National Republican., 1876-12-13
THE GIRLS, REFoRM SCHOOL.

Memorial of Trustees and Cftizens-A
Home for Ruined and Deserted
Gfrls-A Check to Abortion and
Chtld-Murdsr-A Prayer 60 Con-
gress. a.
To sae Senate and House Of Rsprssentatiuss Of the
United States in CoR0rsss dssem6fsd:
Whereas 1t Is well known to your honorable
body that, except the workhoase and the common
jail, there is no provision in the capital OF the
United States for the shelter Of young ruined,
deserted girls, who are driven by desperation 70
the fearful crimes Of abortion and child murder;
nor for helpless infants, who are therefore SUBJ
jected to violent death to death by exposure on
our streets; nor for the training and reformation
Of girls who have become vicious and abandoned
and are peopling the country with criminals; and
Whereas existing laws In this District are so
framed and executed rs to protect men In the
highest crimes against the souls and bodies OF
women, and Of poor, ignorant and misguided
girls, men Of all ages and stations being permit
ted 70 seduce, or literally reward progresses for
yenient opportunity, and being allowed to aban
don the mothers and disown the children born
out Of wedlock, while all the legal penalties fall
only upon the wrecthed mothers; and
WHAT CRIMINAL LEGISLATION SHOULD BE-
Whereas all criminal legislation, to be perma-
nently effective, should tend towards reform and
and .s, 81 , cruel
in favor Of the strcng, towards justice to women
and Kindness to children towards securing to the
full citizens, instead of an ignorant and vicious
generation of outeasts and criminals, and should
provide as literally for the direct and immediate
consequences Of vice, as 1t provides ways and
means to fall into temptation and sin; and
Whereas the long delay in making provision for
these classes Of persons has led to terrible suffer-
Of infant lie; and - -'''- -
Whereas it has appeared in debate that there's
general kindly feeling in the House Of Repre-
sentatives toward the establishment Of suitable
institution for these classes, and that negligence
in pressing the bill has not arisen from ignorance
| of the need, nor from indifference, but from the
fact that the persons to be provided for are
women, and not your constituents, while you be-
ueve 1t to be your first and constant duty to
pass such measures as your constituents impera-
lively demand; and
| Whereas, although we cannot declare that
your constituents
IMPERArIvRLY DEMAND THIS MEASURE,
we do declare that your constituents, the men of
the United States are largely responsible for the
moral and social atmosphere and condition Of the
capital Of the nation, and may more appropri-
ateiy be taxed for the protection and care of
these wretehed women. and for the education aud
training Of their unfortunate children than for
their arrest and punishment as criminals; and,
Whereas the citizens Of this District support
fifteen benevolent institutions which do not de-
inmates from every part Of the United States and
from every quarter Of the globe, while Congress
ports ur gS Ts and PaFs SUP
which are national in their character; and.
| Whereas the care of the persons described in
i
| few women, who are wholly unable to bear the
expenses, or to save the sufferers from exposure
| and subsequent degradation:
THE PRAYER. .5s.'E
Therefore We pray your honorable body to I'm
medfately take from the calendgr 4 r. bill No.
| 3765, add thereto the appropriations named
| therein as limits to the cost for land and for
buildings for shelter for the sick, an infants
| home, and q reform school for girls, and enact
the same in such manner that 1t may be speedily
effective; and we further pray, ~ - e.. :
That you viii appropriate sum, to be imme-
diately available, for the shelter and care of
j urgent cases Of young women about to become
| buildings shall be constructed.
Board Of Trustees-Sars ]. Spencer, president;
/ Z. ID. e. N Southworth, vice president; Ellen H.
/ Sheldon, corresponding secretary; Susan A. Ed
son, NJ. D., recording secretary; Mrs lie Droict
Langdon, treasurer; 4. G. Riddle, solicitor; John
| +. Cook, auditor.
| Citizens-R. ]. Meizs, Clerk Supreme Court
/ D. O.; @. W: Phillips. District Marshal; A. s..
Solomons, Simon Wolf, Recorder Of Deeds; Ar
thur Macarthur, Associate JudgeSuprene Court;
Francis Miller, William Mindall, George f.
| Schayor, John HitE, @. Z. Prentfss, Charles H.
g, Pratt, Q. o. Wight, Mrs. A. G. Riddle, J. E.
| Rankin, Alex. T. Stuart, General Secretary Y.
! d, q, A; NJ A. 5, Cary, A. q, Richards, Super
1ntendent OF Police; VIM. b SHELL Judge Of
Police Court; d. K. Cartier, Chief Justice Dis
| trict Court. ). O. Wilson, Superintendent Public
Helen L. Sumner, Nellie B. Thompson, Rosina
| NJ. Parnell, Martha Smell, Frederick Douglas,
/ @. Kennedy, and others. . - . : -
wish that this bill might be passed, and the
sooner the better-Henry H. Well, Dist AIRY.
There Is most pressing necessity for this insti-
Thompson, Surgeon-in-ehief CoIEnbiS Lying-in
1 Hospital $1,000. .-... o. .-