The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1856-11-20

of society. as to ~patronise and countenance such OUT
RACES upon public morality and decency, as the scenes
To which "Hulahula" a1ludes. When such amuse-
ments are sought by men to whom their own family ties
and associations are powerless for restraint, it is time
for every father, husband and brother to rouse himself
and endeavor to protect those dear to him from the
communicating presence of those whose moral sentl-
ment is so far destroyed by the influence OF such I'M
hallowed and ~polluting scenes. 1t persons are TO De
tolerated in society who frequent such scenes we
shall SON cease to wonder at the e%trontery with
which on a recent public occasion, known prostitutes
or cast off mistresses, who by some chance had OBJ
tanned admission, though we are informed that no
tickets had been issued to them by the managers,
were selected as partners by young men who would
Indignantly resent any imputation on their own re-
spectability, and who danced with them under the
very eyes of virtuous ladies, who perhaps had been
their predecessors in the dance with these misguided
youth.
But such things must not be tolerated. Every vir-
tuous heart in this community should rise at once and
rebuke this foul stain, this damning blot on our soci-
ETY.. We have been too long Indifferent to the pro
gress of this evil, and now it is brought home to our
very doors. On the ladies themselves much of this
responsibility rests, of correcting this evil, and with
them too, the power to furnish to our young men in
nocent and attractive sources of amusement, that may
save some who have already strayed from the path of
yirtuous enjoyment, and will do much to prevent
others from feeling any desire to seek those impure
pleasures. To do this it is not necessary to violate
any religious scruples, though a little more charity
towards the liberal views of those who are known
to be pure and high p~rincipled and who have been
educated with such views, would not be amiss. We
respect the religious scruples ofall classes, even though
some may deem them prejudices, and would not de-
sire to see any means of amusement introduced at
our sewing circles or other social gatherings that
would offend those scruples. But we can and must
endeavor to render the social circle more attractive
to our young men. If it is not proper to introduce
dancing, introduce some other species of entertain
ment. The young are easily amused, and if the
wretched formality and stiffness which now character
Use many of our little parties was scattered to the
Winds, enjoyment would naturally follow.
1t may be considered by some to be out of our
province, as public journalists, to comment on the
character of our social amusements, but we believe it
to be the strict duty of the press to endeavor to cor
rect abuses when they become public, whether re-
lating to individuals or to the public welfare. We do
not enter into the discussion of abstract questions of
morals, nor do we seek to drag the immoralities of
our neighbors into light but if they SO far forget
what is due to themselves and to the community, as
to protrude their immoralities in public, and outrage
common ~propriety and decency, we have no course
left us but to comment thereon with that freedom
which the public good demands. We have received
several communications on this same subject, show
ing the excited feeling of the community in the mat
ter, but the length of our remarks must exclude them
for the present.