SIR WILLIAM FITZHERBERT ON MANHOOD SUFFRAGE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 534, 1 May 1878, Page 3

SIR WILLIAM FITZHERBERT ON MANHOOD SUFFRAGE.

■ We supplement the report of Sir William Fitzhevbort’s speech delivered at the tipper Hutt on Monday evening, which we published yesterday, by giving fully the honorable gentleman’s remarks on this subject. Mr. John Hush asked Sir Wm. Fi.tzherhert what his views regarding manhood suffrage Sir Wat. Fitzherbert, in reply, said : Well, I I do not know a prettier sounding term than" “ manhood suffrage.” Why confine it ? "V\fhy be so illiberal as to say that only men shall exercise it ? Manhood suffrage ! As if the only human beings on the face of the earth were men ! Ido not see why the right to vote should not be held by wemen. The truth is this: this cry of manhood suffrage is a catchpenny, but I will be the last : to turn the cry into ridicule. If it is the-creed, honestly believed, that a man, whatever he has been, may be allowed to climb up to the highest position on the ladder, I- shall support it :to the best of my ability. That is what I have always advocated, and I do not believe there is anyone who has stated that to be his creed more thoroughly and clearly than I have done. It is a mere catchpenny to say, “ let us have manhood suffrage,” while you do not want it; I have always gone in for democracy. I say that any man who is honest in his behavior should have the chances of rising to the highest point. I believe in true manhood suffrage, but I do not believe in “ loaferhood suffrage” in conjunction with manhood suffrage. I say that the rich and overgrown people are those who, if they could ouly get loaferhood suffrage, would rule you for ever. Avoid as long as you can any of these high sounding terms which are unaccompanied witli the reality. If the manhood suffrage cry is a reality I support it, but it it is a sham I do and will denounce it. If it is meant to apply to men such as Burns the poet referred to when he wrote “A man’s a man for a’ that,” I will support it. A man is a man who docs the work of a man, and who in trying circumstances shows himrolf to be a man. A man is a man who abhors cruelty, who does not beat his wife, and who is at the bottom a man. I say that every intelligent, honest, and conscientious male being is a mao, and he should have the right to vote—aye, even though he were only 18 years of age. I should like to see the franchise extended to those only who have proved themselves to be -men, but until they have proved that I do not want to give them any voice in the government of .the country. I would not give the right promiscuously to claim theprivilege of voting. No less than 22 years ago I was asked by Mr. William Allen what my opinion about manhood suffrage was. He asked me whether I would support it, and X said, “Certainly not until a man has resided for a certain time in a plane and proved himself to be a good citizen.” It is now, however,' hawked about that 2‘2 years ago I told Mr. Allen that ! was in favor of manhood suffrage pure and simple. A man will not live for any length of time in a place if he cannot get a living there. As regards the lodger franchise I say it is a proper one, and I must say I cannot see any reason why women should.not have votes. If a woman be intelligent enough to give counsel to her husband in regard to the ordinary affairs of life, she is intelligent enough to have a voice in the government of the country. But X ask of you not to allow yourselves to be blindly and thoughtlessly led away by a mere catchword to give votes to unworthy people.