1818 Dec r. 30

Parl. Reform Bill

Dialogue

Preliminary View

Evils & Remedies

Remedies

Election

Miselection

Election

Females

1

Anti-Reformist. Well now, why to you exclude females? That I exclude /should be for excluding/ them you need scarcely be told. But what the present occasion requires is that you should say why you exclude them.

Reformist. I will give you the best reasons I can find.

1. In the first place, so inseparably are the interests /such is the community of interest/ of the weaker sex interwoven with those of the stronger, that in the breasts of the male half self-regarding affection suffices to /for/ securing /secure/ them against all injury: unless it were clear that by the accession of the less informed sex more appropriate aptitude would be imported into the Election Office, than would have place there otherwise. Such at least is the presumption: for if any one were to stand up and shew that under the existing things the interest of the weaker sex is sacrificed to that of the stronger, and under the proposed scheme of reform would continue to be do to be, let one that can /that know how/ justify the exclusion. I am sure it is more than I am /should be/ able to do.

2. In the next place, I know not at present of any dissatisfaction which at present to any considerable extent, if any, has place on this account in those tender breasts. For supposing any such dissatisfaction to have place, let the compleat identity of interests be ever so uncontrovertibly established, here again no fish[?] would be more perfectly mute[?] than I should find myself obliged to be.

3. In the third place, in my own instance there is the personal satisfaction I feel in humouring, if I may be allowed so free a word, yourself and so many other of my friends: and in particular my honourable and learned friend M r Brougham, who by the single power of the word females pronounced in connection with my name and the word consistency raised /produced/ on the part of his honourable colleagues a laugh, in which there was just as much sense, as in any laugh which any one of them when in leading strings ever exhibited upon being tickled by his nurse.