MEETING OF FEMALE CHARTISTS.

ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

MEETING OF FEMALE CHARTISTS.

MISS MARY ANNE WALKER'S SPEECH.

(From the Standard, October 19.) 1843

A MEETING of female Chartists was held on Monday evening, in the National Charter Association Hall, Old Bailey, for the purpose of forming a "Female Chartist Association," to co-operate with the male association, and for other objects connected with the interests of "the people's charter."

On the motion of Miss Susanna Inge, seconded by Mrs. Wyatt, Mr. Carey was called to the chair.

After a suitable address from Mr. Ridey, in which he commented on the present state of women, and pointed to the position which, according to his judgment, she ought to occupy in society, elevating her thoughts to political aspirations.

Mr. Cohen expressed the high degree of satisfaction which he had received from Mr Ridley's address, but could not help saying that woman, in his (Mr Cohen's) opinion, would be more in her proper character and station at home, where she was the pride and ornament of " the domestic hearth," than in the political arena (sensation among the ladies ) He acknowledged the high and useful talents of Miss Martineau , but he did not consider that nature intended woman to partake of political rights She was not, physically considered, intended for it. He had the highest respect for the character of woman, and sense of what was due to her in every point of consideration , but he would put it to the mothers present, whether they did not find themselves more happy in the peacefulness and usefulness of the domestic hearth than in coming forth in public, and aspiring after political rights, (hear, hear, murmurs, interruptions, and cries of "Order.")

Mr. Salmon, jun., said, that Mr. Cohen's object was to throw "cold water" on the meeting (hear, hear, from the ladies, and cries of " No, no," from Mr. Cohen.)

Miss Susanna Inge, secretary to the association, should like to ask Mr. Cohen why he considered women not qualified to vote, if they were not qualified to fill public offices (hear, hear) ? It did not require much "physical force" to vote ('hear, and applause.)

Mr. Cohen would, with all humility and respect, ask the young lady what sort of office she would aspire to fill ? (Order, order.) If she would fill one, she would fill all. He was not going to treat the question with ridicule, (hear hear), he would ask her to suppose herself in the House of Commons, as member for a parliamentary borough (laughter), and that a young gentleman " a lover," in that house, were to try to influence her vote through his sway over her affection, how would she act ? whether, in other words, she could resist, and might not lose sight of the public interests ? (Order, order.) He, (Mr. Cohen), wished to be in order. He was for maintaining the "social rights" of women. "Political rights," such as he understood that meeting to aspire to, she could never, in his opinion, attain.

Miss Mary Anne Walker was astonished at the question put by Mr. Cohen, and at the remarks made by that gentleman (hear, hear). She repudiated, with indignation, the insinuation that if women were in parliament, any man, be he husband, or be he lover, would dare be so base as to attempt to sway her from the strict line of duty ("hear, hear," cries of "bravo" from the men, and much applause). She would treat with womanly scorn, as a contemptible scoundrel, the man who would dare to influence her vote by any undue and unworthy means (cheers from the men), for if he were base enough to mislead her in one way, he would in another ("hear, hear," and renewed cheers). The events which were at that moment taking place in the north, where their sisters and brothers were being cruelly, and unjustly transported, or else plunged into dismal and pestiferous dungeons, (or no other cause than standing up for their rights and demanding bread to appease their hunger and save themselves from dying of starvation in their native land, were unfortunately of a nature to drag woman from her retirement, and call upon her to lift up her voice against such deeds (great cheering from the men, and cries of "Bravo, Miss Walker," and "hear, hear," from the ladies). As for Lord Abinger—(hisses), he was unworthy of the name of " man," and unfit to represent the interests of either man or woman. His lordship had said, that "the Chartists wanted to get the power into their hands to make all the laws themselves." She (Miss Mary Anne flung back the malignant falsehood with all the scorn it merited (cheers from the men, and "hear, hear," accompanied by waving of handkerchiefs by the ladies). The spirited young lady, who spoke with great warmth, and suited the action to the word, after passing some additional censure on his lordship, and touching on a variety of other points connected with the objects of the meeting, declared herself a Chartist in name and feeling ; and having appealed to her fellow-countrywomen to "come out" in favour of the Charter, and, however ungrammatical in their language, not to be dismayed by any shafts of ridicule that might be pointed against them, concluding by giving them the encourageing hope that if it were only from the curiosity to hear "a woman" speak, the young men would come out and speak to them (laughter, and long-continued applause, amidst which Miss Mary Anne Walker resumed her seat.

Mr. Charles M'Carthy bore historical testimony to the heroic and patriotic deeds performed by women, after which the thanks of the meeting were proposed by Mrs. Costello, and seconded by Mrs. Windeler, to Mr. Ridley, for his very excellent address. Thanks were also unanimously and enthusiastically accorded to Miss Mary Anne Walker, who, in acknowledging the compliment, called on the ladies present to enrol their names in favour of the national charter, assuring them and the gentlemen that the more numerous the enrolment, the more marked would be the expression of thanks to her, and the more worthy of her estimation (loud cheers), after which the meeting terminated.—Dublin Weekly Register, October, 22

s.m.h.1843 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article60276717