The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-11-04
TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION.

Miss Hunt lady who is distinguished as a
physician, and whose reputation as an adyo-
cate Of the rights of her sex is not cOnfn-
ed to our own country, handed the following
protest to our city Treasurer, yesterday, on
paying her taxes. We recommend the paper
tn our readers, AZ containing a clear and iorcl-
BILE statement which can lie more easily at
tackled with sneers than answered with argu-
ments
To Frederick U. TRACY Treasurer, and the As
SCISSORS, and other authorities Of the eity Of
Boston, and the citizen, generally.
Harriet X. Hunt physician, u native and
permanent resident Of the city of Boston, and
for many years a taxpayer therein, in making
payment OF her city taxes for the coming year,
begs leave to protest against the injustice and
inequality OF levying taxes upon women. and
at the Same time refusing them any voice or
vote in the imposition and expenditure of the
same The only classes Of male persons re-
qured to pay taxes, and not at the same time
allowed the privilege Of voting, are aliens and
minors. The objection in the case of aliens is,
their supposed want of interest in our institu
tons, and knowledge Of them. The objection
in case of minors is the want Of sufficient un-
Outstanding. These objections certainly can
not apply to women, natives of the city, all
whose property and interests are here, and
who have accumulated, by their own sagacity
and industry, the very property on which they
are taxed. But this is not all the alien by
going through the forms of naturalization the
minor on coming of age, obtain the right of
voting; and 80 long AZ they continue to pay
mere poll-tax Of u dollar and a halt, they may
continue to exercise it, though 20 ignorant AZ
not to be able to sign their names, or read the
Al Al. 1 II.
drunkards, f6ons, idiots, or lunatics if men,
may still enjoy that right of voting, to which
no woman, however large the amount of taxes
she pays, however respectable her character
or useful her life, can ever attain. Wherein,
your remonstrant would inquire, is the justice,
equality, or wisdom, of this That the rights
and interests of the female part of community
are sometimes forgotten or disregarded in con-
sequence of their deprivation of political rights,
is strikingy evnced, as appears to your re-
monstrant, in the organization and admins
tration of the city public schools. Though
there are open, in this State and neighborhood,
great multitude 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, ut which the male graduates Of
the Grammar Schools may pursue their educa-
ton still further ut the public expense. And
why is not Il like provision made for the girls!
Why IL the public provision for their education
stopped short, just us they have attained the
age best fitted for progress and the prelmina-
ry knowledge necessary to facilitate it, thus
giving the advantage Of superior culture to ser,
not to mindi The fact that our colleges and
professional schools are closed against females,
of which your remonstrant has had personal
and painful experience, having been in the
year lS47, after twelve years Of medical prac-
tice in Boston, refused permission to attend
the lectures of Harvard Medical College, that
fact would seem to furnish an additional rea-
son why the city should provide, at its own ex-
pense, those means of superior education which
by supplying our girls with occupation and OBJ
iects of interest would not only save them
from lives of frivolity and emptiness, but which
might open the way to many useful and lucra-
tive pursuits, and 81 raise them above that de-
grading Dependence 80 fruitful source Of fe-
male misery.
Reserving more full exposition of the sub
ject to future occasions, your remonstrant in
paying her tax for the current year begs leave
to protest against the mi Justice and inequalities
above pointed out This s respectfully sub
mtted HARRIoT X HUNT.
80 Green ST.. Boston, Oct. IS, 1852.