Page:Wrong and Right Methods of Dealing with Social Evil - Elizabeth Blackwell (1883).djvu/74

64 therefore she can perfectly understand the consequences of her actions, and should be held legally responsible for consenting to debauchery. That thus marriage and fornication should stand on the same footing in the eye of the law.

These appear to be the only arguments used for lowering the age of protection.

Thus we find the bill for protection to fourteen, introduced April 14, 1875, was lowered on the second reading to the age of thirteen by a vote of 65 to 21. In the House of Lords, June 8th, Lord Coleridge says it is lawful, by the Common Law of England, for a woman to marry at twelve years, and he uses this as an argument for refusing protection against seduction at that age.

The Lords finally reduced the age of protection to twelve years, but the Commons restored it to the age of thirteen.

August 6, 1880. The Assaults on Young Persons Bill was introduced to raise the age of protection from twelve to thirteen.

August 12th, in Committee. Mr. Hastings (Chairman of Quarter Sessions) "trusted that the age of ten would be inserted instead of thirteen." "A child not quite twelve was actually pregnant when she came into the witness-box." "It would be very hard