British Freewomen

Author : Charlotte Carmichael Stopes
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781330815359
Total Pages : 216 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (153 download)

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Download or read book British Freewomen written by Charlotte Carmichael Stopes and published by . This book was released on 2015-07-06 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Excerpt from British Freewomen: Their Historical Privilege In the spring of 1885, when planning to attend the British Association meeting in Aberdeen that summer, it struck me that I might prepare a paper on a Woman's Subject, and try to find an opportunity of reading it before the Section of Economics and Statistics there. The paper divided itself into two, which I carefully entitled - I. The History and Statistics of Woman's Privilege; and II. The Economic Effects of the Abstention of Women from Voting. They were, as might have been expected, both rejected. I was told that, though they formed valuable contributions to Constitutional History, the Committee felt they would certainly lead to political discussion, which must not be risked. At a public meeting in Aberdeen the same week, I gave a resume of my arguments, and the materials then collected I have frequently used since in Drawing-room Addresses, and in private conversation; in public papers, and in friendly correspondence. So many have been surprised at the facts, and interested in the results, that, at the present crisis, I thought it advisable to spend another six months in careful verification of details, and in grouping apparently disconnected data, so that their full import might be seen at a glance. My first authorities were Sydney Smith's ''Enfranchisement of Woman the Law of the Land" (1876), and Mr. Chisholm Anstev's Book and Papers on "The Representation of the People's Acts" (1876). Thence I went through the materials of Constitutional History, the Statutes, Rolls of Parliament, State Papers, Parliamentary Writs, journals of the House of Commons, Reports of Cases, Works on Law, History, and Archaeology, both printed and manuscript. Just as my paper was complete enough for the purpose in hand, M. Ostrogorski's book upon "Women's Rights'' appeared. But he had considered the question in regard to all women, I, only in regard to British Freewomen. He was the more general, I the more special, and I had noted several points which had escaped him in regard to the prime question of the day. I consulted Miss Helen Blackburn, Editor of the Englishwomans Review, and she urged me to bring out what I had prepared. She had always thought the work necessary, had intended to undertake it herself, when she could find leisure, and thought that now was the most fitting time to publish. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.