The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1885-07-18

Gus. Bnt the woman who purSueS this
as business has seldom any hope in this
world either of mental or moral health.
The class, as class, are the most des-
perate and unfortunate which reforma.
tory agencies ever touch. Now, any
friend of the we'll being of society, know
ing the strength of mems passions and
the utter misery and degradation of these
victims of them, will dread any public
measure or legislation which will tend to
weaken the respect of young men for
virtue, or to make this offense looked
upon as permissible, or which will add
to the number OF these wretched women
by diminishing the public and legal con-
domination of their debasing lives.
THE EFFECT OF LICENSES
Among the large class of poor and ig-
norant girls in large city who are al
ways just Oh the line between virtue and
vice, who can say how many more would
be plunged into this abyss of misery by
an apparent legal approval Or recognition
of the offense through system of license?
Among the thousand young men who are
under incessant temptations in a city
like New York, who can say how many
are saved by the consciousness that this
oftense is looked upon both by morality
and law as an offense, and is not even
recognized as permissible and legal? A
city license constitutes profession. The
law and opinion recognize the holders.
The evil becomes more fixed by its public
recognition.
The present condition of the whole
matter i'll New York is terrible. The
humanity and science which ought to
minister to the fallen woman as freely as
to any other class, are refused to her by
the public, unless she apply as pauper.
The consequence is that the fearful dis
eases which follow her, like avenging
furies, have spread through not only this
class of women, but have been commu
nlcated to the virtuous and innocent, and
are undermining the health of society
This fact is notorious to physicians. Now
we think reasonable "middle course
might be pursued in this matter; that
for instance, greater conveniences fol
medical attendance and advice in the
city (and not on Blackwell's Island,
might be afforded by our authorities O
this class, both as matter of humanity
and as safeguard to the public health
II there was a hospital OF a dispenser,
for such cases within the city, it would
avoid the disgrace and publicity of eacl
patient reporting herself to the court a
pauper and then being sent to the Isl
and Hospital. Hundreds more woult
present themselves for attendance ant
treatment than do now and the publi
health be proportionately improved. N,
moral sanction would thus be given t.
this demoralizing and degrading bust
ness. The simple duties of humanit,
would be performed
| FOREIGN LAWS.
| The advocates of the license system
would still reply, however, that such
hospital would not meet the evil; tina
law only can separate the sickly fror
the healthy, and thus guard society from
the pestilence; and the only law whic
could accomplish this would be a stric
system of license. The friend of publ
order, however, would urge that wis
legislator cannot consider physical well
being alone; he must regard also tn
moral tendencies of laws; and the in
fluence of a license system is plainly tc
ward recognizing this offense as legal O
permissible. 1t removes Indirectly OF
of the safeguards of virtue. Perhap
the reductio adabsurdum in the relation
of the State with criminal class, an,
of the Church with the State was neve
SO absurdly shown as in the Berli
license laws twenty years since. AZ
cording to these, in their final result,
license was never given to this bushes
any more than to any other, except o
evidence of the PERSONS having bee
"contirmed," or being a member of tn
State Church, that is citizen. Thi
CHASING, however, the trade with pee
ding, or any other business needing
license, did not in the least tend, so ia
as we have ever heard, to elevate til
women, or save them from moral an
mental degradation. On the contrar,
the universal law of Providence thu
man or woman must live by labor, an
that any unnatural substitute for it SAP
and weakens all power and vigor, al
plies to this class in continental cities &
7 much here. Without doubt, to-
wherever the GeffITmanic races are no d.
gree of legalizing this traffic can utter
do away with the public sentence 0
scorn against the female participants il
it; and the contempt of the virtiou
naturally depresses the victim.
The ''public woman has far create
chance of recovery in France or Ital
than in Germany, England or America
Still, the wise legislator, though regret
ting the depression which this publ
sentiment causes to the vicious classes
cannot but value it as safeguard G
vi tue, and will be very cautious how b
weakens it by legislation. There is, n
doubt, force in the position that the non
license of these houses is in some degle
terror to the community, and the eau
tious and prudent are kept from the OF
Tense through fear of possible conse
quences.
LONDON AND BERLIN.
Bad as London is in this matter-not
however, so much through defect of Ii
censing as through want of proper stree
police-we do not believe there is S
widespread degradation among poo
women as in Berlin. New York is su
perior to any other great city in the Oh
World in the virtue of its laboring pool
Something of this, of course, is due t
our superior economical conditions
something to the immense energy an
large means thrown into our preventiv
agencies, but much also to the publ
opinion prevailing in all classes in regar
to this vice. Our wealthy classes, W
believe, and certainly our middle classes