National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1877-01-06
UNFORTUNATE GIRLS.


Mrs. Sara j. Spencer Represents the Me-
morialists and Tells Her Views to the
House Committee on Appropriations -
Mrs. Olivia Briggs Slips in an Address in
Opposition to the Movement, Which Con-
tains Caustic Review of the Memorial
The Columbia Lying-in Hospital is Called
an Immoral Hot-house, and the Proposed
Reform school Reservoir of Vice.
At11 a. m. yesterday the board Of trustees of
the District of Columbia Girls Reform School
and q large number of ladies representing the
woman's Christian Association, several temper
ance organizations and various charitable institu
lions Of the District appeared before the Appro-
priation Committee of the House of Representa-
tives to ask for the immediate consideration Of
the Girls Reform School memorial and bill.
Mrs. LIE Droit Langdon, Mrs. Andrew Langdon,
Mrs. S. ]. Spencer and Mrs. J. b. johnson, OF
LIE Droit Park; Mrs. Gangewer and others, Of
Georgetown; Mrs. E. G. Church, Mrs. NJ. NJ.
Chaplin Mrs. E. H Sheldon, Mrs. r. NJ Parnell,
Mrs NJ. J. Roadway, Miss Schockley, Miss Mary
wilmington and many other ladies of Washing
ton, were present, and nearly all wished to be
heard in behalf of the bill. BOLIVIA" MRS.
Emily Edison Briggs appeared at the door, say
ing that the committee had promised her hear
ing at IL o'clock against the bill. Mrs. Spencer
invited her to enter, and requestedthe committee
to allow her the first half of the hour promised
Ile DOd1u Vi Uustcce, -olNld WOulu hui outcf
or speak, having already declared that she
wished to address the committee alone, or at
least when Mrs. Spencer was not present. She
presented, however, an address, which is printed
below.
Mrs. Spencer, not knowing the contents of the
paper, but supposing 1t unfrsndiy TO her work;
in reading it. Mr.. Eugene Hale and other men,
bers of the committee objected to its being read,
and. desired Mrs. Spencer to proceed.
MRS. SPENCER
called the attention of the commtte to letters
already on file in their possession from his Honor
Chief Justice Cartier of the Supreme Court Of
the District; Judge Smell, of the Police Court
the chief clerk Of the Department of Justice and
bonoraSie bcdy to the awful needs of the classes
named in the memorial. The committee would
also observe that these same gentlemen, holding
District coming in daily contact with wretched-
ness and suffering, areamong the first singers Of
this memorial: Also, there were present the rep
of the District, who unite in asking for the i'm
mediate consideration Of the Girls Reform School
memorial and bill.
Mrs Spencer said the question was not merely
how to save a few young mothers and their in
fants, but how to save the Republic, how to save
addressed a committee of the Forty third Con-
gree in behalf of reform school for girls in 1874,
I received letters from New York, Boston, Chi
cago, St. Louis, San Francisco, England, Scot
land, Germany, Italy, France and Russia express
ing amusement at the awful cruelty to women
and children my to the
1t possible that the capital of the United States
contained no such institution as we asked forf
We might we'll learn humanity of heathens and
savages." Mrs. s. read extracts from some OF
these letters. Edward Ingham says, ~ have just
read your argument before the Committee on
to other duties until have invoked on you and
the cause you have esPOused Gods especial bless
Ing. Nor could such efforts in such cause, sus-
fail before any other authorized body in Christen-
dom than
THE AMERICAN CONGRESS-.
Let US hope that Congress, like the unjust judge,
If it can be moved by no higher considerations,
may answer your prayer for your continual plead
Mrs. Spencer protested against the cruelty of
calling the child born out of wedlock by its
the shame, and in regard to the terrible slaughter
of infant-life In our streets and elsewhere she
said: 81 undertake to say that in permitting the
destruction of these nameless little ones we
losing more talent, genius, love and beauty than
we are preserving alive on the earth. In hours
world have Ieasned Truths Which Drove to me-
that these children are by nature heirs to an
inheritance few Of US will ever possess We are
party to their death. Ifthey five and through
their crimes"
In regard to "Olivia's" persistent opposition to
lady made no objection to the Boys Reform
School bill, which went through without objec-
tion or debate. so far as know. She did not
against the four million loan expended in taking
up bad streets and putting down worse ones, in
putting up buildings and tearing down buildings
her
though she cheerfully submits to Congress and
the District paving 10000 annually to Keep them
Mrs. Briggs address was slipped in and dis
tributed among the members Of the committee,
so that they had time to read and consider 1t be-
the nature Of q review of the memorial in the
interest Of the Reform School, and made excel
lent reading matter Her views are quite novel,
those inclined to clamor for the protection and
regeneration of abandoned women.
Mrs. Briggs Reply.
The following is the text of Mrs. Briggs caus-
tic reply:
GENTLEMEN: On Wednesday, December L.,
tees Of the District of Columbia Girls Reform
School and citizens of Washington was presented
by Mr.. Willard in the House, and, after being
read, was referred to the Committee on Appro-
priations:
To The Senate and House Of Representatives Of the
United States in Congress assembled:
tns eHtspt the and JAIL there
is no prov ision in the Capital of the United States
den %
ton and ch'd- murder: nor for helpless infants,
death by exposure on our eets nor for the refor
nation of girls who have become vicious and absn-
doned, and are peopling the country with crimi-
mails; and
COLUMBIA LYING-IN ASYLUM.
In answer, gentlemen, your attention is called
to the Columbia Ly ing-in Asylum Of the District,
supported wholly by the Congress of the United
States. This institution is supported by appro-
priations of tens of thousands of dollars, every
session. and the amount constantly increasing in
rapid ratio, as you will see by examination of
the figures at the Interior Department. The
Lying-in Asylum is large enough to meet every
exceptional case; this means the young woman
90 bon rnnth arf ha f1rcf
out relative or friend. These cases alone should
be allowed the Government protection, and no
other should be permitted to cross its sacred
threshold.
AS matters now stand the Columbia Lying in
Asylum is an immoral hot house, where fllegiti-
mate sprouts are propagate with DIR. Thompson
for head gardener, with the fast men Of Congress
and the District employed in the most agreeable
part Of the work.
The corporation now beseeching Congress for an
institution Tor vicious and abandoned girls, who
are peopling the country with criminals, steal the
clean mantle of childhood with which TO cover
their designs. A woman can become a mother; a
and he says girl is female child, though some
times applied to a young, unmarried woman.
A Girl Reform School should not be q hospital
for prostitutes. What greater wrong could We
do the girl arrested for the same crime which
sends the boy to the Reform School, than to
forcbly place her side by side with vicious and
criminal adults Of her own sex? In behalf Of this
child who has no one to plead her case, come
before you to-day and speak in public for the first
time in my life. ] am astounded that good
and true citizens should sign such petition. The
boy in Reform School is not brought face to
face with the matured criminal. The Reform
School has no lifelong brand upon it, because the
80. hs ND hA nF