The Lord Chancellor replied with the thin-end-of-the- wedge argument. "The
question at issue was not less momentous than this,—whether or not, for all purposes and in respect of all political power, distinction of sex or disqualification of sex should be maintained." We are quite as strongly opposed to women receiving the Parlia- mentary suffrage or to their sitting in the House of Commons as Lord Halsbury, but we must protest against such exaggerated language as this. The matter before the House, as Lord Salisbury saw clearly, was solely "a point of convenience." Should the new Borough Councils be treated as regards women representatives as if they were Vestries or District Boards, or as if they were Municipal Councils? We should not support the election of women on ordinary Town Councils, but we think it would have been quite reasonable to have treated the London Borough Councils as District Councils, especially as women are excluded from the London County Council. When the division was taken the numbers were 182 against allowing women to sit, and 68 in their favour, —majority against, 114.
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