, 1877-07-09
TWO BOOKS.


Rcxen .ldstrifstr.
England has lately been agttated By two
books, neither Of them new but both co1npara-
ttyeIy obscure until extraordinary circumstances
foietcd them upon public attention. The une
led up to the prosecution and conviction Of Mr..
ilralinu9h nnd Mrs. Annie bcsanl. for publish
Ing aud circulating work calculated to deprarc
public morals. What may be the result Of the
revelations concerning tho other book ca1,uot
yet be known; but they arc likely 10 be I'M
portAnt. .
Almost everybody has sone knowledge Of
what IL known Is the . Malthusiaii tleory,''
the last century by the announcement that the
ratio OF increase Ut population Is always IN ex-
crss OF the tnerease of lneans of subslstenrc,
and consequently TINT tue tendency to an IT.
eosstant. Wars, plaques, and ta1nlnea served
ia part to restore the hnlancc. Ne maintained,
however, that other means should be resortea
to.-n0me1Y, late marriages. and prudent conti-
ncncc. Forty years ago all American. who
esteemed these ncans Inadequate because
human nature could nut be expected to respect
them, published lIttls book, protes.cdly for
the tuarrt.d only, advocating md giving specific
Instructions for the prevention of prosrcaton .
circulation, or, II 1t did, IT. was secret in this
country. It was tcpub1Eaiel In England long
ago without exciting. attention until lately,
when TWO or three drna u bodksellers were
prosecuted md hncd for circulating IT. There
upon Mr.. Bradlaugh aud Mrs. Desaut undertook
tic publication and salc Of It openly, sent wurl
OF their Intention to the magistrates, and ehal-
lenged prosecution. Complaint was promptly
mule bY policemen, tho publishers brought 70
trial, arld tho cuso wlA ut once taken tu tho
Quccn's Bcucl, division Of tho court, Lord Chic
justicc toekburn, psesaing. The Indictment
with mucl. supcrdaitY of words, charged that
the wurk was Indecent and filthy In its quality;
ane ti,at tho defendants In publishing II wick
elly devised and lntc1!4ea to yittate md corrupt
the 1r,otals vi youth. The defendants were with
oat sounss s4 gStn a ,a1r.s ndasss.e a.y u
Is said to hare bccN very ah!e atlu carncst.
The lcicnse wast that the book was not y vi'e
book, being no more platr.spokcn than humber.
OF medical works treat!nx Vi the same general
liGsant, speaking from wtlo knowledge Of the
YnIscrtGs ulld yirrs vi unrestricted ProeseattDn
a1nonE tho pour, expressed The opinion t!nt the
rouitgls Of the work wcr1 Wise aud valuable,
and would tend 10 tle anclioEat1on Of the c0ndt-
tiou Of the poor and to the iesBcn!ng Ut tminoF-
Tie Chief Justice in hts charge bore very &C.
ycrely upun thu prosecution, saying that moro
t Ta ss i s IeF
pears lu the fact that the prosecution gRye Tic
book such notoEicty that 13l,00u copiea wcre
sold fu very abort tlule. liz emphatically told
tho Aollcitor-0tneral that hs didn't agree With
him in hIs statement that the authorities had
no option when they were challenged u prose
cute, aud, ~ to another reluask of th<
eoiiGitur-Genesaa, to tue elect that tht
magistrates Us we'll as tlu police might
Is s.a aoa. believe IL, t." r. 1hs ssits
General said that the suEgcstion thas the Wori
was intended Tor married people, aud not 4
corrupt youth, was shaln and q liskulae, ant
intended to taetlltata !MaloInlity; but In tespcc
to tL!s tbs Chet.Justice kaid to ths jury: "
think that mort unjust accusation waa ncve
made. Having read the book must say that
think IT. Intention to recommend marriage Va
honest and truthful rrmaFk that was Ap
plaudcd III court. He, however, charged tia
the jury must judge whether tho &C
tual tendcncy Of the book Wat to Pru
note immortality, irrespective OF tts III
teution, aud, II It was, she defendants wes
/ guilty Irrespective Of their motives. The 1ur
was out IN hour and half, 4nd returned th
following verdict: "Wr tIul that the book
| calculated u depraye public morals, but We eu
| ttEely exonernto the defendants fruin my eol
! rupt motive in publ!shi,g It," The Chief Jua
t!co said that upon that asdlpg they must dn
| the defendants guilty, which they did. Th
| defendants weso released upon their own xccoR
| ni1ances, to APPEAR In week for acnteAce
When they appeared they wcrr sentenced ~ u
| months' imprisonment aud hne Of 4.aD each
aud required IL give bonds not to VIC
!ate th1 luw for Two years. The judy
| sa!u b. would bayU discharged them on thel
own recoEnIzances II they tzi not, after III
| verdict, continued the publication of the bool
| lie did discharge them uuttl after the Court y
| Error should pa1s upon RoIUe legal exceptions