Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1821-12-24

ZIG .caO.OliVAS. -
The question was then taken on the
passa re Of the resolves, &decided aRrm-
a,iveiy without objection.
SICK AND DISTRESSED SEANEN.
The resolutions yee erday submitted
by Mr.. Golden, Calling on the Com
missioners of Navy Hospitals for Ger
tain information relative to the admin
istration OF the fund for the relief OF
sick and diaabled seaman, being taken
up for consideration
! Mr.. Satin o, maryland suggested
that the Information perhaps would be
more properly required at the hands OF
the Secretary of the Treasury; and
Mir. Golden readily consented to give
to his motion that direction.
Mr. Golden conclsel y stated the rea-
sons which had induced him to propose
these resolutions. The object of the
first of them, ne said, was to ascertain
whether the fund LOT the relief OF sick
and disabled seamen was competent to
the objects for which it Was provided,
to inquire of the proper department
whether sick and disabled seamen OF
the United States do, or do not, in con-
sequence of the provisions tor their
benit made by law receive adequate
aid. He had been induced to ask for
this information, because he had been
told, III such way that he could not
| doubt it, that a very great portion OF
the ssamen of the city of New YORK, IN
which port, from its extensive COM
merce, so many seamen were collected,
received no relief from this fund. II
the existing laws contained no better
!. provision on this head than that now
in operation, Mr.. G. said he trusted
that the house would agree with him
that further legislation on the subject
was necessary.
The object of his second resolution,
Mr.. &. said, was, to ask Of the proper
department what were the existing
rules and orders with regard to the adj
mission of patients into the Hospitals OF
the u States. He was induced to do
this by information which ne now laid
before the House. He had Oh his desk,
he said, letter of instruction from the
: Secretary of the Treasury addressed to
the revenue officers of the different
J ports, who are agents of the govern
ment in relation to the administration
of this fund. Mr. G. proceeded to state
parts of these instructions, and the
practice under them, to which he had
, decided objections, viz: that no man
shall be admitted in the United States
| Hospital or Asylum who Is afflicted
with incurable disorders; that no one,
, be his disorder what it may, shall be
. continued on the establishment after
, his disorder is pronounced incu rable-
which rule, had been SO risidly observ-
ed, that unless the physician pronoun-
ces that the disease of an applicant is
. durable, lie is refused admittauce; that
no more than a certain number OF pa
tien,s, be the number of applicants ev-
err SO great, shall be received into any
! hospital or asylum, the number in
New York being limited to sixty. All
these, Mr.. G. considered as departures
from the principle of the act constitu
ting the fund for the relief of sick and
disabled seamen. What. he asked,
does that act require? Why, that eve
nv American sailor who enters the
ports of the United States, is to contri.
butte portion Of his hard earnings to
the establishment of this hospital fund.
One would think therefore, that the
government was bound to give him the
, compensation promised for this contrl-
bution-that is, to relieve him when
sick, disabled, or in distress But,
said Mr.. c. how is he treated when he
presents himseli at the door of a I'll ospi-
tai of the United Statess The inquiry
is, not what is the matter with him
not whether he is an Americ an seaman
and IN distress; but the inquiry which
he has to make, is, are there sixty per-
sons now in the Hospitst? Ii there be
so many, he cannot be admitted. In
vain the seamen says, have contribu-
ted all my life. time to this fund, and
you refuse to keep your sacred engage
ment with me, putting aside considera-
lions of justice and humanity, &c. Mr..
G. concluded by saying that much more
might be added on this subject, but he
forebore to say more than was necessa
nv to shew that an enquiry into 1t was
advisable
The resolutions were agreed to with
out opposition.
Mr.. Golden submitted the following
resolve:
| Resolved. That the Committee to
whom was referred the memorial ofthe
Bank Of the United States be directed
to inquire and report to this House,