The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1878-04-19
4ne Terrible Crime of Abortion.

The following from the editorial columns
Of the Philadelphia Record of Friday last
presents picture of sin and shame that is
appalling TO contemplate:
The crime OF at ortion, in view of the extent
to which this abOIninatiOu is practised, may be
set down as one OF the great est evils OF the
present age. As sin against God ana nature
il j. exceeded by only very few Cf human
crimes, and its perpetrators, and particularly
its professional perpetrators should oe pun
iShed in the seVcreSt manner permissible toy
u.nan law. An idea of the extent to which
this revolving crime is carried may be derived
fr lm the pecuniary prosperity OF one Of its
Few days ago In New 1ork CITY This dehased
creature left property worth not far short OF
million OF dollars, though Tor many years she
hJd lived IN an extremely uXurlOuS ana eX-
pcnsiVe style Her entire receipts from her
uefarious profession probably amounted to
several millions, and her husband, who was
professional perpetratOr OF this crime, had also
amused Il considerable fortune. They lived in
almost regal magnihcence and their patients or
patrons in many cases were married women
moving III the BEST sOciety-wiycs who were
unwilling to devote any time or attention to
the duties Of maternity. or course, n tnrre
portion OF the patrons of these vampires were
Unmarried women who sought to Destroy the
evidences of their shame. Bat, though Madam
Res:ell and her husband were the leading pro-
fessionaI abortionists OF New York they were
not alone in their infamous business. Hun
dreds Of others in a minor way were and are
there living bv this work of death: and the
same may be SHid respecting our own and other
cities. Now and then one OF these wretches is
detected and brought to Justice. but the great
crimes concealed, and ffIe Internal work by
which they thrive goes on from day to day and
Madame Restcll the deaths of pre- natal infants
and of adult victims of her malpractice must
thousands of others who are plying the same
deviish vocation are thus annually perpetra-
ting thousands of secret murders. Not only in
a direct way did the Restc!ls commit murder.
aut indirectly by means of medicines and
through advice contained in circulars sent to
theIr customers. ana no DOUBT others or their
accuTsed calling also commit this crime indi-
rcctiy as well as hy their immediate action
The prevalence of this enormIty is a foul blot
upon our civilization and upon the age in which
we live In pious New England, where more
religion Is preached and less practised than in
any other part of the country or ChristcndOm
the decrease of population Is attributed 10y the
statistlcianS and the Few sincere mnraIiStS or
that region to the prevalent practice OF ahOr-
ion and il is grGveiy arg ued and asserted that
the gaining of the Catholic upon the Protestant
in Boston in particular, aud IN New
England in general, is trdceabie to the same
cause. And here we may say good word for
the Catholic Church in this country and praise T.
IL for the utfcctual exercise of its influence
against this sin and against diVOrcemeuts. Why /
W wholesome influence upon those belonging to i
them? Il is an undoubtcd fact hat many mar (
ried women prominently connected with our I
churches habltuaIly resort To criminal means I.
10 escape the responsibilities and cares of ma (
teTnity, and the fact is sad proof of the tOlcr-
alton of such crime 10y tue protesting Chris /
tians composing our best society" The pro- I
fcsSipnGi abOrtiOuist is toy no means the only /
criminal in this matter. In every case there is I
at least one person puT7jccps crtHtttS, and often
in the murder of her own unborn child TIE /.
sin of the woman is even greater than that of /
he erin nal practitioner. He simply commits /
murder; she murders natural affection and viO- .
lates the best instincts OF her nature hcsidrs /
destroying the life Ot her child This is espepi-
ally true Uf the married women vino have no .
shame 10 hide. hut whose highest pride should .
prompt obedience to the laws of G. cd and nature /
in this respect. In the case or unmarried per (
sons II often happens that their fear OF parental
drives them to the com mission OF
tins crime, and ii may bC said that the relentless
enmlty OF their own sex toward such unfOrtu- +
mates has ~ little C1cC: in in1ucing them TO
resort to this second crime to COEceul their
first. But, under any and uii circumstances, !
this sin i infamous and revolving to the best
instincts OF humanity. 1t is pcruiciOus in its
influence upon private morals and against the
welfare Of society; and all that he dOHe,
by means OF legislation. the power of the pull .
PIT and press, by home teachings. the advice of
friends and the frOwns of society. should be
done to prevent and punish this unnatural and
mex uSible enormIty Hhe professional abor- +
crime should in every case be most severely
punished, and their cGurederares on whom they
are permitted To practice should so far Hs known
be held up to public ScOrn and dctestatiOn, ptr-
ticuIHry when They are wives claiming to be
moral and respectable. The moral sentiment .
OF society Should be eXcrted to the fullest to
prevent this ahOminatiOn; and those known to
be voluntarily guilty or IL should he branded as
unht fOr fellowship with decent people. So far
as society has the power 10 free itself from this
fOUi stain il is in duty bound TO de il and IL has
the power, perhaps, To 90 more than the legal
authorities.