ained by this
historic origin, or especially at a philosophy which rightly esteems
that cruelty commences with the animal, only to end fatally with the
human being. The proceeding instituted at the instance of Mr. Henry
Bergh was a most valuable precedent. The establishment of a method of
rescue, encouraged complaints, which, till then, had been silent, of the
abandonment, misery, or sufferings of children. Mr. Bergh's society
found itself besieged, and, after deliberation with his counsel, it was
determined to establish another in New York, whose special mission
should be the protection of children. An old gentleman of high
respectability, belonging to the sect of the Quakers, Mr. John D.
Wright, was elected to the presidency, which office he held until his
death, which occurred on the 21st of August, 1880. His successor is Mr.
Elbridge T. Gerry.

However, inasmuch as the authority with which the society sought to be
invested had reference to public justice, and involved the power to
appear for the defence of the interests of others, and to require the
cooeperation of public officials, a law was indispensable, in order to
confer these powers. Such a law was passed August 21, 1875, whose
provisions covered not only the case of the New York society, but
determined the functions of all institutions of a similar nature. On
condition of complying with the prescribed formalities for acquiring a
corporate existence, the law granted to these institutions the right to
make complaints, in any jurisdiction, of violations of the statutes
regarding children; it set forth, formally, the duty of magistrates or
officers of police, to cooperate with the societies acting in the limits
of their several jurisdictions. The boundaries of the ground of
protection were thus defined, but there was still lacking the requisite
legislative authority. Experience showed that, besides the misdemeanors
of common law--attempts upon the morals, murder, assault and battery,
etc.--a multitude of offences against children remained unpunished. The
society, therefore, solicited and obtained from the Legislature, powers
which permitted it to repress acts of cruelty towards children that the
law failed to reach. The first of these measures was the law of 1876,
forbidding the employment of minors under sixteen years as dancers,
beggars, street peddlers, as gymnasts or contortionists, or in indecent
occupations prejudicial to their health or perilous to their l