Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-11-27
Crime and It's Expose in Wash
ington.

time or another occupied the attention Of
almost every newspaper in the land. II
is this how far shall the local news
columns of daily journal be filed with
criminal court and police court trials
We have had most disgusting case in
our criminal court within a week--that
of a Major Butenatt who, expelled from
the armies, came to Washington and
opened a house Of ill-iame. He and his
female partner, one Maude Roberts, were
tried last week for the offense of keeping
such house. The evening papers have
reported the case very fully, and the
Morning Chronicle Of Monday came out
with very severe article upon them 70,
publishing such reports. Col. ForneyI
no sooner saw the article than he apollo
gized for il in Inc following paragraph -
"Ii the article in yesterdays Chroni-
Gle, rejecting upon some Of our city con-
temporaries, had met the eyes Of the pro
prietor OF the ediior-in.chief before III
appeared, it never would have been pub
lished. However we may differ with
other journals or journalists, we have al.
ways endeayored to do so without EN-
ploying harsh, personal phrases
The Evening Star defends itself with
a good deal Of ability, and concludes with
this brace of paragraphs, which certainly |
"speak to tho point" in language that Il
cannot be misunderstood, even if it is a n
little rough ia style: $
"There are fifteen thousand prosti- d
tuteS in the city of Washington, and the :,
number of their pimps and retainers are d
legion. Does the Chronicle think this Il,
terrible ulcer is TO be healed by covering q,
it with The plaster of silence, or by the ~
slow action Of The courts, when indict- f.,
ments against some of the most notorious ~
houses in the city have hung unprosecu- -,
ted for years? We believe our courts,
as at present constituted, are doing their ;,
utmost TO exirpate these terrible evils, :,
but they will be powerless unless the
oress--instead OF maintaining master
inactivity shall afford them resolute
call things by their right
ames, and make such an expose of these !,
eI-holes and their inmates as shall :.
rouse the community 10 sense Of their
eril. This may not suit the society for
le promotion Of public decency by pan ~
Iletting piano-forte legs,-we beg their "
.rdon, limbs, not legs,-but it will suit 9
e vigorous common sense OF the COM It's
unity, which is not yet inclined to see
e press emasculated to make its issues NJ
xt-book matter for school girls, and
hich holds also with the stern old Eng
III moralist. that people who particular
affect nice words are people of partic-
Iarly nasty ideas" 90,
You will notice one statement in the
xtracts that "there are fifteen thousand
=, an
rostiutes in the city Of Washington" !,
t is a terrible statement and if il be cor g.,
ect the fact is one that should occupy n
he attention Of every respectable man in 81,
Washington. The population of the ,a
,wn is but sixty thousand and this would
lake every fourth person a prostitute.
N aware that il is not so much Wash~ -
,gton with its steady population that five
Itracts these thousands of bad women :.
ere as it is the army. They are not nv
ermitted to follow the army and there ma,
IRE they seek the nearest point TO the ar -.
~ of the Potomac, which is Washing m,
on. Alexandria is quite as bad and v;c
Dw as Washington, every third house be- ths
ng OF ll.fame. The great problem is, pa
an anything be done TO abate the evil to
me courts OF TINS district are Trying 10 vic
ee what light fines and short imprison- for
nents Gall the law permits) will do to-
Yards extirpating this evil. Judge Car
sr and Judge DIN are determined, so
80 for
difficult for the keepers Of brothels to "
ariNe oe'c' ou' presume 'io' o'' ~ ted
lousand will ever be brought to court. IN
his frightful vice is among the evils that :
ways attend war. 1t shocks ono at e..
rst and inclines one to the opinion that
'ere is no such thing as pure patriotism.
! this army SO corrupt and yet is it do
q Gods work Without doubt.
len in masses are very apt to be wick No
d, sometimes villanously so, but God Z
lakes use of them nevertheless. And S
D this war, though il may be carried Oh |
y bad men even in majorties over the S
God, may still be the means of Divine wa,
Providence which shall purify the nation. thai
lill, as / look on these concomitants Of ma,
ar, drunkenness, brutality, lieentious> am
ess and profanity / cannot but sigh for citi
lie time when an honorable peace may vic,
. achieved. and that will be when the war
'bsls bow before the majesty Of the ey
oyernment sncl