Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1896-02-13

l Tor the suppression of Vice and TO
Anthony Comstocl. TO the congressional
committee, TO President Hayes and to
public sentiment created by publishing
the truth on him and his co-workcrs,
he did not succeed,
The history OF the National Liberal
League IL OF interest. but time will not
| allow me TO give II now. Suffice II 10
say al the convention In Syracuse, Oc-
tobcr 20 and "a, 1873, n number OF rather
decent Liberals were In favor OF re-
fuslnB to champion tine cause OF obsccn-
lily. but they failed to carry their point.
| ana IN consequence withdrew and form
ed The, New National Liberal League"
After the majority had gotten rid Of
these decent men they OF course had
their own way and adopted radical
measures. Repeal" says comstock.
was the war cry. No compromise.
The black flag OF obsconity was hung
out, one frce-love paper published Mt
the head OF It's editorial column.
Our present PLATFORM Immediate.
unconditional Gnd permanent repeal OF
illl lnwS against obsccnity, whether
municipal. state or national"
Now. Colonel fngersoll has hla choice
between these two sections OF the LIB
cral party. Which did he choose? In
the year following In Cincinnati. we find
MN with those who had committed
Themselves In favor OF repeating tho
law against carrying obscene literature
through tho malls, offering u resolution
IN favor OF a man then in tho peniten-
tlhiN Tor VIOLATING that law and Ddvo-
eating their cause with all the witchery
of Ma rhctnricai sentences,
IN the convention which met In Chi
oago, September IL. Is and 10, 1850, when
Colonel lngeraoll went through tho
PLATE performance OF washing his
hands, he is reported to have used the
following words;
Now, then suppose that soma per-
son is arrested and II rs claimed that a
work written by him is Immoral, IN H.
legal, Then ] any let cur committee
OF defense examine that case and II
our enemies seek 90 trnmple out free
thought under the name OF immortality
unark tho world aud under cover and
shield of our criminal laws, thon let
us defend that man to the last dollar
b12)
The plea Mr.. Ingersoll makes that he
was lighting for freedom of thought
aud expression and against attempts
OF the pioua 10 keep out OF the mails
liberal books, ms his own, win not
stand investigation, for the Comstocls
law has no reference TO such books
and Mr. Comstook testincs that no ef-
fort was ever made to punish people
for sending such books through the
malls.
Says Mr. Comstock page bis.
FRAUDS ENposed":
There In not one word under this
law that Worries this Liberal League
and Colonel Ingcrsoll 30 much which
permits OF II construction that can be
tortured Into any Interference with MO-
called liberal uttoranccs. | so further
nnd say that 1t cannot be construed
In any manner. aud never has been
ms Erecting any publication.
however violent IN blaspheniy or base
IN the attacking OF holy and sacred
things, except " be obscene, lewd
lasciviOuH or Indecent"
In conclusion | win sum up the whole
case In the words of Anthony Com
stock In Frauds Exposed page 504.
II Is constantly asserted that Colonel
IL. q. Ingorsoll il opposed to obscenlty.
and those who have spoken to the con-
tfnry have been severely taken to task
for false statements" Several
clcrgymon have been publicly criticised
and roundly abused by him and his
friends for charging what he favored
obsccnlty. ! assert without fear OF con-
tradlotlon. that II. q, Ingersoli has IA
Vored obHconity, advocated the 're-
peal" OF these laws and sympathized
with some Of the vileat men convicted
OF the execrahle crime OF dealing In
obscene publications. offer In proof.
1.-THE petition, with his name at
tnched, presented TO tho house OF rep
resentatives In 1873.
"2.-Dupllcatc OF the same petition
presented to the senate, and his per-
sonal efforts before the judiciary COM
mittee OF the senate. as already refer
red to In this book.
"S.--'rhe following from the report OF
the committee on the revision OF the
laws In the house of representatives.
May 81. 1878, showing that they ofncia1-
ly recognized his efforts for repeal"
MIR Blcknell from the committee on
the RpNiHiOn the Lawn alihnfltfp1
the following report;
1.-THE committee on the revision OF ths
laws, TO whom was referred tho petit
ton OF Robert q. ingersoll and others.
praying for tho repeal or medication
OF sections 1855, 1888, 53sg and 249l OF
the Revised Statutes. have under the
same consideration and have heard the
petitioners at length. etc.
1.-THE card calling to liberal con-
ventlon In 1879 and the resolutions Of
fered by him In the Liberal League
congress In this chapter and adopted
by both the congress and the conven-
tion at Cincinnati.
''5.-Thc resolution of sympathy ns
offered by him ut the same time for
ID. NJ. Bennett. the convicted smut
dealer, and his Endorsement of this
creature.
"6--The fact that he continues tthis
was published in 1880 as the leading
spirit OF the National Liberal League
and associate OF such men ms Rawson
and Bennett.
1.-THE fact that Bennett has In HIS
paper for years especially defended tho
vilest and most Infamous OF all tho 400
persons arrested for dealing In the
grossest Kind of books and pictures.
Bennett even going 40 far as TO defend
these mon by name after they had been
convicted and sentenced for this me-
farious practice" AN
hardly think II necessary 70 apollo
gize to the readers of the Baptist for
laying these facts before them. Al
ready tho public has been without them
too long. II seems now to be God'a
time 10 show TO the world the kind Of
creature infideiity produces. Tho task
has been assigned me without my seek.
ing, and II shall be done. Ingersoll
does not hesitate TO exalt himself as
paragon OF virtue above the God OF the
bible. His oily tongue and flowing sem
fences have led many TO think that his
private character is and has been as
beautiful as his utterances We shell
see. The supreme court OF New York
II not bad place to bring out all the
facts. and they will appear In due time.
A. G. DIXON.
nroptxtvn NJ March 1909