Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-11-10
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.


WEDNESDAY, November 8, 1859.
The session was opened with prayer BY Rev Mr.
GoodIett. -e
BEaoRr FROM A COMMITTEE. -3
MIR. KENNEDY, from the Library Committee, re-
ported bill IN lieu of two others which that Com
mtles have had under consideration.
THE CRIME OF SEDUCTION.
The SPEAKER announced the order to b. the ar
flushed business OF yesterday, viz: The cOusidsrs-
ton of the Judiciary Committees bill, IN lieu OF MI
TreWhitt's III. R. SGT to prevent seduction The
question being en- Mr.. Jones amendment thereto.
A division Of the question having been called for
Yesterday afternoon, the question was upon
first proposition in Mr.. Jones' amendment, az tot
lows Provided, however, that no person shal, DC
held OufV under this sct IT, previous to the sedue-
ton, the female seduced, shall have ever had I'M
lawful carmel knowledge Of suy man, upon which
ba demanded the yeas and nays They were order
ed. and being taken, resElted-yeas Do, nays Gas
follows;
Beaty. Bledsoe. Butler. COwden, Davis, Davidson,
Doai. East, Ewing, Farrelly, Frazier, Gillespie,
Gnrnau Greene, Hebb, Jones, Kinesld OF Ander-
son. Mayfeld, McCabs, Morris, Richardson, Rob
erts Russell Senter, Smith, White, of Dickson
Whitmore, Williams, of Knox, Williamson, Wise
ner. Woods AID Speaker Whitthorne.-35.
Nays--Messrs. Baker, of Perry, Bennett, Bick-
nell, Caldwell. Chestham, Dudley, Farley, Ford
Guy. Harris Havron, Hurt, Ingram, Kennedy Kun
caid of Claiborne, Lea. Lockhart, Martini MoFPhIa,
Nall. Norman, Porter Shrewsbury. Trivitt, White,
| of Davidson, W Iiiams, Of Hickman, Woodsrd.-2I.
So the amendment was adopted
The last proposition. viz; "aad that the female
Oh sl not he oonpe,eRt witness TO prove promise
of marriage" was rel 5cte1 upon division OF the
M, JONES made an Intellectual motion to table
Mr.. Msyfeld's amendment, offered yesterday after
noon.
| Mr.. BENEFITS amendment, offered yesterday
afternoon, was also adopted
| Mr. EAST moved q reconsideration OF the vote
lust taken, believing it would warR greet injury to
| the seduced party.
| Mr. JONES opposed the molten, lie thought the
! amendment lust adopted vas emipently right, and
one that Appealed to the heart of every honest and
rejecting man upon the floor. Unless the ssducer
| uouId make all the reparation that could be made,
he wou!d be y ling to ncarcerats him in the pen
itentisry so long that he could never get out
| Mr. WHITE, Of Davidson, thought the amend
ment lust adopted was the best that has been offer
ed - the bill.
| Mr. SEN TER hoped the House would reconsider
The amendmsat lie considered it would destroy
and not assist TO build up the female virtue OF this
country. Heihought it was saying to tae femsle,
| .slf YOU will surrender to man your virtue the
law will fOroe. him to marry you" lie though. 1t
| Ea the worst amendment buab hdu oOOA SAtSASN
that it undertakes the marriage vow, that mest sa-
| cred obI'G alton under the heavens.
! NJ BENNTT. Mr. Spelkeri | regard this ques-
tiou as one of vital importance. was disposed TO
| oasta silent vote it, and on yesterday COOK no
| Dsrt in the discussion. have had serious doubts
n INV own mind in regard to the various PROPOSE
ticns that have been before the House, but have
! votsd NV convictions. There is no man in this
! Uonse who places higher estimate than do upon
,ba nrce of female virtue, aud am sorry the Httle
amendment have off, red is regarded By any gentle
man as undertaking the virtue Of woman thing l
can demon srate very clearly itdoes net % so ana
hone to have pa'lent nearing "hie S'0 ny
views on this sui leet. ..... I'd.
RI beoomes US, Mr.. Speaker, to take time to con-
| ;dar tbia nroposition. II is necessary as Legis
Iatnre. that when we come TO perform the high du
ties which have been assigned to US BY our constt-
usnts that we should do calmly and deliberately
A. the shrine Of woman, sir, | worship. If there
- orv man who PLACES a higher estimate upon her,
obonld like to see him. If | am anything, If
have anv position, or have attained to any position
! at all am indebted to woman for 1t. 1t Is her
wish 10 protect. In OUT Legislature she is not rep
resented We have represent her; her voice is no
bora in our representative halls, But as legisle-
tors p,aciur o high and proper estimate upon
,roman. it becomes the high duty of legislators Il
come forth and throw a protecting shield around
bo- Womanls She was the first at the sspuehre oil
the worlds tsedeemer, and the last TO forsake the
object Of her plighted voEs. We are indebted t.
her for all and everything that We are, and now oul
mothers, daughters aud sisters require that som'
Iooixlatiye action should be hsd-:hat the Legisla
tuTe of Tennessee should take some high grounds
unon This subject. | was astonished ct the gentle
rnon who last addressed the House, TAlr Senter,
when he said that ny amendment uaderraIes thu
marriage vow
Mr.. EAST. Guterrupiing) think the gentle
man is misunderstanding the question now befeI'
| II ia a mofion IN reeonaidar.
. Mr.. BENNETT. l understand that, cir, but
understand at the same time that the merits Of Ill
hill are still under consideration, and the merit
Of the amendment particularly and want - con
vines the gentleman from Granger that he has
wong conception Of my amendment. The cas-
, roast be proven that man has been guilty 0
fTaud before the State of Tennessee makes out
oass Now here is fair f0W.r destroyed
T~ornine flower that is just budding into Womanhooe
: ;ust com. to years of maturty-she is overreache,
nv a mean infamous man; what is it that restore
, Nv mara than all and every thing else! We wan
: him N marry her; is not that right? Is it an.
asorace 10 him to marry her after he has desGroy6
bar ncaoe forever and when she would have TO &
through this world degraded being unless he dl
500 =,
! Speaker: Do you not see . man whose dsughte
: has Seep ruiued-has been diygraced-and thus IA
had infamy brought upon his family; do you nc
see tae father 90 forth frenzied, wild and frant
with madness, he gets his derringers, his wespOnr
: his dsggers and finds the destroyer Of his family
4 peace and says to him, sir, will have your heart
. blood unless you marry ny daughter whom 20
have destroyed. ! insist that the amendment is
GOOD one sir because if it is passed there is al il
: ddnsement for nBn to do right. When he has &c
s,roved the blooming virtue of our land, permit hi
10 do his duty to his God, his fellow-na4 ard
q h m ,elf-psrnit him to repent and restore pesc
8 - bosom and reclaim her, If possible, and max
|, ssr v;rtuous. It has been announced that ma
csn commit this crime, this heinous offeace again
God and man, and then DO recsived into the mo-
rssneetable circles; but morally speaking il is
: worse in the woman than the man our public uo
I, -, -. --orn in re ard 10 this thing. Mr.. Speake