New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-02-04
. Tile SOCIAL EEIL.N

Of all the miseries now endured by civilized
man, those resulting from violations of the d.
vine law of sexual purity are probably most
gigantic and appalling The strength OF man
hood is sapped the loneliness OF womanho0d
Transformed into something inexpressibly loath-
some and revolving; even the life-blood OF IN
fancy is tainted and filled with the seeds OF
agony and death, by diseases engendered by
lust. The innocent suffer with the guilty; the
guileless purity of girlhood is ensnared to ply
steal and moral ruin; the stamina and health
of the race are fearfuly undermined; deaths are
FASTENED and multiplied, while births are rem
dered fewer and fewer, because OF the pesti-
lence that wall1eth in darkness, and threatens
the human species with general impotence ana
anguish if not with determination.
The statistics of the hideOus vice wherein
this dreadful scourge has its source are revolt
ing, and need only he glanced at. All know
that il exists-that it IS -pervading-that 1t
is rapidly on the increase. All admit that
something must be DONE but whatR
There is bill now before our Legislature
which proposes to legalize--its advocates say, to
neutrality-suspicious. and, since Gov. Andrew
heads the effort to legalizc rum-selling In
Massachusetts, we see not why some equally
eminent and honored statesman should not
champion the regulation of harlotry here. The
argument is substantially the same in the two
cases: Men riH drink liquor; they tcW violate
the Seventh Commandment; why not recognize
and respect the fact Why not limit evils
which cannot be extirpated Why not have
that done deccntly and in order which wiH at
any rate be dOneP
o,,1 frV1 ayn fnl
The object of regulation is to lessen the chances
of infection-of disease; and we would not
have them lessened. On the contrary, we hold
it desirable that it should be rendered abso-
lutey certain that every man who visited a
house of i'll fame wOuld there be smitten with
an incurabe and fatal leprosy. 1t is the chance
of escape unframed that stimulates lechery and
multiplics libcrtines. Were certain and speedy
death the notorious penalty, the transgressors
would be few indeed
But the idea of securing men against the
natural results of their own vices, is not merely
immoral: it is a sheer illusion. Regulation has
been reduced to science in France, especially
in Paris vet the Judgment of God against
sexual pollution is executed there as well as
here. And so it will be everywhere, in spite OF
legions of quacks-in spite of all that science
can devise or regulation achieve.
We are not urging the passage of more
stringent, repressivc laws. We think our legis-
lation might be improved; but we will not now
insist ON that What we do urge is universal
enlightenment, especially of the young. There
should be n series of tracts setting forth the
nature, reasons, obgations,and requirements OF
sexual purity, and the awful, inevitable conse-
,uo,cos Of d;ooho1icncp IN the Divine command.
These, so fast as prepared, should be systemat-
ically disseminated and universally studied.
Ii is not difficult to teach the vital truth in terms
adapted to every understanding and inoffensive
to purity or good taste. In this great work.
our churches, tract societies, Christian associa-
tons, Sc, &c, should cooperate and vie with
each other, till great and halowod reform shall
have been fully accomplished.