On this day in 1854, Mary Littlebale wrote to Boston’s Board of Aldermen to protest against th
On this day in 1854, Mary Littlebale wrote to Boston’s Board of Aldermen to protest against the “taxation without representation” of Massachusetts women. Littlebale argued that the practice of taxing women who could not vote flew in the face of the principles laid out in the Declaration of Independence as well as the Massachusetts Bill of Rights. She wrote “On what ground are the women of this Commonwealth called upon to bear any portion of the public burden while denied by her statues the concomitant right of Suffrage?” After arguing against common arguments against women’s suffrage, Littlebale ended her letter, “I demand of your justice exemption from these taxes enforced without my consent and in defiance of the principles of our Constitution.” We know that LIttlebale’s letter was received by the Board of Aldermen and filed, but we don’t have any record of their response to her. Women in Massachusetts did not gain full suffrage until 1920. Read her entire letter above. Docket 1854-0166-A Proceedings of the City Council, Collection 0100.001, Boston City Archives . -- source link
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