New-York daily tribune., 1845-01-31
Libert,n,sm a Orime.


Again have the petitions oimany thousands oi
the virtuous mothers and daughters of our State
been presented at Albany, praying that those
crimes by which the peace of families IS destroyed
and Innocence and happiness changed TO poiiu'
ion, shame and misery, shall be declared an OF
fence against the body polite, and punishable
like any other crime. A Selec! Committee o.
the Assembly, of which Mr.. Huntington of On.
tario is Chairman has considered these petitions
and reported in favor of granting their prayer,
with promplitudo and heartiness for whic we
tender Them our fervent thanks.
We have as little faith as any one IN reforming
men BY scourging them or in roprossiDg evil pas
sons by the denunciation or infection of penal.
ties. We presume no Iibertine will be transformed
INTO something better by laws agains. Licentious-
ness But to many persons the Law Is the stand
ard of rec,tude, and it is every way important
that the Law shall be equal and just IN Us infiic-
tons. wbeneyerit it gives impunity TO one wrong,
while furnishing another less henous or less hurt
full, it does great injustice and tends to subvert
the moral sentiment of the community.
The Committees Report is pertinent and
sorcble that we make room for 1t entire. It is as
follows:
RspoRr Of TIC Select Committee on the subject Of
&H Liceniousness.
Tho Select Com'ttee TO whom was referred caran pei
. 1 s Of JAY M bi Gomns s'
REPORT:
The Committee regard the subject submitted 10
shem as vital to the we'll being Of the whole commu-
nity, and Welding in importance TO none that will
l~a, doll ,hara unTfh Acc
opinion derives additional strength from the structure
Of our Government which is essentially based on
the purity Of the public morals. Whatever, then,
has tendency deteriorote and lower the standard
Of public virtue, strikes at the root and epdapgers
the stability of our free institutions
The subject has long agitsted the public mind
and annually has your liable been loaded with petit
tious, mploring in the strongest ,orms, (evincing
the deep feeling which pervadcs that virtuous and
estinabis ciass of our citizens from whom they ema
nae) legislative aid 70 suppress the evils Of which
they complain.
Whether tina difficulties with which the subject
was supposed to be invested, orsomc other ine<pli-
cable cause, has induced each succeeding Legis'a-
ture 10 leave il legacy TO their successors, we
know not but your Committee believe that our tar
dy legislation has emboldsned the icentious 10
throw of all restraint. and riot unrebuked in those
corrupt indulgences, which reduce their voteries 10
q level with the tenants Of the s,ye.
Oi ell the fierce and fell passions which afilict
fallen humanity, rendering Indispensable for the
protection Of society the enactment oil penal laws,
none, i, is believed, can compare with lust. Ii
rushes 10 indulgence, reckless OF consequences,
sampling on all laws, human and divine, prostrsung
in lie mad career like the dire srocco OF the DESERT
all that 10 valued, beautiful, and lovely In Tte DO
estic circle; desecrating all that Is sacred around
the hearth Rud the family altar, planting daggers in
the bo.oms of parents and friends, provoking the
arm Of private vengeance, and not untrequenty ter
rninatipg in homicide and murder.
Its demoraliziug influence is felt through all the
rzm6ca,ions Of society, in its direct or incidental
consequences, inducing, il is believed, moro suffer
ing than any other individual cause. Your Com
mi,tee humbly conceive that the first duty OF the
Government is cherish and reward virtue, protect
the public morals, secure and defend the rights OF
ALL and visit rnerited and speedy punishment the
bead OF the guilty; and that that Government which
does not achieve thus much for The benefit OF the
governed, has signally failed OF accomplishing the
object for which II was created.
The committee do not feel called upon, in the dis
charge Of the duty assigned them by the House, TO
furnish any extended statistics o, those lsatbsome
sices with which the public are, unhappily, bnt Too
familiar. Some idea, however, may be formed oi
She extent of the evil, from the fact that there has
been asccItaned TO be not less than twelve thousand
public prostitutes in the city of Nss.York alone :;
and there il good reason 10 believe shat they
be found pro rata il our populous villages along the
Eue Of our canals.
From this dats, il may be assumed that the Stats
contains not less ,haa twenty fve thousand ofthese
degraded won.n, migrating, by all our public con-
veyances, from place TO place; communicating The
moral atmosphere, and scattering destruction IN
their path.
In The metropolis OF England, il was stated before
an investigating committee OF the House OF Com
MONS that tho average life OF women, who had
abandoned themselves 10 prostitution, ditnotexcsed
Ave years.
On that suppostion, Eve thousand in ouE own
State annually perish. Passing oTtr the suffering
attendant on this wanoa of life. with all It's
fearfu! cogeea uences, ask, from what source is
this fountain of corsption 10 DO supplied? Where
are the Eve housand annusl recruits for this
of prostitutes 70 be sought fort
Foreign emigration il is admitted will furnish Its
full quota, but who doubtthst the great msjor-
" are TO be drawn from The families Of ci;izeos
In every walk in life?
The demoraIizing effect of such sn influence upou
our youth OF both sexes must be TOO obvious 10 de-
.nsnd an argument. But while we admit the evil,
and lament i,s prevalence does il not behooys
enquire after the procuring cause, that in pub
lie capacity we may devise and apply an adequate
Ienedyf
The existing laws ugsinstrap, recognize the ply.
neal iucspaciiy Of the female 10 protect herself
against the violence of her raysher. But what er-
sctmen; is found on yonr slatute hook Tor her pro-
ssction, recognizing her moral and Intellectual IN
cansrity 10 de.scr The cesgns of The villain no sp-
uroachrs he. under the guse ohonorebe inten'lonsi
tJr 10 foressa the insidioas wiles OF the praciised
seducer, who not unfrequently adds force to cir-