The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1838-10-11

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70 elicit similar movements IN 0lheI cogn-
Ties!
To tks Honorable fhs General .7sssm5ly
Of Norfh Carolina.
Wa the undersigned. citizens or Orsnge
rounly, moved hy The unanimous recon-
mendsiiOn Of the Justices. Al The August
coun for the county sETsssid. and BY
the setiled convictions Of our awn minds
~ 10 the propriety Of The measure, sonId
approach your honorable body - peti'
TONERS Ia favor Of the erection Of . Lu-
naiic Asylum in the state Of Norih-csrO-
lima.
In tilis enlightened age. when the pub
lie mind If every civilized nation. subda-
ed and characterized by The benign infiu-
enees Of our holy religion. i deeply en-
gagged in schemes OF public and private
benehcence; when the number aud sI,len
dor Of national institutions for the relief
Of human suffering is in great degree
The criterion by wh'rh national greatness
Is estimated; u might he deemed Justly
offensive 10 the moral feeling &c your ho-
norabie body I, urge, by elaborate argu.
ment. the Froprie,y Of legislative mea-
sares in hehall Of that p0rii"n of The I'm.
man family, which, beyond all others. i.
afflicted in n manner most 10 he deplnr-
ed, and whose .iiuaiion AT tie same time
is least susceptible Of ale, iaii,n from in
disidual exeIiinn. Your petit 'ners will
abstain, therefore, from such course.
and confne themselves to very few Oh.
sersations on the sui Ct
There is no calamity TO which human
nature Is expnsej, 20 de,.lorable in its
character and consequences. as that which
reduces man 10 the piiiahle Condition Of
the lunaiic. Deprived Of reason. he is
shut out from all The sources Of moral
enjoyment, and is dead t. every purpose
OF usefulness; with passions unrestrained
by the influences Of intellect. he is at
once an object Of the dee, lest distress O.
relatives and friends. and of alarm 10 all
within his reach; prey to The exlrsva.
CANT fancies Of .lisordered brain. he
finds no Comfort from within. and fr nm
without universal ay"iIance. A ndi-
tim so hopeless, So terrible. and 20 utter
ly wretched. must exc IT, thr sympathy.
and should enlist in its hrhalf the b. ne.
ficent exertlon of every feeling heart. In
other countries and in other states that
sympathy and that exertin have had
their influence. and much has been done
by public authority f"r its allesiation; but
in NORTH Carolina nutiing, literally no
thing! Here the lunaiic, without the aid
of medical treatment and approved sci.
ent,tic methods of relief, without security
even against doing or receiving harm. Is
left to-wear out a VT icHed existence in
hopeless misery. II he h 8 property to
support him, he is. nevertheless, source
of constant ant painful anxiety 10 his
friends; perpetual watch must be kepl
over him, and the household uf hich he
is member Is harrassed with alternate
hopes aud fears aud reasele.s yigils. oil
exhausted by the incessant demands up
on IFS patient indulgence. it is furced ic
adopt rigorous and often times unad
visable course Of treatment towards the
unconscious offender. As under happy
circumstances the moral feeling is the
source Of our greatest enjoyment; 50 IN.
der those Of the opposite character il is
the source Of our deepest distress. The
misery inflicted BY the constant presence
oil drranged son or daughter, or brother
or sister, the pain Of Witnessing daily .
spectacle so revolting, mus, keep the feel
ings perpenally on the rack, and Danish
the last vestige Of happiness from the do
micil Of The unfortunate family whose lol
it Is TO have within us bosom maniaca
relative. The hapless condition Of suck
families. no less than that Of the Inmates
themselves, it seems TO your petitioners
claims the compassionate consideration
Of your honorable body, and rails Cor the
measure Of relief which an Asylum womb
afford.
/ With regard 10 that portion of insane
persons in whose condition desiitut,on
LOT property IS sureradded u desiiiutinn
of reason, theis lot j., if possible, still
Emore melancholy and more deserving the
favorable consideration Of your honorable
body. For him there is n" care. no pro-
lection. no comEFt. but such as the mad
eqnate means of the poar house supply,
no lesser restraints than chsrs and u dun
geon., Declared Of exercise. Of t,e very
air and light of heaven, so necessary 70
that state of health whirh alone can Af.
| ford the slightest prospect of cure. with
aut crime and without fauis, (for neither
can be imputed To the maniac day after
day and year after year. he drass out q
wretched existence in the loathsone at
mosphere Of a dungeon. Your petition.
ers would represent that this i no fancy
sketch Of human misery occurrences
within the limits of their own comfy