SIR WM. FITZHERBERT ON MANHOOD SUFFRAGE.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 926, 30 May 1878, Page 2

SIR WM. FITZHERBERT ON MANHOOD SUFFRAGE.

['New Zealand Times;"-]'. Mil Johjt Rush asked Sir WmFitzherbert what his views regarding- mAiihooci suffrage were ?f Sir Wm. Fitzherbert, m reply, said : Well I dp not know a prettier sounding term than " manhood suffrage. 1 ' Why counne it? Why bs 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 ! J do not see why the -right to vote should n)t be held by women. The truth is this,: the ciy of manhood suffrage is a catchpenny,; but. l will be the laat to turn the ■ cry into, ridicule. If it is the creed, honestly believed, that a man,' wLatever he has been, may bo allowed to climb up to the highest position on the. ladder, ; I shall ""support it to . the best ; of my ".ability. Tha t is what I have always advocated, and I do not believe there ia: any. one who has sta'tecHhat to be liis "ci'L-ecl m6re thoroughly and clearly than I have done. I is a mere catchpenny to say ' let us have -manhood suffrage,' when you do not want it. I have always gone m for democracy. I say that any man who is. honest m his behavior should J have the chances of rising to.thej highest point. „ .1 believe ,iiu true manhood suffrage, but I- do not believe m ' loaferhood. .; suffrage' -m conjunction with manhood suffrage. I say that the rich and overgrown people are those who, if they could only got loaferhood suffrage, would rule you for ever. Avoid us long as you can any of those high sounding terms which are unaccompanied with the reality. If the manhood suffrage cry is a reality I support It, but if 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 nmn's a man for a' that," I will support it A man is a man who does the work of a man, and who m. trying circumstances shows himself to be a man:. A, ; man is a man who abhors cvnolty, j does not beat his wife, aud who j B at the Ijot'om a man. I say that •

intelligent, honest, and concientious male being is a nun, and he should ? luivo the Jdght to vote — aye, even btys&fflg&BM&&tyly eighteen years of r »ag^' fjsl^oulg like to see tho framjhijiypCTfeuded to those only who have] Pl||f d I||&msolves \o be meu, but proved that I do not ;wfm' tolratise them any voice ju the gPjVejlP&ent of the country. give the right promiscudiisly to claim the privilege of voting. 2STo less than twenty-«two-y.Gars«agOr.X.«was.asked-by Mr William Allen what my opinion about manhood .suffrage was. He asked me < , ,/w;hejtJier,^ ;. I -would support it, j and.. I said, "Certainly not," until a man baa resided for a certain time m. a place and ( proved hjmself '.to be a good citizen.' /It is no^ however, hawked about that twenty- I we ytearo ago J told Mr Allan that I was m favor of manhood suffrage pure and simple. A. man will not live any length of time m a place if he cannot get & living there. .As regards the lodger franchise I say it is a proper one, and I must say ! ? iP- cannot see any** reason .why , women should not ! have yoles. \ '.l'^.jfj a woman be intelligent/ enough , to. giv£ counsel; m \ the; 1 ordinary . a ( ffairs of life, she is, intelligent enough to have a voice m the government of the country. But I. \;a"skr; of you not to -allow yourselves to oe blindly and thoughtlessly , led ,a\vay by a mere catch wpr4;k o /i&}V' c vp^te^ to unworthy people. „;,<»-.;?■