Yesterday, at noon, Miss Muller's goods were distrained on her refusal to pay the Queen's taxes as a protest against her exclusion from representation in Parliament.
A writing-table and escritoire were seized by the sheriff's officers at her residence, Cadogan-place, and removed. The articles were appraised at ú19, the amount of the taxes with costs, and at this valuation they were offered to Miss Muller, to avoid removal, but she did not fall in with this proposal.
A crowd witnessed the removal, and a number of ladies and gentlemen who were present expressed their approval of Miss Muller's action. The officers were not interfered with in the discharge of their duty, although it was intended at one time to forcibly resist their entrance.
A meeting was held in Miss Muller's drawing room, at which a number of well-known advocates of woman suffrage, including Miss Todd, Miss Briggs, Mrs. Ashton Dilke, and Mrs. Thomasson, were present. Dr. George Hoggan presided.
Miss Babb expressed the hope that this occasion would be the beginning of a great movement throughout England. In 1871 she had allowed her things to be seized, and had continued the same process ever since, except for one year.
One lady had followed her example, but after a time she married. This was the most direct and most constitutional method in which they could protest against a great injustice. She had been told that if 30 ladies throughout the country did this, the measure of enfranchisement would speedily be carried. She sincerely hoped that by this time next year a large number would follow Miss Muller's example.
Miss Todd thought the greater the variety of modes in which the question was presented the better, and this was a very effectual mode. If Mr. Gladstone disliked it, then he could put an end to it by including women in the Franchise Bill. She proposed;- "That it is a principle in the English constitution that taxation without representation is tyranny, and it is desirable that many other ladies should follow the constitutional method so often adopted in English history of resisting the payment of taxes till the suffrage is granted to women on the same terms as it is granted to men, and we invite other householders to follow Miss Muller's example."
Miss Briggs seconded the resolution, and declared that this action would produce a strong impression in St. Stephen's. Miss Muller said it was always a difficult thing for a woman to set herself against existing authority and law, but the great reluctance she felt in taking this course was removed when the House of Commons and the Government and Mr. Gladstone himself made speeches and voted against granting the franchise to women.
When she heard the statement made in the House by the leaders of English legislation that Englishwomen of education, culture, and refinement were to wait until ignorant and besotted men, who had been behind the plough for ages, were enfranchised, her feelings and hesitation were changed, and she felt for the first time what a man felt when insulted who claimed satisfaction. (Cheers.) Every woman in England had been insulted, and the only way in which they could wipe the insult out was by giving blow for blow. (Cheers.)
The resolution was adopted, and a vote of thanks was passed to Miss Muller, on the motion of Miss Reece, seconded by Miss Bewicke.
.lcMiss Muller had her property confiscated because she refused to pay tax. She refused
because, since she did not have a vote, she had no say in how her taxes were spent. This is the same argument as was used by the American colonies when they fought Britain for independence in the 18th century. Miss Muller borrowed their argument and also their slogan: "No taxation without representation."
