Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1852-11-06
Taxation without Representation.

The following protest based on the leading
principle OF 20, and written by lady extensive
ly and iavoraby known in this community, will
be read with much interest, as among the first
practical fruits of the woman's Rights move
mcnt. 1t will be easy enough to srccr at this
letter but its facts and argument, SO clearly and
sobcrly put, will have their effect on candid and
thinking mcn.- Lijerator,
To FRaDERio L. Tracy, Treasurer, and The is
SCISSORS and otter authorities ofAe city Of Bos-
ton, d@dths Caisens generally:
Harriet X. Hunt, physician, a native and per-
mancnt resident Of the city Of Boston, and for
many years a taxpayer therein, in making pay
mcnt of her city taxes for the coming year, bcgs
leave TO protest against the injustice and incqual
ity Of lcvying taxes upon women, and nt the
same time refusing them any voice or vote in
the imposition and expenditure Of the same.
The only classes of male persons required to
pay taxes, and not at the same time allowed
tho privilege of voting arc aliens and minors.
The objection in the case Of aliens is their sup
posed want Of interest in our institutions and
knowledge of them. The objection in the
case of minors is, the want OF sufficient under.
standing. These objections certainly cannot
apply to women, natives of the city, all of whose
property and interests are here, and who have
accumulated, by their own sngacity and indus
try, the very property on which they arc taxed
But this is not all the alien, by going through
the forms OF naturalization, the minor, on
coming Of age, obtains the right of voting; and
so long ms they continue to pay mere poll tax
of dollar and hall, they may continue to OK
crcisc it, though 30 Ignorant rs not to be able to
siJn their names, or read the very votes ;hey
pu: iuto the ballot-boxcs. Even drunkards. !
ielons, idiots and lunOtcs, if men, may still en-
JOY that right of voting, to which no woman
however large the amount of taxes she paws, !
however respectable her character or useful
her life, can ever attain. Wherein, your re-
monstrant would inquire, is the justice, equal
ity or wisdom of thisi That the rights and
interests of the female part of the community
arc sometimes forgotten or disrcgarded, in con-
sequence of their deprivation of political rights,
is strkingly evinced, as appears to your rcmon-
strant, in the organization and administration Of
the city public schools. Though there arc open,
in this State and neighborhood, great multi
tude Of colleges and professional schools, for the
education of boys and young men, yet the city
has very properly provided two High Schools
of its own, one Latin the other English, at
which the male graduates of the Grammar school
may pursue their education still further ut the
public expense. And why is not like pro-
vision made for the girls; Why is the public
provision for their education stopped short just
as they have attained the age best fitted for
progress, and the preliminary knowledge ncccss-
airy to facilitate it, thus giving the advantage of
superior culture to ser, not to mind ; The fact
that our colleges and professional schools are
closed against females, of which your romon-
strant has had personal and painful experience
having been in the year 1917, after twelve years
Of medical practice in Boston, refused permis-
sion to attend the lectucs of Harvard Medical
Collcso-that fact would seem to furnish an
additional icason why the city should provide.
at its own expense, those means of superior cd.
ucotion which, by supplying our girls with oc-
cupation and objects of interest, would not only
save them from lives of frivolity and emptiness,
but which might open the way to many useful
aud lucrative pursuits, and so raise them above
that degrading dependence, so fruitful source of
female misery.
lsoservins a more full exposition Of the subject
for future occasions, your remons:rant, in pay
ing her tax the current year, bcgs leave to pro-
test against the injustice and inequalities above
pointed out.
This is respectfully submitted
HARRIET X. HUNT.
32 Green ST., Boston, Oct. Is, 1852,