The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1862-05-29

debate the bill passed its second reading by an over
shelming majority.
Mr.. Harris bill to lessen the number Of persons
necessary to be drown on the jury panel. and other
wise amending the jury laws, pissed its second read
ing. Adjourned.
TWENTIETH DAY-MAY "a
A petition WAS read from Honolulu; that petitions
presented TO the House Of Representative be not laid
on the table, but that they be passed on to the Mobiles
and they only have the power 10 table them; that
any member moving to table a petition be expelled
by the constituency. This petition met with the
same unhappy table fate, 50 deplOted b. the petit
TONERS.
From Kohala, Hawaii; against the validity Of the
election Of the member from that District; aud
another claiming the election as valid.
From MOanalua, Oahu; that the Legislature meet
every year; that poor people be exempt from costs Of
courts; that the road tax be reduced to 81; respect
ing building houses and cutting trees on Konohiki
lands; to reduce the horse license to -.
The following bills passed their third reading
Mr.. Webster's bill amending Section 5l7 Of the
Civil Code, by striking ont the words, " machinery
Of all kinds, If intended for specific use" MI. Web
ster's bill admitting plate and pig iron duty free.
4r- hiPi's bill for granting ~peddlers Licenses And
Mr. Harris bill to lessen the number Of persons
necessary to be drawn on the jury panel, and other
wise amending the jury laws.
Mr.. Harris amended bill providing for the appoint
ment Of an Attorney General for the Kingdom, passed
its first reading, and was ordered 10 be printed.
Mr. DOwsejt's bill amending the law respecting
the punishment Of women who become pregnant by
fornicatiou or adultery. Mr.. Dowsett argued for the
bill, that the fear of being punished under the Law
as It nOw stood, induced women who had become preg-
nant by Illicit intercourse to cause the abortion Of the
children Of which they were pregnant. Messrs.
Rhodes, Kamalo and HAWAI- also supported the bill.
Messrs- kaaPa ard kauhane argued against 1t on
the ground that the alteration of the present Law
would lead to worse evils. The bill was tabled by n
vote VI IL to i. Adjourned.
TWENTY FIRST DAY-MAY 90.
Petitions were presented from Waialua, Oahu, to
legalize distilleries to reduce the horse tax to so
cents, and mule-tax to % cents to exempt scholars
from personal taxes for repeal of the stallion law
to reduce salaries of government officers /; that pro-
duce be taken in payment for taxes and that rich
persons pay 50 rOad-tax.
MIR. WIdeDan read, the first time, n bill providing
that liquors be not consumed on the premises of
wholesale vendors also providing that the wholesale
vending of spirituous liquors shall consist Of selling
IN quantities not less than one gallon or one dozen
quart bottles.
BY motion Of Mr.. Baldwin, the vote on the bill
amending the law relating to women who become
pregnant by Illicit intercourse, was reconsiderei, and
the bill ordered for Tomorrow.
The House went into committee to debate the
majority and minority reports Of the judiciary Com
mittee presented the fourth day of the session,
respecting the repeal of the Prostitution Act. Mr..
MOku moved to adopt the majority report recommend
ing it, repeal, on the ground of its being n hypocri-
teal law. Messrs. Hitchcock and KAPPA. favored
the repeal Of the law. Messrs. Dowsett, Harris, Kaa-
kua and kaauwai, arguing TO the contrary. The
matter still pending, the House adjourned.
As the above subject was more fully debated the
next day, We reserve tor the report of that day, the
arguments used for and against the law.
TWENTY SECOND DAY-MAT -.
Petitions we're presented, from Honolulu; against
the amendments TO the Constitution; that DIR. Judd
be appointed Minister OF Finance; against allowing
the RHausa to come into port on Sunday; relating to
the Sheriff aud Ja.lor of Honoiulu-iabIed
From kona, Hawaii; for amendment to law punish
ing women who become pregnant by Illicit inter-
course; and for amendment to the ROAD tax law.
From Wailuku, Maui; to ~legalize distilleries-ta-
LT-I- 49, 60 awT,.f - 49, L
tabled; that physicians practice without charge,
the government paying them-tabIel.
From Ssmuela, of Waimea, Kauai, that SEA ex-
pended by him on n government pound. be refunded.
Mr.. Rhodes asked, to make some explanations. lie
said, that he had heard with some establishment,
that there were some offensive expressions, that oc-
SiI Ie 10 II eti.lo Hom ho'uln signed Dy 90
Catholics lie knew something about the petition.
and that nothing was further from the thoughts Of
the Trainer. and he might say of the signers than to
express offensive sentiments towards any person or
persons The petitioners in question thought. they
were asking for their rights and nothing more; that
he had made enquiries into the matter, and this was
its history. The petition was written in English and
translated into the native language; n fair copy, or
what was supposed to be n fair copy, was then taken
from this trunslatiOn-it was taken by n native who
is not a Catholic. In the English version the ex-
preston was used, "easy occurrence" which was
translated % puka VALE" but which the copyist alter
ell TO 40 apuka VALE" which last expression. when
the two were collated. escaped notice. Mr.. Rhodes
again disclaimed for the petitioners any intention Of
OAthoS, huA BioINStA Nht taE4hl Va bHc ptNhiOu III
question to corroborate his words.
The House went into committee on the motion
TO accept the majority report on the Prostitution
Act. Mr.. kaauwai argued long and strenuously in
favor of the act; he wished further to have it amend
ed so that its provisions would apply alike to all the
Islands; he thought it uncOn tituiional to have a law
granting the blessing of health 10 only the females Of
n certain locality, and not of the whole group; aid
that sufficient time had not elapsed to test the law.
Mr.. Harris spoke in favor of the Act thus: much
had been said and written about this law; but the
question is has the law done harm TO any one or has
1t done something to reduce the amount Of disease in
the country. Ii is sail, that the law recognizes a
class Of people earning their living by the most disre-
putable Of means Suppose it does, is it not n fact
that such a people do exist among Us? Does their
existence as n class depend upon this law, or did they
exist here before the passage of the Act? Will any
one deny that Prostitution has been n fearful evil in
this country and has drawn after II the most fatal
evils; that the diseases following it have not only been
the source Of great personal misery. but have destroy
ed, and are destroying the means Of reproduction in
the nation. The nation is dying out, and it behooyes
Us not TO theorize but to adopt a course that may pre-
vent the extinction Of a race, and prevent the coun-
try from becoming absolutely dcsoate. Does the law
shelter any one in their sins? Are not the laws
against fornication and adultery still in force. So
far from sheltcTing such persons. it compeis all who
live by this disreputlble means TO register themselves;
so that any one who feels that morality is promoted
by punishment, may have an opportunity to find out
the offenders and bring them before the justice, and
have them punished 10 their heart content. We find
that by Section = OF this law, all those persons who
live in this way and are not registered, may be im-
priSOned during sixty days, even without an actual
of the Ofense of fornication being proved
ca them. Hence this law imposes a greater restraint
OI the subjects OF this law than they would labor
under without il. But say the opponents of this bill,
why should the public bear the expense of curing
these people, For the same reason that the public
bore the expense of curing ami preventing the spread
Of the small Pox, which was extinguishing the life of
the people not more surely, If more slowly, than this
disease. Because the public Is flways compelled to
bear the burthens Of the sins anC crimes of its mem
bers; and hence IL becomes necessary for society 10
lessen the evils Of those sins as much a possible. In
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