Page:The Enfranchisement of Women, the law of the land.pdf/21

21 vir of 1832 changed into the homo of 1867 Why was the term "male" specifying gender transformed into the word "man" signifying species, and comprehending humanity at large—the whole race? Had the transition no meaning? Was it entirely per incuriam that the most important clause of an Act of literally incommensurable significancy, was thrown off at a heat, by the great inquest of the nation? It is a palpable inference, incapable of avoidance,that this marked deviation from the terminology of the leading and principal Act had an object. And what other purpose could it be designed to serve than that for which I contend? It is in harmony with the whole genius and spirit of the nation. Selden, in his "Epinomis," states, among the Britons "women had prerogative in deliberative sessions touching either peace, government, or martial affairs." We choose a queen to govern us. Scotch and English of us have always disowned the Salique law. Our Augustan age was that of a female, who took an active part in ruling her empire,and brought it to a point of greatness it never before had reached. As a rule, where it has been a custom for women to pretermit the discharge of public duties which by reason of their property, residence, or descent the owners had, a right to exercise, it has been simply on account of want of interest in the function, or by exemption, not by reason of exclusion or disqualification. In the election for Gatton the "Commons Journal" records that "Mrs. Copley et omnes inhabitantes returned." Heywood, in his "County Elections," quotes the following return: "Know ye me, the said Dame Dorathe Packyngton (tenant in dower of the town of Aylesburye), to have chosen and appointed Thomas Lichfield and George Burden, Esquires, to be my burgesses of my said town of Aylesburye, and whatsoever the said Thomas and George shall doe in the present Parliament,I do ratify and approve to be my own act." In the election for Lyme, Luders observes, a list of Burgenses sive liberi tenentes was put in, and included Elizabetha fila Thomas Hyatt, Crispina Bowden vidua, Alicia Toller vidua, and the names also of several men. In another list of liberi homines five names of women occur. Mark—when the woman returns to the status of feme sole, her right revives. This was in the nineteenth of Elizabeth. In the twenty-first, in a similar roll of liberi burgenses