The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1861-02-07

Mn. EDITOR As much has been said regarding
the law recently enacted TO " mitigate the evils OF
prostitution, and with perhaps sufficient asPerlty on
both sides, it may not be amiss TO hear the opinion Of
one who is not Of the clerical profession, and who
cannot be accused Of - malice prepense' in uttering
his opinions. The following quotations are from the
London .Nefica! RerieIs, and written by a member
of the Medical Faculty, who processes to have given
much attention to the subject.
After dwelling on the history, causes, and remedy
Of the evil, the Reviewer comes to the duty of the
legislator. lie says
u. is quite certain that the introduction into this
country of police regulations such as prevail in most
towns of the Continent, would never be submitted to.
The genius of the people, their Unborn spirit of lber-
ty, are entirely opposed TO all such interference.
And so also is the moral sense of the country. Nor
can we see anything TO regret in the fact. External
decency it is true may be better maintained when
prostitution is brought under the immediate supervi-
sion of the State, and some of the outer evils which
attend upon the vice may he diminished or aSsuaged
by such interference; but assuTedly there is a natural
feeling, a conscience which warns US that the recogni-
ton of prostitution in this wise by the rulers Of Il
country, has within it that which is repulsive to high
morality. We have indeed a curious sort or exempIl-
fcation of this in the case of the Papal States, where
prostitution is not permitted to participate in the
fatherly attentions Of the government. We may be
sure that the exemption does not proceed from any
respect for the freedom Of the individual-the idea
of personal liberty being a rare fact among the
items of social life in those States. 1t is founded,
as NJ. Jacquot tells US, on the principle, that it
would be indecent for Christs vicar on earth
to permit the violation of one of Gods commandments
in his States
= ourselves are inclined to believe that the recog-
milton of prostitution by the Government quite indie
pendently Of its immoral character, tends in some de-
gree 10 encourage the rery Uice 1t rould control
and that it does so in an especial manner in those
countries where the ruling power Is regarded by the
subject as n sort Of guardian angel who sits up aloft
opS-ap, xrafrbinr pvp hTS interests and DrpNiliYp
for his wants. The provision made by a Government
for the proper maintenance OF prostitution, converts
it into a State nstitution-makes 1t an integral part
of the State policy. 1t advertises distinctly enough
to the citizens the opinion of their Government upon
the SUBJECTIVE. that prostitution Is an evil necessa-
rily appended to civilization, and IS TO be provided for
the people and regulated ut the expense Of the State,
just as theaters. clrcuses, and public amuSements
generally are provided.
Now the natural result Of this is, as we conceive,
directly injurious to the morals of the country. In
dividual members of society, arguing upon the above
ind IN them a p!acehO to quiet those prIcklngs
of conscience which might p%erchance have awaited to
restrain them from the commission Of the act; the
sin, at all events, n man might say, cannot be very
great, for otherwise our paternal government would
hardly have charged itself with the superintendeHce
OF the means for its accomplishment. And exactly
the same mode of reasoning might operate upon the
mind of the unfortunate woman who is about to IN
scribe her name upon the rolls Of prostitution. She
finds the way, as il were, paved for her purposes; her
lingering scruples would be removed by the
thought that she is, after all, only becoming a MEM
Der of an institution expressly provided by the care of
the Government. And il We look to facts, we shall
that this State interference is, after all, but a
Of the vice from view. If We consult
on this head, we shall be forced to admit,
from his own showing, that II avails nothing, either
in diminishing the spread Of the vice, or i'll arresting
tie supply of victims which feed it,
In regard to sanitary measures for the purpose of
arresting and curing the disease engendered, the
writer says
. We may remark in Iimine, that all police med
ding here is quite out of the question. Mr.. Acton
be well assured that the plan of things will
have undergone n total revolution, and not for the
better, in England, before the repression Of syphi-
lis is taken under the care of the state. We have
already seen, independently of other objections to
such interference, how vain are all attempts to ar
the spread of these diseases by acts of Govern
Hent in countries where the most rigorous sanitary
are prescribed and enforced. = =
Victims of venereal diseases are at all events not
more worthy objects of commisseratton than victims
Of phthisis and really, when we consider that the
refuge FOR the bulk Of the poor so afflicted is the
house, we cannot understand why 1t Is not q
refuge sufficiently good for the former class Of dis
which require indoor treatment. Let Us be
ust TO prostitutes and their paramours, bat not act
he part of mcaly-mouthed philanthropists.'
After reviewing several schemes for government
Interference in depressing these diseases, the writer
ays:
- In our view, all that we nave said concerning
he immoral effects attached TO government patron
Ige Of prostitution, applies exactly in this matter
lsO, and therefore condemns It. We need not trouble
ne reader by recurring to them here. 7
. Such, then, are the general facts connected with
he history of prostitution which We have 10 lay be
ore the medical world and such the conclusions,
tfecting the management and regulation Of the SO
ial disorder and the bodily diseases tits constant
ssociate) to which We think reason, OF common
leads the inquirer
The reviewer concludes with the following very
,- .pl ,.v.;,crr r.r,arLs.
- The grand battle, however. with prostitution
aust, we are convinced, be fought in the heart Of
IAN himself; there alone can the labor Of regene-
alton be marked out. Instruct the young better to
egulate their passions. Bring men to u true knowl-
dye Of what the thing called prostitution really is.
each them to judge it as a crime, and to shun it as
iShonour. Strive 70 assUage all those many miseries
: society which drive the wretched into crime.
truggle against the unrighteous hIlacjes forced by '
shiOn upon the world around Us. Thrust the Sc
from decent life, as you would ezPel the slave T
ealer from your home. Set the brand OF society's
upon him. Here Is the field of labor, and
erein every one Of US may work successfully, and
and such Ike are the lessons, in the teaching IF
hich, our profession can act well the instructors
lrr and 50 lead society to struggle successfully
yiinst this pernicious enemy OF the souls and r.
dies of mankind" u