Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1840-04-30

An Extraordinary and Important Moveme"
In Moral Reform---TremendOus revulsioh
to be expected In the Senate, Legislature,
Public Onices, Wall street and the Press.
We have received by express from Albany, the
following highly important document, beng the
first great movement towards important moral
reform, that has been made by any set OF legisia
tors in the country, since the creation OF the world
and the fall of Adam This splendid effort, has
been brought about entirely by the eNertions Of
the Herald and the efforts of the Female Moral
Reform Society in this city. Here is the document,
which is entitled
An Act TO SUPPRESS LicENTIoUsNEss.
drought in by Mr. Iayior)
The PEOPLE of the State of New-York, repres ented
in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows
Section /. Every person who shall commit the
crime of adultery, shall be punished by imprison-
ment in the state prison not more than three years,
or in the county fail than two years. er by
fine not exceeding five hundred dollars; and when
the crime is committed between married woman
and man who is unmarrlcd the man shaI pc
deemed guilty of adultery, and be liable TO the same
punishment.
. Every person who shall by fraud, false pro-
mise or ether evil practice, seduce an unmarried
female under the age OF twenty years, to pros
tituion or forncaton, conviction thereof shall be
punished in the state prison not more than two
years in the coenty jail not more than two years,
or by fine not exceeding five hundred deilars
3 Ifany man shall commit iornication with any
single woman each of them shall be punished by inn
prsonrnent in the county Jail not more than SIX
months, or by fine not exceeding one hundred DOL
lars
This will effect wonderful change in the state OF
society and il is to be hoped that it will be passed
without dissentient voice. 1t is to be introduced
in The senate by Mr.. Tallmadge, and il is sure to
pass that enlightened, vrtuous, and moral body OF
men unanimously. As soon this law goes into
operation one Of its most beneficial effects will be
that there will be great many public Offices and
situations vacant Most Of the churches will be
very much thinued and many of the pulpits will be
to let
1t is thoroughly understood that the law is TO be
er post facto in its operation; consequently the re-
vulson in society, in this city, will be astonsh-
ing. Wall street will be more than half depopuia-
ted but we fill up that again, from the su-
perabundance OF rogues running at large through the
city. But Of the most striking effects Of this
law will be, that there will not be single newspa'
per establishment in the city, except the Herald,
that will not be half emptied into the State Prison
We must, therefore, ali prepare for the new and
improved state of morals Instead of spending
50 ON, 900 to enlarge the Erie Canal, We must spend
at least So 600 900 to enlarge the State prisons at
Auburn and Sing Sing, and proportionate sum to
enlarge all the county ais. From this city the 9TH
Ward and the 18th Ward can either of them fill
the present State prison without any assistance the
former is the centre of the five points, the latter
the centre of all points; the is the fashionable
and the other the Questionable quarter there must
be a prison built for them alone. We must all set
our houses and ixings in order, TO stand up TO the
new state Of things Ladies-sweet ladies Of the
Moral Reform Society, call public meeting at
once.