The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1870-06-23

the Cincinnati Times says Sam. Cox
is one of the cleyerest men in the
House, albeit he is Democrat. His
sallies of wit, genuine humor, are
wont to set the House in roar, and
on no subject is he more happy than
the tariff. He has made some good
speeches in Committee of the Whole,
as well as in the House, while that
subject was under general debate.
Here is the way that Cox protests
against the tax on corsets: a't
There is q bill before the House OF
Representatives reported by Messrs.
Schenck, Kelley, Blair, Mccarthy,
Hooper and Maynard, to impose a
national tax OH corsets and hoop skirts.
Against this tax the free women of
America should promptly protest. Is
there to be nothing too sacred for the
searching hand of the tax-gatherer !?
Is there no limit to the search of the
, assessor? !? The Committee of Ways
and Means have already levied tax
on stockings and garters, and must the
privacy of woman be further invaded !?
If women have one right which men
are bound to respect more than an
other it is the privacy of the bosom
and the surroundings of their persons.
Did the Committee who reported
this bill know what they were doing !?
Did General Schenck intend to direct
the Commissioner of Customs and
his deputies to thrust a hand into
every gentle bosom and gather a tax
therefrom Did he know that this
was reverse of all the tax laws of
mankind in every age and in every
cline? sI--
We know that iron has long since
entered the soul of Kelley, and that
he devotes his energies to steel, but
had the man mother? Had he ever
a sweetheart? And did he know that
he was placing tax around the fonts
of human life? Did any member of
the Committeeman raised on bottle
Willingly propose to collect this ad
Ualorem tax in districts rendered dear
to human memory since Eve nursed
her first born, or Winnie Ream shaped
the bust of Helen? Had Mr.. Hoop
er no recollection of early days, when
it was bliss to rest his head upon. a
heart all fondly his own? And could
he, recollecting this, propose to per-
init the tax-gatherer to extort revenue
from the hallowed spot? Let him ask
himself what would have been his
feelings had he discovered his darling
in tears, and found that her distress
was because she had not paid her cor
set tax ra E aF -
Are there no men in Congress who
| will lift their voices in favor of un-
taxed corsets and untaxed hoops !?
Will General Farnesworth be silent
while this outrage is pefpetrating,,
and vote to tax the vestments that en-
close the shrines of beauty, purity and
! love? Will the stalwart hero from
Massachusetts (Mr. Butler) vote this
tax, and thereafter look any woman
straight in the face? Will he, who
has identified woman's vocation with
Jomini's art of war, wear this outrage
on his sleeve for davis to peck at? 2
Will Mungen not point out to the
Democratic party the duty of repudi-
ating tax so atrocious? Will the gen.
tleman from Onondaga (Mr. McCar-
thy, in his zeal TO protect salt, impose
this tax on the great daries of nature? !?
Will the great champions of American
labor and production vote for this bill
to encircle with specific and ad ualo-
rem taxes the infant manufactures of
the land? .....-.- --
It will not do to say that the House
is not aware that corsets and hoops
are of universal use. Members know
that the Treasury Department can fur
nish all needed information on this
subject. H1.f.,a
The women of America have no
representation, and they have right
to protest against this unprecedented
taxation. They have submitted to be
taxed npon their shoes and slippers,
their hosiery, their dresses, their
shawls, hats and feathers, and every
bit of lace and ribbon; but there is a
limit to even female submission.
Around the sanctuary of their corsets
they will draw the line. Shall there
be tax placed upon those emotions
and throbbings which have been the
delight of men of all ages? The tax
should be resisted, and tyrant man be
taught that the hand which seeks rev.
enue in that quarter may find the re-
volYer and the dagger. 1t only re-
quired Marat to produce Charlotte
Corday, and the Schencks and Kelleys
may read that history with profit. Let
the Women's Convention take action.
Let them add to the demand for the
ballot the cry of Free corsets! free
hoopsp and until they gain the latter,
let the men who vote this tax be
denied all knowledge of female habili-
ments, save what they get from the
clothes line.
--~sS.-
THE Albany ArQIs presents the tax
payers of the country with this most
agreeable calculation, by which they
can more fully comprehend the enor-
nifty of the national debt which op-
presses them: "The heart is six
inches and four-tenths in diameter,
and beats seventy times per minute,
$4,000 times per hour, 10O,S00 per day
36, rs, 900 times per year, and $685.
10000 times in three score and ten.-
The debt of the country resulting
from the war being twenty-five hun