National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-03-24

State, speaking Of his activity and its siatis-
tical results says "He shows more than ff-
teen thousand letters seized from the dealers
and publishers in New York alone, written by
students Of both sexcs In the hest known sem
lnarlcs Of the land, ordering obscene llterN-
ture. lie finds by this connscated correspond
encc that the New York dealers have organ
izod circulating libraries in many schools in
charge Of some Vicious character, who Ia paid
for his wicked work, who regularly hire any
Of the one hundred and lfty vile books pub
lished by New York house at ten cents
volume. lie says that this perniclons litcra-
turc has been traced To nearly every State
and Territory, and Is known TO have resulted
In the positive destruction Of promising boys.
lie makes the startling assertion that among
recent seizures In New York were found twenty
separate orders from the librarian Of one Of
the largest schools In a Western State. II IL
| further stated, as an evidence Of the extent
Of the business, that one dealer In New York
has accumulated fortune of half q million
dollars in the business"
These statements are Just as true rs they
are alarming. Within the past two years,
aided by advertisements which dlsgrace the
columns Of many newspapers, Mr.. Comstock
has succeeded In breaking up several estab-
lishments Of this character, and In causing
the arrest Of over fifty dealers and publishers,
besides destroying one hundred and eighty
thousand obscene pictures, FIVE tons Of books
aud pamphlets Of a like character, with a
large amount Of printing material.
So cunningly worded arc some Of the ad-
vcrtlscmeits Of these damnablo concerns
that many newspapers arc deceived Into pub.
hshing them. All conceivable hidden modes
Of introducing the wares are used, and one Of
the means Of scattering them Is to obtain
catalogues Of schools, on the pretence Of pub
fishing q directory. Names and addresses
are freely given, and 10 return their youthful
owners become possessed OF circulars, detail
ing In most inviting terms the character Of
this literature. In this way the minds Of the
innocent are dcbauchcd, and oftcutlmes
forever ruined. The New York Prison
Association, In recent report, speaks
Of the diffusion Of this literature, and
in referring to Its rcsults says "a
very large portion Of the works thus put In
circulation are Of the worst character, tend
ing to corrupt the principles, to lnname the
passions, to excite impure desire and TO
spread blight over oil the powers Of the
soul. Brothcls are recruited from this more
than any other one source. Those who
search the trunks Of the convicted criminals
are almost sure to find In them one or more
of these works; and few prisoners who can
read at oil fail TO cnumerate among the
causes which led them into crime the I'M
healthy stimulus n this dcpravcd and pcrnl-
clous literature"
This testimony, considering its source, Is
conclusive, and hut little need bc said as to
the result flowing from q circulation Of thest
books and pictures. Certainly there are the
broadcst grounds for the most serious alarm
and the welghtlest reasons for q general
movement to stamp out and keep under foot
those porniclous practices. It Is matter
with which legislation cannot effectually
cope; but through the operations OF the
measure recently enacted by Congress, and
by the assistance Of all good people, there
exists hope that the country can he rid Of
this great and growing evil.