New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-06-29
TIE SUPPRESSION or TIcE.

LETTER FROM THE REV. +. COURTNEY-NG. COM
STOCKS METHODS GOOD AND LEGhL-rHE DIP
FICULTY OF OBIAINING TESTIMONY
10 the EdttOr Of the Tribune.
SIR: | am sorry to see the line taken by
TIE TRIBUNE in an article in to-days issue, respecting
the methods sometimes pursued by Mr. COmstOch IN
order TO obtain evidence against parties whom he sus-
poets Of transgressng the laws Of the state for he
preservation Of morals As far the law itself is
cerned he is completely yindicated by the decisions
which are quoted in tine article in question. and 1t
would surely be the better course for such journal rs
The TRIBUNE 20 advocate alteration Of the law which
allows such procedure than, while ackuO wlcdgng its
awfulness, 70 weaken the moral support accorded to
one who is compelled TO resort 10 such method. say
compelled" because the necessary evidence IN these
cases, could not otherwise be obtained.
Let the public look at the facts. There persons
Gagged in immoral traffic. who use the public newspapers
to draw attention by means OF advertisements wOrdeI
as reveal the character Of the advertisers Except
10 those who like Mr. COmstOck, have become experts
detecting such things trusting 70 the curiosity Of the
general public in the first instance TO reply them and
then to the animal passions presently TO be excited 10
bring them very remuueratiyc correspondence Such
an advertisement being by Mr.. COmstock, no
causes the advertiser 10 be written TO- and on his
ceiyIng immoral matter through the mails, lie prose
cutes the offender for breach Of the law What other
course is 10 be pursued Is the society to instruct us
agent TO wait until some boy girl has been
ruined for life by these inhumau monsters, before
he attempts have them stopped Ia their accursed
tracl Aud then are the parents Of sucn boy or g to
be dragged into open court to declare such ruin to the
worldi Mr.. ComstOck does not beguile the immoral
trafckcr into his disgusting busina and then prose
cute him for pursuing 81 but he suspects person OF be-
ing so engaged and answers his advertisement thereby
procuring legal proof Of the correctness OF his suspicion
and the court afterwards approves both the suspicion
and the mode Of proving II fact BY pnnshng the Of
fender ana ordering mis- material To be destroyed.
have touched upon only phase OF this matter
there are many, each nasty, disgusting Immoral and
Outraging private dccency and public morals bus the
public has 10 face these things First, there
are people engaged in various ways IN pro-
noting vice. and they solicit patronage from
children, youth, unmarried and married people.
Second, there society organized for The express pu
pose OF stopping this business by prosecuting those
whom thry prove % be engaged Ia H. ana thereby
prOeC ns public morality. Third, this society employs
an agent, Mr. Anthony COmstock, who submits MS
eases 10 high legal authority before entering upon any
prosecution, and has also the approval OF tho committee
before bringing accusation Fourth IN the cases an
im8dyerted upon IN your article no other method han
that adopted by Mr. COmstOck would result In the pro-
curing the necessary evidence which means that he
cause you approve % the said method therefore
these people, who VIGOROUSLY engaged an breaking
the law and running the morals OF The citizens
and defng the purity OF our homes, arc Ia
be allowed 10 go on with their abOnlunble work.
IL IL time sir that every honest citizen OF the United
states every good man who desires the prosperity Ofhs