The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1871-10-14
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Indecent Publications.


are on the increase in the United
states. The journals OF the coun-
try are burtlened with notices and
details of the most disgusting and
narrowing examples of rapes, seduc-
tions. abortions, and divorces. The
number of the latter alone, growing
out of the incontinency of one or
both of the parties, indicates the in
creasing looseness III which the mar
ital obligation, of "what God hath
joined together let not man put
as.,nder," is held. Among the dit
ferent agencies to which may be as
cribed these growing evils, none, i'll
our opinion, are more potent i'll their
influence than indecent publications,
with which the country is now being
Hooded.
Papers, containing the most vul-
gar and lascivious illustrations, are
daily hawkcd about the streets of
our cities, spread out iii most COLI
spicuous places to attract attention
in news depots, sold by the news
boys on every train, and sent to sub
scribers i'll all parts of the country.
These papers are bought with avid
ity by the youth, and i'll fact more
or less by all classes; and the effect
is being realized i'll the increase of
crimes resulting from Righteousness
and ,,nbridled lust. The lewd illus
trations are often accompanied by
highly wrought pen-pictrres, or de-
scriptions, Of illicit deeds and crimes,
and vulgar transactions, SO skill
fully worded, as under the SEM
blance of condemnation to really
convey the opposite impression, and
thus train the imagination OF the
reader into active sympathy i'll the
SCcIlcS UcSCIlDVu. tSttCI II CIicI
character, and their influence is most
pernicious. Appealing to the sens
ual and brutal instincts of our fallen
humanity, they are subversive of all
virtue, and at war with all that is
pure and ennobling. Their intiu-
ence i'll weaning our youth away
from paths of chastity and upright
ness of life, is the most to be dread
ed and derlorcd. They familiarize
their susceptible minds with scenes
of wantonness and crime, and grad
ually weaken the restraints of purity
and virtue. We tremble for the
future of our beloved country, il
| these influences are to continue and
| increase. Tt should be considered a
crime of the first magnitude for any
one to print or sell an indecent pa
per or book. The home circle
should never he polluted by sucl
| productions. The taste, ilclinations
and habits of children should never
be perverted by gazing upon lustfu
pictures, or reading tales or descrip
tions of lasc viors scenes. 1t every
parent and lover of virtue, if every
real patriot i'll the land, would lif
up his voice in condemnation of thi.
increasing evil, and demand it
speedy destruction, how soon i
would cease. The following forci
ble remarks bearing on this subject
from the San Francisco GoAle5
city, we gladly insert
The English government-w which
is ever watchful of the morals Of th'
masses-is making strenuous effort
to suppress indecent publications
The same thing should be done il
this country, where the evil is sal,
to exist to more alarming exteh
tEan in the most morally corrupt 0
European cities. It is scarcely pos
sible to walk along any of the pril,
cipal thoroughfares of this city with
out the eye being offended by th'
vulgar and demoralizing picture
with which the trashy periodical
of the day fill their pages. Their
can certainly be 10 greater evil t.
society at large than these very pub
lications, and their sale should b.
forbidden iii every decent commu
nifty. Let San Francisco take th
initiative III the good work Q
squelching these denominations. Th
law may be invoked for their sup
preston. Fathers and mother
should see to it that such publica
| fions are not, received into their fani