SW_WH1793_Page_180

summary proceedings. The great inlets to vice,idleness, and crimes, are, ill regulated public houses, gaming, horse-racing, cock-fighting, profane swearing,and a contempt of religious duties on a Sunday: towhich may be added, generally, every species of dis-sipation, which has a tendency to congregate multi-tudes of people on the same spot. In a new countrylike America, where the general prosperity of thenation depends, in so eminent a degree, on the moralsof the people, the legislature cannot promote the truewelfare of the state, in a greater degree, than by authorizing magistrates to correct these evils, byinflicting mild punishments in a summary way, andby commuting, in various instances that will occur,the punishment of imprisonment by pecuniary penal-ties, to be applied to the expenses of the police.Female prostitution, particularly in the cities inAmerica, also requires appropriate laws, which willapply to both sexes; and those should be adminis-tered in a summary way by the magistrates, byimprisonment, or mild pecuniary fines. In like man-ner, brothels ought not to be prosecuted by the tediousand circuitous process of indictment and trial byjury. The expense of such prosecutions in thiscountry, tend much to the increase of the evils ofprostitution, while, through the medium of the chi-cane of the law, many notorious delinquents escapejustice. I could not have conceived, until I perused youraccurate reports, that such a number of larceniescould have been committed in the city of New York.It is impossible that depredations to such an extentshould be committed, unless there were many receiv-ers of stolen goods; such as purchasers of old metals,old apparel, ships stores, rags, and hand stuff &;c.These classes of dealers require the watchful eye ofthe legislature, and much advantage would be derived,from restraining them from dealing, unless under the authority of a licence, with power to the magistrates