Arkansas intelligencer., 1845-04-26
OFFICER OF THE ARMY.

Eemonsfraacc Of lIr. Arnold against tie Bill for
the "Punisdmem Of Seduction" bCf0rs the Lcgis.
hIure.
To The lion. Nr legislature Of lie State Of Ncw
York, rOW in Session.
Your mcmoraIist, a citizen of poughkcepsio,
and Il constituent Of tho Eutthcs3 Delegation.
would respectfully represent to your honorable
body, that he has seen, :hronrh the medium Of the
public prints, that 4 bill "io punish Seduction
and Adultarv as crimes. and for other purposes
has been presented to the reconsideration and approv-
al of yogr honorable body. and which bill appears
to have Ieen formed in accordance with tho pray
crs "on your loaded table, emanai!ng from a
.snumeroas. rir;uous and csima BIZ class Of cltl-
zens.' majority Of whom arc females.
In the details o' e1id bill, ;hc attention Of your
md nartiaI charactor 0f51p1h 'fo 'i1aT6 IS bfo!
nosed TO be totally dsarmed, and the female clothed
With nm oppressiye and dangerous power over hIin;
envcfe pcna Ites are proposed to be inflicted on tho
soLnc;nr male, whilst that Of tho s2ducIng female
+, ,aoars 10 have entirely escaped the vglant care
Of vour honorahIe committee in forming the DI'l.
70 this partial feature of the bill. (wIthont ImPnn,
inr tho motives of any.) your niemoriaiiSt "ou'd
beg lcaye TO demonstrate.
The crime conulained of, if il be a crime. must
be committed BY both male and female conIo'nt|y,
rrd both shouId bo hed equally liable. and to stand
confronted, tLat justice may ascertain between
tho scduccr ana the seduccd, or whether the seduc
tion would proye TO be mutual. The law of Moses
wcuId stone both to death, Also. the damsei taken
10 the MARRIAGE. bed who found 70 have parted
FROM her chastity, which his and our Ia" Wouia
pIotect from violence. was to be retunrea-ie be'
jnr released Grom the cOnSoQunces OF the uhIof'u
nate marriage. and she to be stoned. 1t should be
r.,mpnbcrcd that We have sons as well as daugh-
tGrs. ,
Your memorialst would solicit the attention of
your honorable body TO tie consideration ana pre-
ng,etv of Sc amending said bill 10 embrace imam,
male and ftmaIe," and in transgrocsion to place
them on cGua footing. Your me"orlaIist Is
confident mat the propTety 81 this corse "l'' meet
a ready response IN the minds Of your honorable
body.
Has not tho scduc,ions of the female. from time
immcmoriuI in all ages been L just subject ofrom-
orajnt, both bv .'athcrs, husbands and brothers,
and does not the mothers. wives, sisters and
daaahlars. need your care in the bill equally with
them. Is it not notorious that he, otherwise
"yirtuous." is equally exposed TO her seductive
vj!es A wise man hath said that "a vlrtuous
woman is a crown TO her husband" and then ex-
claims "Who can find VlrtucuS woman!
II i, of prevalent belief, founded on ancient
chronology that the first man was tempted. seduc-
ed and betrayed from the paths Of reciItuoo by the
first woman! and of consequence entailed misery
that should well deserve his commiseratlon, and
her reprobaton.
Your memorials. would beg to be permitted TO
call the attention OF your honorable body, TO a
f.w cases. (nmong the many that might be adduc'
cN OF the mutabiIlty OF woman.
Two of Lofts daughters, by stratagem, COM
mi,,ed seduction anu incest with their father!
Jacob (caIled Israei) the son of Isaac, the son oi
Abraham. had twelve sons, by iour women ol MS
household, and one of them, judah. a conspicuous
prince in Israel, IN an unsuspectlng moment, by
ambush on the wayside, was beset; enti;ed, and
seduced by lamar, his daughter-in-aw she dis
puisng herself to that of an haf'ot. She was
Brought forth anon to be stoned. yet was saved by
clcmoncy and pardon.
Another of jacobs sons-the frst-born OF his
Cavorte Rachel, ard his favorite son-JosePh. after
being ,raduced und troacheTots'y abducted By
these. his mixed brethren, and sold to Potiphar in
Egypt, was sorcly beset by the wiles and seduc-
tons of his masters wife, and, for his resistance
and fidelity. was falsely accused of attempt to
CRIME, OF witch herself only was guilty, and he
sent to Pharoah's "State prison."