Polynesian., 1858-07-10

rielc, or Quarterly Journal of Practical Medicine
and Surgery" April, 1858. London.
During the latter days of the late session of
the Legislature a petition was handed in from
Hama, Maui, praying for the licensing and regua-
tion of houses of prostitution by Government
which petition, after stormy and indignant de-
bate, was, on motion, put under the table.
Now, we believe that the object of the petition
to call the attention of the Legislature to
the subject of prostitution, than to insist upon the
thing petitioned for; and in that light we look
upon the refusal of that honorable body to consider
the petition another instance when false modes
ty 50 becomes sin as we'll as a folly.''
To think that this or any other Legislature can
cover up the tracks and hush the wall of the vic
tins of prostitution by simply ignoring them, is SO
violent assumption of common sense, as to Sc
riously endanger the good opinion of mankind about
the motives that prompted it, or of the ability to
judge at all.
From the work quoted above we make the fol-
lowing extracts, bearing upon the subject; pre-
missing that the article from which we quote is
4.
Paris, and the other by W. Acton, London.
"Whoever will be at the pains of investigating the
history of prostitution in all its different relations will
infalliby arrive at this conclusion that of the many
evils which atfiict humanity, there is not one more
pregnant with miseries, moral and physical The de-
pravy of mind spread by this vice is very great Its
detestable nature is patent to ALL With unbushing
'front.' in the open face of day it parades its character
istics to the world. Man it brutalizes, and
whose features artists and poets in their sublime cre-
tons have chosen to represent the nearest image of D
vine love earth-with its seal of degradation upon
her forehead, becomes the mark of universal scorn.
But injuries to the moral life of humanity are not
the only ills which flow from prostitution. Wherever
it walks, ii scaters around it pesence of physical
eyilsdseases which pervade and coPrOde the body to
its In what dark OuthOuse of human suffering
theu philanthropy find better field for its exer-
tions, hope TO reap richer harvest of good deeds
than in this, where the minds and bodies of mankind
lie bound in disease and sin. where there is in truth
Ample and verge enough
The characters OF he'll to trace'l
Yet have men-and good hearted men too-hesitated
to touch, and rather Stunned the subject Outraged
morality and religion, like conscientious Leyes have
turned away their face, and passed by on the other
side, leaving the wounded victims of prostitution well
tering in the pains and penalties of their i'll doings
they have restrained by their pious arguments the
warm-hearted impulses of those who would have been
otherwise we'll inclined to act the good Samaritan 5
part This, high-toned preachers have told u.s. is
foul thing, and will pOllute the hands of him who
touches It the mseries which prostitution spreads
abroad among and daughters of men are the le-
gmate results of the unholy traffic. the avengng fin
ger Of offended Deity is plainly visible in them to
interfere between the evil and its consequences is to
come between Eternal Justice and those who have out
ragged aws these sorrows must their undsturbed
course and through them man must find his way back
into the paths of honesty and virtue.
''Such is the harsh verdict which rigid morality has
passed upon the sufferers from prostitution and which has
long received the silent appreciation of society But
this may longer be. Civilization, enlightened by
Christian love- is marching ever onwards Mans con-
science is awakened, and inward voice urges him
look into the dark byways of humanity. And, truth
10 say, the voice of human sympathes has never been
wholly hushed even here. There have been pous souls
and kindly hearts, from time to time, who were not
ashamed to pour ray of light into the darkness.
These little sOlaces indeed, but small pearls drop
ped into the of suffering vice. they availed moth
ing in diminishing the wide stream of vice itself Still
they were witnesses Of mans abiding love.
1.-The false reasOnings of righteous severity are now
passing away before the light of scientific research
Ignorance Of his true obligations, and of the nature
the physical and moral miseries engendered by the
vice. might have been excuse for man 5 mac
ton; but It can be pleaded busy world of
phanthrOpsts everywhere hopefully employed in
attacking the ills which torment society in barring their
causes yew and in attempting to apply the appro-
pirate remedies 1t is impossible therefore, that so fla
grant corruption prostitution longer be per-
mitted 10 run its course unquestioned. The fictitious
veil Of decency which has been yainy hung around
this painful of life, must be torn aside False
modesty has now become a sin as well as a folly The
magnitude of the vice forces itself upon the
unwilling eye; at every in the paths where men
congregate 1t displays its i'll proportions Those who
would attempt ignore its existence, display the
ming wisdom of the ostrich, which, as the fable tells
will thrust its head into the sand when can no long
escape the huntsman, and nurse itself into be-
lief that it is hidden from the pursuer:
"stultorum incurata pudor maus ulcera ceatr
But let those who would evade the subject reflect for
moment the nature of the which result from
prostitution The physical evils, the diseases engen-