of
this custom. They accordingly presented themselves to the surveyor of
the highway with hoes in their hands, and demanded to be set to work.
The good surveyor was sorely puzzled; such a thing as women working
out their taxes, had never been heard of, and yet the law made no
provision against it. He consulted his lawyer, who advised him that he
had no power to refuse. Accordingly the two brave women worked, and
worked well, in spreading sand and gravel, saved their pennies, and no
doubt felt all the better for their labor.

In the April Number, 1853, we find the following appeal to the
citizens of Massachusetts, on the equal political rights of woman:

FELLOW-CITIZENS:--In May next a Convention will assemble to
revise the Constitution of the Commonwealth.

At such a time it is the right and duty of every one to point out
whatever he deems erroneous and imperfect in that instrument, and
press its amendment on public attention.

We deem the extension to woman of all civil rights, a measure of
vital importance to the welfare and progress of the State. On
every principle of natural justice, as well as by the nature of
our institutions, she is as fully entitled as man to vote, and to
be eligible to office. In governments based on force, it might be
pretended with some plausibility, that woman being supposed
physically weaker than man, should be excluded from the State.
But ours is a government professedly resting on the consent of
the governed. Woman is surely as competent to give that consent
as man. Our Revolution claimed that taxation and representation
should be co-extensive. While the property and labor of women are
subject to taxation, she is entitled to a voice in fixing the
amount of taxes, and the use of them when collected, and is
entitled to a voice in the laws that regulate punishments. It
would be a disgrace to our schools and civil institutions, for
any one to argue that a Massachusetts woman who has enjoyed the
full advantage of all their culture, is not as competent to form
an opinion on civil matters, as the illiterate foreigner landed
but a few years before upon our shores--unable to read or
write--by no means free from early prejudices, and little
acquainted with our institutions. Yet such men are allowed to
vote.

Woman as wife, mother, daughter, and owner of