The New York herald., 1874-10-29
IMMORAL LITERATURE.
Meeting of Prominent Brooklyn Men to
Suppress the Vile Traffic.

Meeting of Prominent Brooklyn Men to
Suppress tho Vile Trahic.
About 100 clersymen, teachers, lawyers, mer-
chants and others or the best known oil BroOklyn's
citizens met on Tuesday evening with closed
DOORS by invitation Of the officers of the New York
Society for the Suppression OF Vice. TO consider the
appalling trade in vile publications and indecent
articles carried on covertly In the city and brought
into direct connection with the schools, semina-
res and other gatherings OF children and youth to
poison the morals and undermine the physical
health OF the rising generation. Rev. DR.. Bud
ington, who Las full knowledge OF the action Of
the society. made an address. pointing out the
enormity OF the evil and urging united and ener-
getlc &C ion to rid society OF the foul pest Mr.
and introduced Mr.. Anthony Comstock. the so.
ciety's cnief detective, VINO gave the meeting the
statistics OF the indecent trade so lar as his eff
forts had succeeded In bringing them to light.
TONS MORAL POISON.
MIR. Comstock spoke OF hundreds OF varieties Of
vile publications. and tons of stereotype plates
seized by the society. On one occasion SIX and 3
halt tons were delaced by acids, and books or
three hundred varieties destroyed. In one place
six hundred and twenty-five varieties OF stereo-
type plates were secured. One factory had been
broken up near the place wnere the meeting was
etery, wnere the work was done by young chill
dren. Large fortunes nave been accumulated IN
teen tons OF vile matter have been seized This Is
not guess, but actual weight Four tons were taken
from single store In Nassau street. Account books
had been seized In which we're the names OF
forty-nve hundred Dealers IN different cities, all
implicated. single printer, as appeared from
invoices, had sold obscene OC0ks to the extent OF
$4,000 within four years.. There had been ar.
rested las persons with 100 convlctlons, and there
were twelve now held 10r trial. The speaker
presented for examination samples OF the vile
merchandise. including pa tes, prints and mechan-
teal devices abhorrent 10 every moral sense.
Rev. Mr.. Lyman offered the following resolu-
tions, which were unanimously adopted as ex.
pressing the sense OF THIS meeting, representing
Christian churcnes In Brooklyn. called to consider
facts In rea ion to the trafc In obscene literature
tra11c:-
Resolved That from the facts there is grave
lear that the Christian public by
awake the imminent and deadly peril which the
traffic itself Is far more extensive, systematic and In
than is commonly supposed. secretly undermin-
gua ted that therefore greater vigilance from
parents teachers Christian pastors and guardians Is In
this respect DEMANDED that this traffic
prominent cause OF social corruption III the commun
and citizen and Christian should I'D in
the effort to the public OF the magnitude OF this
evil
Resolved Inasmuch warfare this traffic Is best
carried through organized society. that ear
nesty commend the efforts now being made under the
auspices the New York Society Tor the
Vice especially through the agency Mr. Anthony
Comstock the officers OF the society special
confidence and cordial support Of the Christian public
We believe the methods pursued by Mr. Comstock be
legitimate and honorable We believe the results which
been effected to have been important and
gratifying We the society to the vigor-
prosecution in the future Of the work which 1t has
thus unde ertaken.
Resolved, Acknowledging the necessity that every
effort should be under the sanction and protection
OF The law, and gladly recognizing the wholesome srin
gainst any repeal OF legal provisions force
adverse to this traihc.