The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-08-18
POSTAL CRIMES.
The Senate Amendatory Bill Passes.
Senator Vest Makes Strong Speech
in Faver of It's Passage.
Crimes Committed Through I'm
proper Use OF the Mails
Are Attendant with Results Far
Worse Than Cruel Murder.
The Text Of the Bill Given and It is
Iron-Bound-No Quorum Being
in tho House Nothing
is Done.

" hohiNNiNN, aug
Senate spent the early part OF the after
noon in debating resolution requiring
the removal Of all electric light and motor
wires which are strung above ground.
The resolution was finally referred to the
committee on the District Of Columbia
with instructions to report favorbly.
The Senate bill amendatory to the act
OF 18th OF June, 1883, relating 10 postal
crimes, was taken up.
Mr.. Hawley suggested that the punish
ment provided in the bill might be too
severe.
Mr. Vest spoke Of the villanious publi-
cations sent through the mail to young
girls, and said that in one case a female
academy had been deluged with such pub
lications. He had rather see rattlesnake
in the hands Of one OF his children than
one of such books. They had been used
in New York city for malicious purpose.
man who had a grudge against a lady
sent one OF these books 10 her and she was
outraged by finding when she opened the
envelope this publication in her
hand. lie could give a great va
riety OF such instances. Scoundrels
had succeeded in evading the present
law, which did not reach written publica.
tions but only printed matter by using the
stylographic process. And these were
sent all over the country 10 young people.
There was no crime in the calendar, not
even murder, worse than that Ii sappcd
the very foundations Of society, poisoned
the minds OF the young and outraged the
Of lla oil L. tVl
the penalties prescribed in the bill too
great. II ho were judge, and fellow
was convicted for such an oiicnse before
him, he would like TO send him 10 the
penitcntiary for life. A fine OF n 900 was
n nero bagatele for such an Ollcnse.
Mr.. Call moved 10 reduce the maximum
- Imprisonment from ten 10 five years, and
the motion was agreed 10. The bill was
then passed. II reads:
That all matter otherwise mallable by law upon
the cuvclolc. " outside cover or wmppcfoi which,
or any postal card upon which any dclihcations
cpiihct, icrms or LANGUAGE Of an indccent. lcwd,
obscene. lascivinus lhclluus scurfilnus dcinmntory
character, ~ calculated by the terms or manner
ofstylc oi display. aud obviously intended 20 ~.
fleet iuiuHously upon the character ui another may
b. written OF prinlcd OF otherwise Impressed or AZ
parvnt-=aru hereby declared nou.mAllablc matter
and shall not ~ ConNcyci In the mails of dc,crsi
from any pu,t0itcc nor BY any letter carrier. and
shall he Withdrawn irum the malls under such
regulations a. the Postmaster General shall pfy
scfibg and any Icr.on who shall knowingly DC.
pusit ur Cautc io ~ dcpusrd iuf mailing uf dcllFs
cfy anything declared by this section ~ BE- non.
mhllahlc matter and any pyrnn who shall
knowingly take thc same .gf cause ihc
the purpose oi circulating ~ dsposing Of 90 aiding
in the circulation or ln the disposition ui the same
shall for each anl cyrfy ohynsc, upon ,nyic
Ifs1nCd NJ harl lahuf not mnnC than hyC year.
or both, NJ the digryiion OF the court E,cfy ob.
scene, lgNd or lasgi,lgn. 9aok pamphlet pl,'gfc'
ton of an indcsocnt character. sud every article "
thing designed uf !utCndvi iuf the prevention NJ
SGiigph SgSid op ming Siends OF sSoT,c af @ any y' R
dcccnt of Immoral use. aud ctgry written %
printed card, l,iict circular, lo!k. pamphlet ud.
VcftisCmcnt ~ notice ui any kind, giving iniufma
tlnn dltCCtly of indfcctly. whom ~ how 0r ni
whom ~ BY what means any ui the hrfcInhciulu
mentioned maicr, article, or ihinp may hc Oh.
tancd uT made whether sealed as hrtc cllss matter
0fuut arr hcfyhy doclsrd io hc non mal'hh matter
and shall not ~ conveyed In the mails nor dc
litefcd irom any po'iolhoc ngf ~ any lc'.cf oar.
az Gauss to ~ deposited tuf mailing uf delivery
anything declared ~ this section 70 lc non mall
snmc. of cause the ssine ~ b. taken. from ths
mails iuf thr pufruHu ~ circulating uI dtp0tiua
oi oroi aiding ir The circulation ut disposition q
the same=sha iuf each aud every on,nse b. hnol
mon every uuuVlriIuu fhrrHIi not mufu than 90
and mTrisnnci Al haui lahuf not fn0rr than ny,
ycar. 81 bulh II ihc ilscfyiiun 81 thr court An
this is hmrudainy, pfinf tn the approval ~ thi
oct may D. prosecuted ani punished under th'
samo iu thc same manner aud with tie same cfcr
q o. Il this ari h,i not hggu fl"ri. piurdoi tha
nothing iu this art shall Authorize auy pyuun q
opru any letter uf sailed matter Of The huttiaa
not sdirsscd ~ himself
Mr. Chandler gave notice that on
Wednesday next he would ask the scnat,
10 take up the resolution IN regard
20 the investigation Of thc Louisiana olcc
ton and would submit some remarks.
The Senate then took up the dshcrlc
irca,y-ihc pending question being on th
motion submitted yesterday by Mr.. Glib
con. Mr.. FRYE asked unanimous conscn
ior an order oi the Senate that at ! o'cl0cl
each day the debate on the treaty shnl
proceed and shall close on Monday mex
NJ 6o'clock.
The friends II the treaty having IN
last two hours and that on Tuesday mex
at ~ o'clock thc final votes shall be takci
on al amendments, motions and the rcso
lulions Of ratification.
Tho Presiding Oniccr-ls thcrc M oh
icction2 After pause The chair hcai
none, and Il u ~ ordered.
Mr. Morgan then proceeded b. addrc'
the senate IN favor II n ratification Of tll
treaty. After he hal spoken Tor two houl
Mr.. Morgan suggested that the ord,
agreed on today should be- ~ Ear modihc
~ that the discussion II tho treaty shn
begin on Monday at tho conclusion Of "a
rrading Of the journal.
Mr.. Call desired 10 reserve time on Mot
day for action on a Joint resolution In rel
ton 10 yellow fever. lie appealed 10 q
Senate ior this ne a matter Of humanii
and public necessity. lie was iniomc,
however. that there would be discussic
on the Joint resolution aud that u wou
consume considerable time. ltWasagrc'
90 adjourn until Monday.
Mr. Frye moved 10 reconsider the 70
for an adjournment till Monday 10 th
Mr.. Morgan might finish bis speech
= morrow. There was no quorum voting
this motion and ~ tie roll was Gale
when only thirty scnators responded. III
roll was again called. and still there "
no quorum, and the serguani.ai.arins "
directed 10 request the attendance Of a
cent senators.
Pending the execution Of this order q
Senate adjourned ull Monday.
No quorum in the Uouse.
kU s...gt.as