The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1861-02-14

Through inaiyerteuce in reading the proof, the
initials attached 10 a correspondent letter, appeared
with II in = portion Of our last edition.. The govern
ment paper improves the occasion TO vent Is spleen,
A. only government official : capable Of doing, and
attacked the writer more than his subject. The fol-
lowing. from the same writer. in continuing the dis
cussion. affords 3 marked contrast 10 the bigoted
TRADE Of the Government OrEan.l
DOc-r the Law ..uurhorizc"p prostitution! No.2.
Mr.. EDITOR is i, not an old rule Of printers, to
&" follow your copy, if YOU follow it out Of the WIN
dow 80 Your printer must have had it in mind.
when he tackled my initials TO the non. dc plume
adopted in my last article. Perhaps it Is not to be
regretted, only as it gave the Po'yHsSiHH such a pre-
cious chance TO fling its personalities, in default Of
valid argument.
The subject is a disaCreeable and painful one to
handle. but We cannot shut our eyes and ears to it If
we would. and should not if We could. No other evil
among Us attacks in an equal degree the health and
very life Of society, or 50 much demands every energy
Of the civil power and Of public sentiment TO repress
it. instead Of weakly compromising with, and even
sanctioning It.
Does the law authorize prostitution To the evil
deuces that it does, adjuced in the former letter. l
would add some derived from the provisions Of the
statute itself.
The first section provides that every common pros
titute in and around Honolulu shall register her
name, age, place of birth and residence.
The second. that all females known to be common
prostitutes falling to register, shall, on complaint and
conviction before the police magistrate, be imprisoned
for from thirty to sixty days.
We may h -e observe in the first place, that the
law recognizes prostitutes as a well-known and de-
finite class. distinct from other unchaste persons.
They are distinguished in that they make q traffic Of
their shame. The law is one for prostitutes as such,
for those who openly sell themselves for Infamous
purposes. SO far it is well. \ law expressly to act
upon this class is undoubtedly needed.
We may notice also, that the law causes the gov
eminent TO take this class under special recognition
and control, by means of the registry. 1t ceases to
ignore. 1t 10 longer remains regardless or inactive
respecting them. 1t Owakes to action concerning
them. 1t reaches out its rms and gathers them all
and singly under its observation and control. Thus
it assumes a fuY responsibility toJcards them, to deal
with them as is beftting. They are now within the
province of government action by distinct avowal, if
never before.
1t may be farther remarked, that by Sec. >. the
law assumes that it is both constitutional and prac-
ticable to effectually distinguish and convict those
who belong to this class; evidently not by waiting for
the difficult proof of the of crime, but
conyicting them Of having exposed and offered them
selves in solicitation for infamous hire. This section
assumes that they can be reached. What then be-
comes of the plea that no law can be made to reach
them;
Now having recognized and laid hold Of these per-
sons, having assumed responsibility and control, hav-
ing them registered and waiting to be dealt with,
what does the law proceed to do with these persons?
Does it punish them. or does it cherish them Does
it strictly prohibit their trade. or does it consent to
it: Ii must be either prohibition or consent, the one
or the other. There is no longer any passivity. 1t
has taken them in its hand, and they stand waiting
its disposal. 1t can no longer plead neutrality re-
specting them. Unless it strictly forbids their pur-
suit, it gives consent thereto. Which IS it?
To our shame the answer must be, that the law
consents to and authorizes this infamous crime. 1t
has not one letter of prohibition for it. 1t proposes
not the slightest repression of it. 1t has penalties,
but none for continuing a prostitute. 1t Furnishes
neglect TO register. 1t Furnishes neglect of sanitary
regulations. But 1t has no thought of punishment
for the vile, damning thing itself.
On the contrary, it distinctly contemplates that
they shall continue their trade. 1t expressly pro-
vides for their sanitary regulation, so long as they
choose to remain engaged in it. They are expected
to pursue their business under the full cognizanee
and systematic inspection of the authorities. They
are now no longer outlaws, but are received into the
bosom and under the shelter of the law. They have
full permission to 90 on in their trade until they
choose voluntarily to withdraw from it. While they
are thus in hand. they are carefully watched, nursed
and purged of disease, that while they sin and others
sin with them, none may suffer.
From the foregoing considerations and those pre-
viously urged, does not the fact sound out plain and
ncontrovertible, that this law creates an arrange
meut whereby the prostitute may enter into covenant
the authorities, and under their control and
may and does pursue her infamous and destruc-
tive trade, without fear of hindrance or punishment?
In short, that the law practically authorizes prOstitu-
ton?
Not to make this too long, l propose in another let
ter to notice the supposed necessity and 6eReicence
IF this public compromise with crime.
Yours, &c, 5. E.. b.