The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-04-15

ALBANY, wednesday Evening, March o, lciZ.
Sketch Of The Debate in the Assembiyo IN the BlIf for The
Punishment of the Crimss of Seduction and Adul-
terry by Fine and imprisonment.
The House resolved itself into a committee Of the
Whole, Mr.. KELLY in the Chair, on the bill reported
by Mr.. Simmons from the Judiciary Committee, pro-
viding that the crimes of Seduction and Adultery
should be punished by fine and Imprisonment.
Mr.. SIMMONS explained and defended the bill at
length. He contended that lis enactment was ne
cesary TO remedy a crying evil. Redress had been
demanded by the people, and it was due to them
that it should be granted, &c. Mr.. S. concluded
by submitting an amendment mitigating in some de-
gree the severity of the first section.
Mr.. DAvEzAc followed in reply. He was convin-
ced that the gentleman from Essex had given this
subject a long and careful examination, that he had
examined it as a lawyer and as a man of the world.
The report of the gentleman displays the labor and
investigation he has bestowed upon il. He believed
also that this bill was produced by the most patriotic
feeling Therefore, when he looked at the first
section he (Mr. d. must confess that he was struck
with establishment. He told the gentleman that he
could not concur in opinion with him in regard to
that section. He (Mr. d. shuddered at the very
idea of the scenes that would occur if this bill pass
ed. 1t wou' d have the effect to convert every court
into an inquisitorial tribunal. Mr.. d. remarked that
he saw no females present, and he should, there.
fore speak plainly and bluntly. England had rem
dered herself ridiculous by her Grim. con. trials.-
There are lewd books, which, he was sorry to soc,
were read by almost every young man, and which
doubtless had been seen by almost every member of
the house. The reports of many land indeed most of
these trials he commended were 6t only for the pages
of s UGH books. BY this bill it would be the duty Of
arar INran1 T,r, - --..- -
as TO whether any seduction, fornication or adultery
had been committed within Its jurisdiction. Now
where sthe man, no matter how pure and unblem.
ished may be his character, who has not an enemy !
How easy then is a country like this, divided by an
tagonistcal parties, connected with which are men
distinguished for their virtue and patriotism, and en-.
joying, in the highest degree, the popular favor-for
the assassin to say that there has been an improper
filtration between one Of these men and some fair
lady. Then there may te some Disconnected ser.
want, or discarded lady's maid, who can give some
light on the subject, and who, i~nstigated BY revenge.
ful motives, might be induced to perjure themselves
And II is a fact that IN the most of the important
trials OF this nature in England, persons of this de-
%scription are the most prominent witnesses. We
know also that In England threatening letters are
often addressed to men with weak minds, stating
that unless a certain sum OF money, is sent. an &C.
cusalon OF this character will be brought against
him. Such My. d. commended would be the effect
of this section. Again, is it not perceived that there
is danger lurking In every line of this bill. What
do you find? am not (said Nh. D. delicate on
this subject-I am speaking to men, men with
boards, and not to ladies' or children. 1t will be
seen that this bill provides that the man who com.
mits the crime OF fornlcalion shall be sent to the
State Prison. Well THEY'VE have ships of war re.
| turning to port, after some three years absence, with
crews of 100 men, men in the full enjoyment and
possession OF all their faculties, physical as well as
moral, and in the fullness al d majesty of manhood.
Snnooae Them landed in NeW NorL thai ....:u.
increased by the restraint that had been placed on
them, sir a knowledge Of human nature would war.
rant him IN saying tina, out OF those eleven hundred
men, one thousand at least, would that very night be
fornicators. (Lauehlcr.) He knew he was speak |
ing to men who had experience in the PASSIONS |
(Great laughter } He would ask them If we were |
going to ~leglslate in this way, it so he would say to |
them, see that you are g~uiltless yourself before |
you Judge your %neigh6or. Increased laughter) |
Again, in relation to houses Of M.fame-ths bill
provides that the keeper shall be liable to fine and |
they would understand him in what he was going |
to say. These establishments were tho plaque
spots, the leprosy on the body Of society, ne was |
we'll aware. but they were like the small pox and
yellow fever-providential and necessary evils - |
He did not intend to defend them or their inmates |
but ON turning to Scriptures it will be found
speaking in defence Of them-ef the frail women. |
He alluded to what Milton considered the most |
beautiful piece of writing in the laugnage-the |
Episode Of Judah. Such houses were not kent in |
judah, they found them in the countries they con. |
QueIGQ. nc Ouc BhcIteIeO the aUlel in
Jericho, and by the direction of the Lord were !
preserved from the general massacre, SC. &c -
Again Suppose this legislature to have effected
that which the Romans, the Greeks, that which
Louis XIV Napoleon, and England herself could
not accomplish, and freed the land from all un- |
cleanliness. Suppose a city Of SOC, 600 inhabitants |
without such houses. Are all of them married.
always i25 or $4,000 married men or bachelor,
travellers or sojourners, and away from home. He
would speak OF men as they are, when he said that
there were certain inperious wants, which were |
the result Of nature, &c. These things were not |
felt in the country. There early marriages pre-
v~ailed-every man had his wife or sweetheart to
whom he could get married. (Laughter.) In cities |
y was different; there were numbers Of men who |
had no wives, or who had and were away from |
home. Therefore il there were no houses of i'll. |
fame, we should have rape and open violence stalk |
ing through our streets, as history shows us that il
Such cases would be numerous, and not isolated.
Do not, therefore,, legislate rashly. The gentle. |
man from Essex had styled him an innovator, he
was proud Of the title. if what he advocated at that
time was an innovation. But this time the gentle
man himself was the innovator. He, (Mr. d. |
never attempted to thwart physical laws. He |
warned gentlemen not to attempts task which had |
Knocked the efforts of philosophers and phiIanthro. |
pists for ages, which had been far too strong for des.
pots to execute. II he was in search of popularity.
he knew where TO fad il. Theladies, who Although
they did not go to the ballot boxes, still had er, At
influence over them, unseen though it was, would
probably consider his conduct unkind. He was
aware that he was not 80 pure at his time of life "A
10 be able to cast the stone at others. He knew
alter saying what he had, careless of the conse.
quences, he should be subject to calumnious and
vItuperative abuse. But there was no man who
reversnced more the sanctity and purity OF the fe.
male character than himself. Mr.. d. then went on
to pronounce a most eloquent and indeed beautiful
eulogy on female character Experience had taught
him, however, that the only guardian Of woman
the only antitode against seduction and adultery
was the success of the great missionary labors Of
Delavan in America, and Mathew in Europe
As regards married women, let heir husbands 49,
more at home, and pay more attention and regard
to them. Let him stay at home-not lock his wife
up, but place his lock on her heart. As to Young
temales-let the father and mother be strict and
careful in their watch over the tender doves-
Let not the mother suffer her daughter
to go forth with men, whom she does not
know well. The way to escape temptation was