion of universal do.: their interest not a do. of do.: or if in them intellectual inaptitude is so great as to incapacitate them from self direction to self advantage.

9. or 8. From experience, as attested by history, no reason why they should be deemed inferior? Take operative power in its highest grade and quantity: regal function.

Intellectual aptitude.

1. Elizabeth higher than Henry 8 or James 1.

2. Ann not lower than George 1 and 2.

3. Under Ann, England more prosperous than under William 3d.

4. If Mary killed heretics, so did Henry 8. and James 1.

5. If Mary killed Heretics, Hale, Chief Justice and Lawyers hero, killed Witches.

10. or 9. Consideranda. As to intellectual aptitude applied to the whole field of thought and action

1. how little decided is the inferiority of females.

2. how great their inferiority in respect of the means of acquiring do. aptitude under laws made by males.

11. or 10. Unapt for supreme operative power they might be, yet not for constitutive: apt for supreme operative power and not for constitutive they can not be.

12. or 11. From their right to equality as to happiness, if admitted, will follow their right to equality as to power considered as an instrument of happiness, so far as the nature of the species and sex permitts.

To constitute equality in their favour, for every necessary inferiority, they should have a compensation.

In domestic concerns, inferiority of physical force renders them inferior in power.

So as to exercise of military function.

So, under the military government of males, they are not likely to be placed in civil offices.

13. or 12. Hence, from Executive power in almost all its branches, they will stand excluded.

Also, from share in supreme legislative power by contemplation of confusion and corruption from mixture of sexes. Hence, greater the demand for equal share in constitutive power with reference to supreme operative.

14. or 13. Q. Custom - is it not sufficient warrant for exclusion here?

A. No more than in the case of tyranny.

Time in which the custom originated, do. of barbarian immaturity

In war, the origin of government

During war, necessity placed Government in single chief.

During peace, war continually in prospect, habit and providence.

For war, females rendered less apt by weakness.

15. or 14. Origin of democratico-representative │   │ of single-seated despotism. Money for war defensive or offensive, more promptly and certainly extractible from willing than unwilling contributors. For money, they received a share first of influence, and by degrees of power.

The management of the family property by them alone could the fatigue and danger of Journeys to and from the chief seat of power be endured.

16. or 15. In an assembly mostly of males, no mixture of females without confusion and ridicule.

17. or 16. Q. From admitting Females, any practical good at any time?

A. Yes: rendering legislative arrangements less unequally burthensome to females.

18. or 17. Q. Would you now propose admitting females into supreme constitutive power?

A. No. Till legislative system had received the maximum of improvement on almost all other points, no good, only evil from do. in this. Result of the proposal, excitation and discussion such as to suspend all other business indefinitely.