The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1893-02-24
THE PROTECTION OF GIRLS.

THE PROTECTION OF GIRLS.
The following editorial from the
Nashville Banner, meets with our
hearty approval and cordial endorse
ment One amendment we would
offer is, that the age should not be
less than eighteen years; and the sug-
gestion that the gentlemen OF the
committee who bring in this report
be called upon % exflain, should be
pushed and urged by the press and
by all lovers of virtue, until the
gentlemen do explain the reasoning
for their very strange conclusion.
Speaking of the "age of consent"
why should the law or society recog-
nize any "age" Of CONSENT" If it is
against the law, human ana divine to
suicide, why should woman be
allowed to consent" to the destruc-
ton of her soul? If it 10 murder for
q man, with woman's consent, to
take her life, should the law not
recognize at all the crime that rObs
her OF all that makes life worth liv-
ing? II the petty thief who steals
her purse is disgraced and sent to
dig in the coal mines, must the
villain who dishonors her family,
disgraces her and damns himself, 60
entirely unwhipped of justice?.
II woman persuade a man to
suicide, she is guilty of murder; if
man persuade woman to 3 living
life of disgrace aud suicides death
at last, is he gully Of no crime at all?
II is a mean aud cOwardly law that
allows a man to hide behind the
"cC nsent" of q woman he has fiat
tered and persuaded, deceived and
disgraced. They are both guilty;
they have both committed a crime
against society; why should not both
Of them be punished and punished
alike severely?
The man who ruins q woman OF
1any bye, bhouldsbe'se8erely punished
by the law; society Furnishes the
woman enough. If the woman has
already fallen, che is tit cOnsOrt for
the man who follows her. These
creatures perhaps, can neither be re-
claimed nor protected by law; bu'
back in their early lives there WAS u
seducer who should have been pun
ished for high crime against society,
for desolate home, for heart-broken
parents, for the life OF shame the out
cast is now leading. Very truly has
it been said, "nlen make the laws,
and they make them to protect them
selUeS.
The Banner says:
"The House Judiciary Committee mas
recommended the rejection of the bill
to fix the legal age of consent in Ten
nessee at Is years, and will report an
amended bill placing the age of consent
at - years. In other words, tho com
mittee will recommend that a girl at
the immature age of II years may con-
sent to her own ruin, and thus shield
from Justice the libidinous scOundrel
who tempts her to shame and beguiles
her into lifelong disgrace under a
promise of marriage, or by the nefa-
rious arts of the libertne.
ave hope the House will reject the
committees amended bill and pass a
bill which has at least the semblance of
justice in it. The infamous law now
in the statute book places the age Of
consent at ten years and serves only to
shield the seducer and permit him tC
go unwhipped of justice. The rake and
libertine who takes advantage of the
innocence and ignorance of young
maldenhood in ninety nine cases out OF
100 escapes the penalty of law by add
ing Islander to his crime and making il
doubly-damned in its atrocity. II
arralgned for his ofl'ense he skulks be.
hind the abominable law which robs
the outraged girl of her rights in a cour
and in vites his own perjury to give 8
triple weight to the enormlty of his
crime. We want the gentlemen of tn,
committee who think that l2-year-OlC
girls should have no protection, to very
fully explain their position to til,
public.
"There is'no reason under the HEAVIER
why the age of consent should b.
named at an earlier year in Tennessee,
than in the states which have placed il
at l6 or Is years. We have no need o
encouraging and protecting legalizeC
seduction and rape in Tennessee. Til,
houses of ill-tame are full of womel
who were the trusting victims of mel
who, under the protection of Law
which shut out the hope of justice, now
pose in social position, forgetful of OIL
Indifferent to the ruin they have
wrought. The Banner commends thu
protest entered by "a Tennessee
Mother" published in this issue. Pub
lie sentiment should sustain tie right
view she has taken and demand of the
Legislature the enactment of law
placing the legal age OF consent at not
less than Is years"
Commenting upon the same re-