New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-12-21
public Private .,.o,istion, have from time to

public. Private Ms0eiati0ns nave rom INNS W
time made some efforts to obtain statistics on this
subject bat they have been cried down and driven
from the field By the united clamor OF those whom
they threatened to expose, aud OF those whose
mock mode.ty would not sllow them to listen to
any such shameful exposure ignorance OF tho
dangers which surround them being in their view
the best security of innocence.
Some curious facts ss TO the infinite relations
between the re brothels aud thei' iensuts and the
ely Joce -facts for long time well known to
those best acquainted with New-lork- have no
by tie iugestiga;iops of the Legislative Police
Committee, been brought TO the notice OF the
public ia an authentic form. And there are some
otter things of the same sort reported as facts By
those who ought 10 know, a. to which, also, it
might be well for the Committee to make some in
quiriei They might ask, for instance, whether
policemen are rot ia the habit Of borrowing m ,ney
Ct girls Wbo walk the streets, the loan being ia
fact regular price paid for passing their best
uDmolesttdl They might inquire whether next
door peiehbors Of the sane character do not re-
ceive very different treatment from the police, and
what nay be the reasons Of this diiference' They
might even inquire whether members of the police
and even persons connected with our judicial
establishments, do not, BE- side The money levied on
these houses, receive black. mail 10 kind as habit
ual and even nightly frequenters OF these houses
Undoubtedly these are facts. if they are facts, as
to which it would be very difficult to obtain eVi
dence The guilty parties would not be forward ID
crimipate Themselves, and others might be ex-
% faa4ifu aoainat fhsm NaUar.
theless, if sought for some testimony nigh be
found.
Ii las been intimated 10 so me Of the proceed.
ipRs, indeed in some of the questions put to the
witnesses, that these houses of prostitution are
q necessary evil. If the Committee, or any Of its
members are inclined to that opinion, that is only
an additional reason for thorough investigation
of the whole subject In any case, it is essen
tial to the public welfare that the precise ex-
tent of it should be ascertained and understood.
especially as our city police appears to be so sim
:plarly related to it.
At present the mass of good citizens are but lit
tie aware of its aias qualifications. Those who
know nost concs., what they 4" know even from
each other. Nothing but searching examination
by body vested with authority, like that Of the
Legislative Police Committee, can let in more
than few rays Of light upon these dark aud Sc
cret places We only know now in general that
there are many thousand lewd women in this city,
who cost millions Of dollars year, for the most
part wretched and diseased Themselves and the
causes of wretchedness and disease to others; that
there are many houses, open and secret, devoted
to their uses, aud not a few apparently respscta-
BILE, solid citizens who own these houses, let them
at enormous rents and know how they are occu
pied. Rents not less enormous are also paid to
fashionable furniture dealers, by whom some Of
the most gorgeous of these establishments are
fitted up. Each of their keepers has circle OF
friends Beside her landlord and her upholster-
ers, there is the wine. merchant, WHO finds in her
a very profitable customer, and a nun Der, greater
or lees, of persons-maDy of them occupying re-
spectacle pOsitons-who are the patrons and fre-
auenters of the house. We have heard it esti-
mated that there are houses of this description
that, on questions directly touching their interest,
could influence hundred votes What then, is
the aggregate influence Of the whole
When we consider that all these establishments
exist not only in defiance of the law, but that it
has also been established by abundant evidence
that they are most efectual corrupters Of the
agents and ministers of the law ample reason GER
tanly appears why the Legislative Police Commit
tee should avail themselves of the 20 wers they
possess to make a full and searching investigation
of the entire subject.