The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-01-14
An Interesting Case,
TAXATION WITHOUT REPREsENTATION-ABBY
SMITHS Cows SOLD FOR TAXES

The following letter appears in the Spring
field Republican of Monday:
GLASTONBURY, CT JAN, 8, 1874.
This day has witnessed a TRANSACTION never
before seen in this town or in any other, 1 am
sure, in all New England.
We walked, at noon, two or three houses
above us to see the cattle let out of the pen.
By orders OF the collector, the cows-seven of
them-had been huddled into a space of Is
feet by IL measured by my sister, and tied up
for seven days and nights together; ALWAYS
having had their freedom before. 1t was a
tobacco-shed, and the owner had to bring them
voter from pals, drawn from well at some
distance. We saw twenty-one pails-full car
rled at one time. He did the best he could under
the circumstances. The collector could not
have let them out well knowing that it would
take the whole authority of the town to ever
contine them there again. Mr.. K, our tenant.
had to take the MILK for the sensitive vonng
wife of the tobacco-shed owner declared that .
drop OF that milk should never come into her
house, for 1T seemed to her just as if it were
stolen. Mrs. K. said, yesterday, that the cows
had failed, by two-thirds, of their milk sin ce
they were taken from our yard
The procession soon started, headed by the
collector (who is also constablel leading the
best COW; the others, driven by four men with a
dog and drum; several teams; and we in the
rear in a wagon with Mr.. and Mrs. X. We in
tended to walk together alone, but Mr.. X. in
sisted upon our riding, as his wife was determ-
ined to go with us. Mrs. X. remarked on the
way that it appeared like funeral, There
were about 40 men at the sign-pOst, VINO bid so
low that Mr., x. was forced to speak for the four
best, below their value, which covered the tax
anu expenses, leaving the three smallest. All
M Mouia nave been sacrificed for it was evident
r r the pias that they intended to get them
Ior d song. Not man came to sneak tn ms
~ was remarked by one who liked the business
tnat the whole town was against ms We
| thought we mad many friends, as we have haen
treateo with the greatest outward respect. as If
| we were complete with only one failing a. :
of not paying our taxes, this winter. We world
not have believed the town could thus perse.
| cute women who were born and bred here
| among the oldest and most law-abdipg of its
| citizens, who have never refrained from visit
| ing the sick and distressed throughout the
whole town, watching through long nights in
novels where no one was willing to enter: and
those, too, who have paid the most money into
the towns treasury. We understand there is
now due $1,000 for taxes from voters, who are
| released by paying IL per cent interest, and we
] pleaded for the same indulgence; but we were
| women, and had no power. 1t will not do to
| offend voter.
We know not what they will do when the
March tax is claimed, but must not now be sur
prised at anything. They say personal estate
must be seized firsl, and we greatly fear thew
will ransack our house, tear up our carpets and
I take ornamental things. the work of lament
| ed sister, and her fine paintings.-for she was
an artist My sister says her feelings will not
| be SO much tried as by the sufferings of her
cows She has interested herself in sedentarv
pursuits. having translated and written out the
whole Bible, three times with her own hand.
from the Hebrew, Greek and Latin, and needs
outdoor exercise. She says now she can no