Petition Against Comstock, 1879

Sir: I hand you herewith a blank form of the petition, signed by 70,000 citizens, praying for the repeal or modification of the U.S. Postal Law of 1873, commonly called “The Comstock Law.” The petition was presented by Gen. B.F. Butler, was referred to the Committee on Judiciary, and reported adversely by them, and now lies on the table. There has never been any action in the House on that petition, and my object is to ask you to call the matter up for such action or re-commitment as the case may demand.
I understand that statements were made by Mr. Anthony Comstock before the Committee on Judiciary to the effect that many names on the petition were forgeries. To answer that charge I had you the affidavits of E.B. Foote, M.D., Editor of the “Health Monthly,” of D.M. Bennett, Editor of the “Truth Seeker,” and of other . . .

Petition Against Comstock 1879

The National Defense Association was established in New York in 1878 specifically to fight “Comstockery.” Its mission was “to roll back the wave of intolerance, bigotry, and ignorance” which threatened “our cherished liberties.”

National Archives, Records of the U.S. House of Representatives