Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1837-09-19

4
ety for the Commissioner Report or this ins'itu-
ton; il will be issued in week. We do not like the
plan of locating the Asylum for unfortunate lunaucs
on the same island with the worst Of malefactors
II will not dot must be abandoned. Stop the
works, gentlemen of the Common Council, stop the
works instanter What! place some of the most re-
spectacle inhabitants Of the city-fathers, mothers
sisters brothers, in juxtaposton, in close contact
with criminals of every grade, shade, color and COM
plexon Let the voice of every respectable person in
the city be raised against it, Theproject was broach-
ed and carried in the City Council some six years
ago-but by whose accurssd influence wecould never
learn; the whole thing was job-a scandalous, dis.
graceful job and we thought it had sunk into mersd
oblivion. The corporation have abundance of land,
and to spare, on the island of Manhattan; fine oca-
tons, too; better than Blackwell's island in every
point Of view; again as the city increases in size and
in population, it will increase in crime and in crim-
nails: and the whole of Backwelps island will soon
be required for penitenary purposes. But there is
stronger argument not the names of Blackwers
island" BLACKBOARD" and convict" SYNONYMOUS?
They are!
"When did you come from Blackwells island
Joe ?" says Cow Bay girl to Five Points
loafer.
papa" hereafter will the young married daughter Of
some respectable citizen say to her susceptible IA
Their just recovered from fit Of lunacy. Will it
not be enough to derange his scarcely tranqmllzed
intellect?
"Name but the words-they will affect his brain,
His eye-balls roll and be is mad again"
This is no exaggeration. We see, daily, how nick
names are affixed to things and places and indvida-
ais without rhyme or reason. The first Bridewe
was so called because it building erected close
to the well Of ST. Brdes and ever since, they call
certain description Of prisons "Brdewell for instance
the building the Park without the least cause or rea
son whatever. A susceptible and nervous gentleman
is slightly deranged; he is taken in carriage to the
shore opposite to the island. "Where are you gong
to put me 2" he exclams, as he leaves the carriage
and enters the boat. son Blackwel's Island, says
his conductor. Should he not be already past reco-
very, such a sentence uttered Is enough TO drive
decent man mad until the resurrection morning. lu-
nac requires our dearest truest kindest SYM
pathies God deprives lunac of many blessings that
some sane men never enjoyed or possessed. On!
then let us all unite best energies to have this base
job abandoned. Every reader of this paper may have
relative lunatic before the year is half expired
How would he like TO the wife, or she the husband,
of his her bosom, transported 10 that common ana
notorious asylum for convicts, "BLAcKwELLs ISL
ANp?' Shame shame! gentlemen Aldermen; =
some Of you may have wives sent there hereafter
some of you may be sent there yourselves soon Who
knows2 Such things have occurred here. We knew
an Alderman whe sen, to the Lunatc asylum be-
fore his term of service expired How would he or
his friends have felt had he been sent 10 Backwelps
Island?
In the time of the cholera Alderman dled-be-
fore the year of his allotted of service had expir
ed the partner Of his bosom lunatic, although
she was not sent las such unfortunaes are hereafter
likely to be) upon Backwells island. Tell US net
there is nothing in name." There Is much in
name And no citizen or alderman, now sober and
sane would like that himself or his wife or his man
servant or his maid servant, or his OK or his ass or
any thing that is his, should be sent TO BackwelPs
island either till they get sane to get out stone or
for any purpose whatever.
Lastly,-lunatcs should be situated that all their
friends by consent Of the physcian should have free
and easy access to them every way every day in the
week, or every hour in the day. if necessary 10 ad-
minister TO their mental comfort and to be satisfied
Of their state and condition and their progress to-
wards mental convalescence. This canRot be if luna
tics are placed on Backwels island. The prison
discipline of the penitenary requires that there should
be as little egress and mgress and from the island
as possible, as little intercourse with the opposite
shores as need be- Here then arises great objection
to say nothing of the increased difficulty Of crossing
the branch OF the East river. Oh! the whole thing IS
bad-vcry bad Reform it altogether, gentlemen
Aldermen, or we must call meeting of the citizens
and thunder in your ears though the CaPitolan
Jove did speak,