The New York herald., 1849-02-04

70 prevent and punteh prize nSnting came 70 tnird
Mr. FISH moved to rssommit, and stated his ebjse-
tons TO the BILL II punished BY imprsonmsnt In the
eDgs to sght with or without veapons whether there
any fight or not. He was inclined to punish prize
sS sSs sending
challenge to prize fight. He objscssd also to the
provision punishing in the same manner the aot Of
leaving the State to elude tho pEovsions OF this act
There wase revolution going ON in tho public mind
to the criminal code Il was generally thought to be
70 the length Of this BILL Having stated bis
for opposing the bill in the shape In which 1t was he
Mr RosE moved to reoommit With instructions to
strike out the 3D. seetou-punshiDg the leaving the
State for the purpose Of engaging in OF witnessing
SIGHT.
Mr.. A RosERrsoN expressed the belief that the bill
was destined to pass and that 1t Was all time lost to
undertake to amend it; though it might doubt be
put In shape that would give 1t votes than 1t
MIR. W. s. SMITH moved to add instructions to in
sert his section, declaring exhibitions Of boxing
spsrIipg mstehes &c. for gain unlawful; and to re-
Mr. ROSE accepted that amepdme
MIR NOBLE suggested that II the Sd section
struck out, so must The 4th which was only designed
to w.. s.'1y Hu out .sasS..a the Sa. +n.. uo.,on
Mr. FIsKE wondered that somebody did not get up
snd m.ve to strike out the snactns clause Everybody
MIR. FisH-Whst Ia the object?
MIR. FIsxE-To kill the bill.
MIR F"H protested against such insinustions, and
sorry to hear them. He conscientious Ia his
objeo.ions to certain provisions Of this bin He dis
dsiped the esp,ious feeling imputed to him.
Mr. HALE said be should not srrsgu the objects or
the feelings Of anybody. He assumed that they
oon,ci.neious in all they did said But he could
the bi He esteemed its provisions too highly to bs
willing to see lost by delay or BY any other course
Of action He esteemed 1t Of more Importance than
the act to prevent dueling He who fought duel, al
ways went with two three frien nds bypxoe,
and the fight was seen by few persons only. Bat
prize fight baxoned abroad through press, I'D
Thousands gathered at the of action where
al kinds Of immoraty were prscticed the evil was
seen and known The principle Of the bill was al!
the whole, where by some influence 1t might be defeat
ed, he protested against He should like to sss it
passed imme edistely We knew there persons
about leave the State to engage in this monstrou.
practice fsny time was lost ono obi cot OF the bill
would be frustrated He hoped the moral Of this
House would be sufficient to guard against the loss Of
the bill.
Mr. FISH said it surprising to him that any gen.
tleman should urge speedy passage of this bill as
necessary to prevent the fght that coming of be-
tween Hyer and Sullivan Was 1t possible taat any
body could believe that under the publicity givea to
proceedings any person who intended to join in
witness this fight would be green enough to wait
until this bin p.eS before leaving, II there M wsrs
.nbjscts for the Lunatic A.yium and could scarcsy
be reached by any bin designed TO affect
seemed to assume tnat every body w was disposed to
70 commit, was in favor Of prize fighting This was
not but the,s those we wsrs opposed to pun
ishipg minor offence with the same severity as the
beinous offence Of prize nghttng. The bill in fact,
punished the who sent accepted challenge to
man who sent or accepted = challenge and did Agbt
So Of persons who might get into street brsw with
concert. He should like to know II majority here
sgainst enaotiDg such ebsurdty whether that
majority should not ana would not control.
Mr.. w. 5. SMITH corrected misapprehension Of Mr..
m,ttss Of the whole again. but to select committee
with Instructions to amend and to report back forth
with II that done IL would not delay the bill half
hour Again to this dine mt Of his not being
made In good faith
Mr HALs expressly disclaimed any such imputation.
Ne. W 9 Smith said the charge came from tho gem
ME- Fsxr discsimed also. He said the object was to
Mr. w. s. Smith replied that the geutlemsn could
scarcely have made . more direct impnsstion. As to
his own proposition II was made IN good fsth-and he
bill. His amendment would make 1t sfsotasl. With
it, IL would be dead isttsr against
statute book ss GROW, to be heard
OF In courts except when used to crafty personal
malice or vindictiveusss. The gentleman from Sseu
ben had himef given Of the for
the adoption Of his amendment. Fne gentema an's
rema was that rh, bill more impor tant than the
whereas these prize lights were public nd being oa-
soned abroad attracted thousands from all parts OF
the Union-becauss steamboats, were cha tered and
Armies Of drawn together &C tho place of
bat. But the forgot that che priss itself
. iDciden in point Of decentralization, COM
pared with the preliminary oombats, got up to make
y, the spirit that led them was ioi.
tiaied He alluded these exhibitions Of the manly
art OF self defence, which were 80 frequent la New
York ard Brooklyn. Not week ago hs saw piasarded
in this city notice of one Of these exhibitions The
fanny gentlemen attended these exhibitions and there
IL that they noticed the condition the pugst
the hrmness Of his hesh-his trsining-wnsth he
perspired ct not-and all tho incidents which they
calculated the chances OF his success aod the safety
Ct q bet on him. SO with the combatant the other
side. He gave similar exhibitions in snticips Of
. coming light. Nov his amendment was voted down
rdsy but by very email majority under ths c:y
that would pronibir schools for gymnastic exercises
IL was not so He proposed only to step these public
exhibitions for gain.
MIR F,sxg said mis- remark was that the same tech
nca criticism made on this bill, might give the pro-
posed e. ction q bearing on these schools
Mr. w. SMITH continued Penal laws were always
construed strictly, and, In framing them, too much
could be taken to frame them tnst tn
should be loop hole for escape any for
technical criticisms. As to these exhibitions OF the
manly srt, they were often got up Dy these prize
fighters 10 raise the money to put up asa stake rhe
$1,000 He should be glad to know II exhibitions
ss there, calling together large numbers Of persons
were not as demoraix'ng as prize hsht! We had
now laws making billiard rooms nuIssnoes- tue
keeping OF ten.pin alleys m,sdemesuors Bat would
any body pretend hat u gentleman VINO mad billiard
tasie in bis dwelling, Tor private amusement, or
teacher who had o ten pin alley connected With bis
rchool for the purpose of exercising his pupils would
be bab'e nnd.r the. laws! so mis- sns dneat.
It would reach only public exhibitions OF puginsm for
gain pot tie mere mnastic schools which had been
alluded to.
Mr.. NOBLE moved further instructions to amend the
FIRST section to obvse the objections Of Mr. Fish,
In rsasra TO punishng the sending of u challenge,
where there Was no hsnt &c sabseq aenty waived
lis pIopostion.l
MI VAN OspEN was anxious to have the bill amend
ed to prevent pugilist,c exhibitions ls I'm
portant for the preservation of the of
nupity; for whe prize fights ge enerauy witnessed
b. persons already debased, these exhibit wit
nested by young persons, who thus inocuated
with the bIutai mania OF pubic fights. The other
amendment be cared nothing about, out Do
/ous have this proposition carried out He moved
division If the question: 30 Is to get vote on this
amendment alone.
Mr. w,LLaRp proposed to amend, so as to exempt
cases wbeIs . challenge was withdraw.
Ar GILBERr moved the presious question, and
II having bzeo ordered, and the question divided,
The pcpositi to strike out the Sd and 4th sections
vas loet, ~ to ~.
IDe question then reourred on Mr. Vessel s. Smiths
section, providing that
IL shat noe bs lawful 10 give public exhibitions, for
gain o. boxing or fparriHg, rr pngilistc matches,
tecbpienly termed 'e&hibst0ns OF tue manly arc OF
r,F GefeDcs, 20 advertise give notice of
Lbitons or Tor the of sny grounds pre- nses
- .t either ior fuoh purposeo-on pain Of fl ne and
imprisonment
Tljs adopted, 81 to as