The History of Woman Suffrage Volume III Part 133

Chant, Mrs. Hodgson, Bonaly; Miss Tod, Belfast; Mrs. Somerville, Dalkeith; Mrs. Forbes, Loanhead; Mrs. D. Greig, Mrs. Erskine Murray, Miss Greig, Mrs. Lindsay, Miss Barton and Mrs. A. Campbell, Glasgow; Miss Simpson, Miss Caldwell, Portobello; Mrs. M'Kinnel, Dumfries; Mrs. M'Cormick, Manchester; Miss Burton, Liberton; Miss Balgarnie, Scarborough; Miss A.S. Smith, Gorebridge; Miss Drew, Helensburgh; Miss Blair, Girvan; Mrs. Smith, Mrs. F. Smith, Bothwell.

[558] Miss Helen Taylor, Mrs. Lucas, Mrs. Fawcett, London; Mrs.

Thoma.s.son, Bolton; Miss Orme, Miss Jane Cobden, Miss C. A. Biggs, Mrs. Fenwick-Miller, Mrs. Ashton Dilke, London; Mrs. Hallet, Bath; Miss Becker, Manchester; Miss Priestman, Bristol; Mrs. Helen Bright Clark, Street, Somersetshire; Miss Muller, London; Mrs. Eva M'Laren, Bradford; Mrs. Charles M'Laren, London; Mrs. Pochin, Bodnant, Conway; Mrs. Campbell, Tilliechewan Castle; Mrs.

Charteris, Edinburgh; Mrs. Edward Caird, Mrs. Young, Mrs. Kinnear, Mrs. A. B. M'Grigor, Glasgow; Mrs. Arthur, Barshaw, Paisley; Mrs.

Readdie, Perth; Miss Birrel, Cupar; Mrs. Dunn, Aberdeen; Miss Duncan, Foxhall; Miss Chalmers, Slateford; Miss Smith, Linlithgow; Miss Macrobie, Bridge of Allan; Mrs. Ritchie, Mrs. Greenlees, Glasgow; Mrs. Ord, Nesbit, Kelso; Mrs. Gordon, Nairn; Mrs. Gerrard, Aberdeen; Miss Stoddart, Kelso; Mrs. Robertson, Paisley; Miss Maitland, Corstorphine.

[559] EDINBURGH.--The first resolution was moved by Miss Tod and seconded by Mrs. Scatcherd:

_Resolved_, That this meeting, whilst thanking the 110 Liberal members who signed the memorial to Mr. Gladstone to the effect that no measure of reform would be satisfactory which did not recognize the claims of women householders, trusts that since the bill unjustly excludes them, these members will be faithful to the convictions expressed in that memorial, and will support any amendment to the bill which has for its object the enfranchis.e.m.e.nt of duly qualified women.

The second resolution, a memorial to Mr. Gladstone, was moved by Miss Flora Stevenson, member of the Edinburgh school-board, seconded by Mrs. McLaren and supported by Miss Florence Balgarnie and Mrs. Ormiston Chant. The third resolution, the adoption of pet.i.tions, was moved by Miss S. S. Mair, a grand-niece of Mrs.

Siddons, and Mrs. Lindsay of Glasgow.

BATH, GUILD HALL.--Presided over by the mayor. Among other speakers were Mrs. Beddoe, Miss Becker, Mrs. Jeffrey and Mrs. Ashworth Hallet.

NEWCASTLE, TOWN HALL.--Followed on April 21, under the presidency of the mayor. The crowd was so great that an overflow meeting had to be arranged. The speakers were Mrs. Ashton Dilke, Miss Tod, Mrs.

Eva McLaren and Mrs. Scatcherd. The audience was largely composed of miners and working people, and the enthusiasm manifested was striking. A Newcastle paper reports that this was the first occasion on which Mrs. Ashton Dilke had appeared in public since her husband's death, and tears glistened in many eyes as the men who were his const.i.tuents welcomed her among them once more. Some miners walked twelve miles to hear her and twelve miles back after the meeting, who had to go down the pit at 3 o'clock next morning.

Some could not get in, and pleaded piteously for an overflow meeting. "We have come a long way to hear Mistress Dilke; do bring her." Some women after hearing Miss Tod said: "She's worth hearing twice, is that," and insisted on following her to the overflow meeting.

LONDON, ST. JAMES HALL.--Three days later there was a great meeting presided over by Sir Richard Temple G. C. S. I., and addressed by Mr. W. Summers, M. P., Mrs. Fawcett, the Rt. Hon. Jas. Stansfeld, M. P., Mrs. Charles McLaren, Mr. Woodall, M. P., Mr. J. Rankin, M.

P., Miss Tod, Mr. J. R. Hollond, M. P., Viscountess Harberton and Miss Jane Cobden.

[560] The result is as follows:

No. of Inhabited Estimated No. of Houses. Women Householders.

ENGLAND AND WALES.

Boroughs, 2,098,476 340,746 Counties, 2,733,043 390,434 ----------4,831,519 --------740,180 SCOTLAND.

Boroughs, 329,328 54,888 Counties, 409,677 58,525 --------739,005 -------113,413 IRELAND.

Boroughs, 129,837 21,339 Counties, 784,571 98,034 --------914,108 -------119,373 ------- 972,966

[561] Signed by Eveline Portsmouth (Countess of Portsmouth), E. P.

Verney (Lady Verney), Florence Nightingale, Anne J. Clough (Newham College), Clara E. L. Rayleigh (Lady Rayleigh), Selina Hogg (Lady Hogg), Anna Swanwick, Julia Camperdown (Countess of Camperdown), Mina E. Holland, (Mrs. John Holland), (Lady) Dorothy Nevill, Millicent Garrett Fawcett, Helen P. Bright Clark, Jane E. Cobden, Elizabeth Adelaide Manning, M. Power (Lady Power), Louisa Colthurst (Dowager Lady Colthurst), Frances E. Hoggan, M. D., Florence Davenport Hill (Poor-law Guardian), Louisa Twining (Poor-law Guardian), Maryanne Donkin (Poor-law Guardian), Rosamond Davenport Hill (M. L. S. B.), Mary Howitt, Maria G. Grey, Emily A. E.

Shireff, Deborah Bowring (Lady Bowring), Emily Pfeiffer, Barbara L.

S. Bodichon, Augusta Webster, Catherine M. Buckton, Frances M. Buss (North London Collegiate School), Sophia Bryant, B. Sc., Malvira Borchardt (Head Mistress of Devonport High School), Louisa Boucherett, Jessie Boucherett, Margaret Byers (Ladies' Collegiate School, Belfast), Ellice Hopkins.

[562] Mrs. Lucas presiding, Dr. Garrett Anderson, Miss Becker, Miss Orme, Mrs. Beddoe, Mrs. Scatcherd, Mrs. Eva M'Laren, Mrs. Simc.o.k, Mrs. Stanton Blatch, Mrs. Louisa Stevenson, Miss Balgarnie, Miss Muller, Miss Wilkinson, Mrs. Ashworth Hallett, Miss Tod.

[563] Miss Muller's spirited protest against taxation without representation, owing to her official reputation as a member of the London school-board, attracted unusual attention. For some time she kept her doors barred against the coa.r.s.e minions of the law, but ultimately they entered the house, seized her goods and carried them off to be sold at public auction, but they were bought in by friends next day. Miss Charlotte E. Hall and Miss Babb have protested and resisted taxation for many years.

It is probable that Miss Muller's example will be followed by many others next year. This quiet form of protest used to be very generally followed by members of the society of Friends, and must command the sympathy of our co-workers in the United States, who date their national existence from their refusal to submit to taxation without representation.--[E. C. S.

[564] The bill was prepared and brought in by Mr. Woodall, Mr.

Illingworth, Mr. Coleridge Kennard, Mr. Stansfeld, Mr. Yorke and Baron Henry de Worms.

[565] _Central Committee of the National Society for Women's Suffrage_--Mrs. Ashford (Birmingham), Miss Lydia E. Becker (Manchester), Alfred W. Bennett, esq., M. A., Miss Caroline Ashurst Biggs, Miss Helen Blackburn, Miss Jessie Boucherett, Hon. Emmeline Canning, Miss Frances Power Cobbe, Miss Jane Cobden, Miss Courtenay, Leonard Courteny, esq., M. P., Mrs. Cowen (Nottingham), Miss Mabel Sharman Crawford, Mrs. Ashton Dilke, Hon. Mrs. Maurice Drummond (Hampstead), Mrs. Millicent G. Fawcett, Miss Agnes Garrett, Rev. C. Green (Bromley), Mrs. Ashworth Hallett (Bristol), Viscountess Harberton, Thomas Hare, esq., Mrs. Ann Maria Haslam (Dublin), Frederick Hill, esq., Mrs. John Hollond, Mrs. Frank Morrison, C. H. Hopwood, esq., Q. C., M. P., Mrs. John Hullah, Coleridge Kennard, esq., M. P., Mrs. Margaret Bright Lucas, Mrs. E.

M. Lynch, Robert Main, esq., Mrs. Laura Pochin McLaren, Mrs. Eva Muller McLaren (Bradford), Mrs. Priscilla Bright McLaren (Edinburgh), Miss Henrietta Muller, Frederick Pennington, esq., M.

P., Mrs. F. Pennington, Miss Reeves, Mrs. Saville, Miss Lillie Stacpole, Rev. S. A. Steinthal (Manchester), J. S. Symon, esq., Miss Helen Taylor, Sir Richard Temple, G. C. S. I.; J. P.

Thoma.s.son, esq., M. P., Mrs. Katherine Lucas Thoma.s.son (Bolton), Miss Isabella M. Tod (Belfast), Miss Williams, William Woodall, esq. M. P. _Secretary_, Miss Florence Balgarnie. _a.s.sistant Secretary_, Miss Torrance. _Organizing Agent_, Miss Moore.

_Treasurer_, Mrs. Laura Pochin McLaren. _Office_, 29 Parliament street, London S. W.

CHAPTER LVII.

CONTINENTAL EUROPE.[566]

BY THEODORE STANTON.

If you would know the political and moral status of a people, demand what place its women occupy.--[L. AIMe MARTIN.

There is nothing, I think, which marks more decidedly the character of men or of nations, than the manner in which they treat women.--[HERDER.

The Woman Question in the Back-ground--In France the Agitation Dates from the Upheaval of 1789--International Women's Rights Convention in Paris, 1878--Mlle. Hubertine Auclert Leads the Demand for Suffrage--Agitation began in Italy with the Kingdom--Concepcion Arenal in Spain--Coeducation in Portugal--Germany: Leipsic and Berlin--Austria in Advance of Germany--Caroline Svetla of Bohemia--Austria Unsurpa.s.sed in contradictions--Marriage Emanc.i.p.ates from Tutelage in Hungary--Dr. Henrietta Jacobs of Holland--Dr. Isala van Diest of Belgium--In Switzerland the Catholic Cantons Lag Behind--Marie Goegg, the Leader--Sweden Stands First--Universities Open to Women in Norway--a.s.sociations in Denmark--Liberality of Russia toward Women--Poland--The Orient--Turkey--Jewish Wives--The Greek Woman in Turkey--The Greek Woman in Greece--An Unique Episode--Woman's Rights in the American Sense not known.

The reader of the preceding pages will be sorely disappointed if he expects to find in this brief chapter a similar record of progress and reform. If, however, he looks simply for an earnest of the future, for a humble beginning of that wonderful revolution in favor of women which has occurred in the United States, and to a less degree in England, during the past quarter of a century, his expectations will be fully realized. More than this; he will close this long account of woman's emanc.i.p.ation in the new world convinced that in due season a similar blessing is to be enjoyed by the women of the old world.

For the moment, the woman question in Europe is pushed into the background by the all-absorbing struggle still going on in various forms between the republican and monarchical principle, between the vital present and the moribund past; but the most superficial observer must perceive, that the amelioration of the lamentable situation of European womanhood is sure to be one of the first problems to come to the front for resolution, as soon as liberty gains undisputed control on this continent,--a victory a.s.sured in the not-distant future. When men shall have secured their rights, the battle will be half won; women's rights will follow as a natural sequence.

The most logical beginning for a sketch of the woman movement on the continent, and indeed of any step in advance, is of course France, where ideas, not facts, stand out the more prominently; for, in questions of reform, the abstract must always precede the concrete,--public opinion must be convinced before it will accept an innovation. This has been the _role_ of France in Europe ever since the great revolution; it is her _role_ to-day. She is the agitator of the old world, and agitation is the lever of reform.

[Ill.u.s.tration: George Sand]

The woman movement in France dates from the upheaval of 1789.

Though the demands for the rights of man threw all other claims into the shade, a few women did not fail to perceive that they also had interests at stake. Marie Olympe de Gouges, for example, in her "Declaration of the Rights of Woman," vindicated for her s.e.x all the liberties proclaimed in the famous "Declaration of the Rights of Man." During the empire and the restoration the reform slept; under the July monarchy there was an occasional murmur, which burst forth into a vigorous protest when the revolution of 1848 awakened the aspirations of 1789, and George Sand consecrated her talent to the cause of progress. During the second empire, in spite of the oppressive nature of the government, the movement took on a more definite form; its advocates became more numerous; and men and women who held high places in literature, politics and journalism, spoke out plainly in favor of ameliorating the condition of French women. Then came the third republic, with more freedom than France had enjoyed since the beginning of the century. The woman movement felt the change, and, during the past ten years, its friends have been more active than ever before.

The most tangible event in the history of the question in France is the International Woman's Rights Congress, the first international gathering of the kind, which a.s.sembled in Paris in the months of July and August during the exposition season of 1878. The committee which called the congress contained representatives from six different countries, viz.: France, Switzerland, Italy, Holland, Russia and America. Among the eighteen members from France were two senators, five deputies and three Paris munic.i.p.al councilors. Italy was represented by a deputy and the Countess of Travers, an indefatigable friend of the undertaking, who died just before the opening of the congress. The American members of the committee were Julia Ward Howe, Mary A. Livermore and Theodore Stanton. Among the members[567] of the congress, besides those just mentioned, were deputies, senators, publicists, journalists, and men and women of letters from all parts of Europe. Sixteen different organizations in Europe and America sent delegates. The National Woman Suffrage a.s.sociation was represented by Jane Graham Jones and Theodore Stanton, and the American Woman Suffrage a.s.sociation by Julia Ward Howe.

The work of the congress was divided into five sections, as follows: the historical, the educational, the economic, the moral, and the legislative. The congress was opened on July 25, by Leon Richer, its promoter and originator, and one of the most indefatigable friends of women's rights in France. He invited Maria Deraismes, an able speaker well known among Paris reformers, to act as temporary chairman. The next thing in order was the election of two permanent presidents, a man and a woman. The late M. Antide Martin, then an influential member of the Paris munic.i.p.al council, and Julia Ward Howe were chosen. Mrs. Howe, on taking the chair, made a short speech which was very well received; Anna Maria Mozzoni, of Milan, a most eloquent orator, followed; and then Genevieve Graham Jones advanced to the platform, and in the name of her mother, Jane Graham Jones, delegate of the National Woman Suffrage a.s.sociation, she conveyed to the congress messages of good-will from the United States. This address, delivered with much feeling, and appealing to French patriotism, was enthusiastically received. When Miss Jones had taken her seat, M. Martin arose, thanked the foreign ladies for their admirable words, and concluded in these terms: "In the name of my compatriots, I particularly return grat.i.tude to Miss Graham Jones for the eloquent and cordial manner in which she has just referred to France, and in turn, I salute republican America, which so often offers Europe examples of good sense, wisdom and liberty."

At the second session was read a long and eloquent letter from Salvatore Morelli,[568] the Italian deputy. Theodore Stanton read a paper ent.i.tled, "The Woman Movement in the United States." The third session was devoted to the educational phase of the woman question. Tony Revillon, who has since become one of the radical deputies of Paris, spoke, and Miss Hotchkiss presented an able report on "The Education of Women in America." After Miss Hotchkiss had finished, Auguste Desmoulins, now a member of the Paris munic.i.p.al council, offered, as president of the section, a resolution advocating the princ.i.p.al reforms--the same studies for boys and girls, and coeducation--demanded by Miss Hotchkiss. The resolution was carried without debate. Aurelia Cimino Folliero de Luna, of Florence, followed in a few remarks on the "Mission of Woman." Eugenie Pierre, of Paris, spoke on the "Vices of Education in Different Cla.s.ses of Society," and in closing complimented America in the highest terms for its progressive position on the woman question. In fact, the example of the United States was frequently cited throughout the proceedings of this congress, and the reformers of America may find some joy in feeling that their labors are producing fruit even in the old world.

At the last session of the congress, August 9, 1878, a permanent international committee was announced. France, England, Italy, Alsace-Lorraine, Switzerland, Germany, Holland, Sweden, Poland, Russia, Roumania and the United States are all represented on this committee.[569] The chief duties of this committee were to be the advancement of the reforms demanded by the congress and to issue the call for the next international gathering. The congress ended with a grand banquet on the evening of the last day's session, in which about two hundred guests partic.i.p.ated.

The present situation in France is full of interest and encouragement. There are societies, journals, and different groups of reformers all striving independently but earnestly to better the situation of French women politically, civilly, morally and intellectually. At the head of the agitation in favor of women's political rights stand Hubertine Auclert and her vigorous monthly, _La Citoyenne_[570]; the reformers of the code are lead by Leon Richer and his outspoken monthly, _Le Droit des Femmes_[571]; the movement in favor of divorce, which was crowned with success in the summer of 1884, is headed by Alfred Naquet in the senate, and finds one of its earliest and ablest supporters in Olympe Audouard; the emanc.i.p.ation of women from priestly domination--and herein lies the greatest and most dangerous obstacle that the reformers encounter--counts among its many advocates Maria Deraismes; woman's moral improvement, to be mainly accomplished by the abolition of legalized prost.i.tution, is demanded by Dr. and Mrs. Chapman and Emilie de Morsier; while the great uprising in favor of woman's education has such a host of friends and has already produced such grand results, that the brief limits of this sketch will permit neither an enumeration of the one nor the other.

The transition from France to Italy is easy and natural, for it is on the Cisalpine peninsula that Gallic ideas have always taken deeper root than elsewhere on the Continent, and, as might be expected, the Italian woman movement resembles in many respects that of which we have just spoken.

With the formation of the kingdom of Italy in 1870 began a well-defined agitation in favor of Italian women. The educational question was first taken up. Prominent among the women who partic.i.p.ated in this movement were Laura Mantegazza, the Marchioness Brigida Tanari, and Alessandrina Ravizza. Aurelia Cimino Folliero de Luna, who has devoted her whole life to improving the condition of her countrywomen, writes me from Florence on this subject. "Here it was," she says, "that the example of American and English women, who in this respect were our superiors, was useful to us. While we were still under foreign domination and ignorant of solidarity of s.e.x, they were free and united." The new political life produced a number of able women orators and writers, such as Anna Mozzoni, Malvina Frank, Gualberta Beccari, and many others. The last named founded at Venice _La Donna_, and in 1872 Aurelia Cimino Folliero de Luna established in Florence _La Cornelia_, which has since ceased to exist, while in 1882 Ernesta Napollon began at Naples the publication of the short-lived _L'Umanitario_, the youngest of a goodly list of journals which have done much to excite an interest in the woman question. The Italian government has generously seconded the efforts of the reformers. The code has been modified, schools have been established, the universities thrown open and courses in agriculture proposed.

But the most significant sign of progress in Italy was afforded by the great universal suffrage convention, held at Rome on February 11, 12, 1881. Anna Mozzoni, delegate to the convention from the Milan Society for the Promotion of Woman's Interests, of which she is the able president, made an eloquent appeal for woman suffrage and introduced a resolution to this effect which was carried by a good majority.[572] In 1876 a committee of the Chamber, of which the deputy Peruzzi was chairman, reported a bill in favor of conferring on women the right to vote on munic.i.p.al and provincial questions (_voto amministrativo_), a privilege which they had formerly enjoyed in Lombardy and Venice under Austrian rule. This bill was rentroduced in 1882 by the Depretis ministry and was reported upon favorably by the proper committee in June, 1884. It is believed that the proposition will soon become a law. If such is the case, Italian women will enjoy the same rights as Italian men in munic.i.p.al and provincial affairs, with this exception, that they will not be eligible to office in the bodies of which they are electors.[573] Aurelia Cimino Folliero de Luna, says:

I make no doubt that in a few years the question of the emanc.i.p.ation of women in Italy will be better understood; will be regarded from a more elevated standpoint and will receive a more general and greater support; for if we turn to the past, we shall be astonished at what has already been accomplished in this direction.