thereof; those who have either sacrificed
themselves for their kindred, or have refused to sacrifice themselves to
that longing to marry at all risks of which women are so often and so
unmanly accused.

Be all this as it may, every man is bound to bear in mind, that over this
increasing multitude of 'spinsters,' of women who are either
self-supporting or desirous of so being, men have, by mere virtue of
their sex, absolutely no rights at all. No human being has such a right
over them as the husband has (justly or unjustly) over the wife, or the
father over the daughter living in his house. They are independent and
self-supporting units of the State, owing to it exactly the same
allegiance as, and neither more nor less than, men who have attained
their majority. They are favoured by no privilege, indulgence, or
exceptional legislation from the State, and they ask none. They expect
no protection from the State save that protection for life and property
which every man, even the most valiant, expects, since the carrying of
side-arms has gone out of fashion. They prove themselves daily, whenever
they have simple fair play, just as capable as men of not being a burden
to the State. They are in fact in exactly the same relation to the State
as men. Why are similar relations, similar powers, and similar duties
not to carry with them similar rights? To this question the common sense
and justice of England will have soon to find an answer. I have
sufficient faith in that common sense and justice, when once awakened, to
face any question fairly, to anticipate what that answer will be.

* * * * *

_Spottiswoode & Co._, _Printers_, _New-street Square and_ 30 _Parliament
Street_.

Footnotes:

{3} 'The Subjection of Women.' By John Stuart Mill.--'Woman's Work and
Woman's Culture.' Edited by Josephine Butler.--'Education of Girls, and
Employment of Women.' By W. B. Hodgson, LD.D.--'On the Study of Science
by Women.' By Lydia Ernestine Becker. (_Contemporary Review_, March
1869.)

***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WOMEN AND POLITICS***

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