New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1845-03-07
Legislative Mistakes Corrected.

!
To lie Editor Of The Tribune:
The Albany Evening Atlas of Feb. 9th contains
some remarks made by Mr.. Bailey, in Committee
of the Whole of the Assembly on the Bill TO punish
Seduction and Adultery as crlmes-Feb. 20Ih.-
This gentleman was one of the Committee which
reported the BILL and stood alone as it seems, in a
glorious minority in opposition TO lis provisions
His remarks as reported are rather Heterogeneous,
and consist OF curious medley Of objections, some
founded on the assumption that the bill goes too far
Others that it does not go far enoush-some, that
it will punish the innocent, othersthat II will screen
the guilty! In short, the bill! is all out ofiomt, and
so defective, that the gentleman would evidently
prefer the present vacancy IN our statute-books on
this subject, TO the PASSAGE OF the bill under con-
sider2tlon by the Assembly. What are his reasons
for the fears he en,eTtalaS! think the most atten
tive reader of his remarks would be unable 10 dis
cover. He deals in assertions without argument,
probably feeling with Falsatl that II reasons were
as plenty as black berries, would give no man
reason on compulsion, not y
The Hon. Member seems TO regard tins bill as IN
advance of public sentiment No laws" he OBJ
serves, are better than their (the y people. If by
this remark, the gentleman means 10 say, that no
laws are better ,han The people for whom they are
made, it is libel cur statute books, Tor which
he must answer at the bar OF pubic oplnlon. The
w
made for The lawess and disobedient" Is lta fact,
that ii is made for their accommodation, and there
fore comes down in lis features and PROVISIONS, 10
the standard of their moratyl Let common sense
answer.-lt is undoubtedly nue. That IN commu-
nifty where there is TO scrptural STANDARD OF rsht,
and where the universal language OF the people
Is evil, be thou my good there, the laws VIII be
IN accordance with The tone OF morals. II code thai
salctlons wrons-Going can be dlgnlhed with the
name OF lQtr. The regulations OF ancient Sparta In
regard 10 thelt, are specimen OF this kind OF e-
| eisaton, aud we have in onr own times and in
our orn country, examples OF similar kind, in re-
auon TO the peculiar institution OF the Southern
States These cases, however, are an anomaly in
jurisprudence, and can hardly be believed 10 have
been present 10 the mind OF the gentleman when his
remarks Were made. But did he intend 10 be I'M
derstood that no laws Were better than the people
By whom they arc made II this is indeed so, il
may furnish an explanation Of the fact, that year
after year. petitions signed by hundreds and thou
sands OF respectable citizens, have been sent 10
halls OF legislation, praying Tor action on this sub
ject, without any response from our Lawmakers,
save perhaps Report, Stltisd at It's birth by the
voice of a majority Everyyeay hitherto our prayer
has gone mp, IN the hope that The Just laws for which
we asked might not prove better than the people
BY whom they were 10 be enacted, but II Is need
less 10 say, our expectations have not Yet been an
swered 1t remains 10 be seen whether there Is
wisdom and ti.mncss, and virtue enough II the pre-
ten, or whether we have asked quite TOO much for
our legislators 10 grant.
But the gentleman seems 10 fear that the bill Is
g in advance of public sentiment" To what pub
lie sentiment does he alude! Probably II would
be greatly in advance Of the views and feelings OF
the seducer, who now riots unchecked on human
hearts and human happiness; 1.-THE adulterer whose
track is red with the blood Of murdered Sonls-oi
such wre,cbes as Niscoy. whose very breath Is a
pes,ilent miasma, Spreading con'asion and DEATH
and Of the whole herd OF pan6ers who .eed and
fatten on the spoils ofvirtue. We frankly concede
20 the gentleman that The proposed enactmenis
would be in advance oil public sentiment formed
by these and such as these Throughout, the State
Blu, II the petitions poured into the Legislature
from every quarter may speak for themselves, their
story will be very different one. There are 10
be found the names of men whose standing in soci-
ety is second 10 none among Us, and whose reputa-
ton for intellect, patriotism and virtue needs no
words of mine 10 add 10 lis weight or brlllancy.
There are the names Of Clereymen. Of Jurists, OF
Editors. of Merchants and Mechanics, OF men OF
ali classes, and of all religious beliefs. There are
the names of tens of thousands OF vlrtuous women,
daughters, sisters, wives and mothers, who SEND
up from the hailowed domestic circle Their united
CIV for action on This most important subject All
these classes feel that The evil Is in'olerable and
that the time for legislative movement has fully
come If they may be trusted as the opponents OF
public sentiment then we NAV safely say, mat