Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1842-06-16

+ II
4 THE first cell 10 which was intr
duced. was dark and iIpeflkctly vent
lated. and contained 4. solitary an
alone" th4 young man iDl whom I hs
! fell most Interested. HeEsat ID 1 remoi
.cofler Of ths spartmeDtI on 4 dirty ba.
partly filed with straw having = stron
chain Fivetted 10 his ankle. and bindin
hin 10 the door. His features were i
mosi conceded BY Abe lang beard whic
4 h1i brown ID uHchecked luxuriance. an
ilokeiker with his prolnse ans, aisbeyelIe
i lpcks, gave toIhim 90 sppearanee some
that savage /pnd reprlsIye. Ills bod
4 and limbs were uncovered, save that h
wore on his shoulders phit Of al old an,
| filthy cIe,h cosf l,silg sancsal,
bic nskedness. On nv fist approach. h
/ hung bis head. as if conscious or bis apna
Trent degradation; but in short t,me
seegting 10 be actuaied by desire RI
release. he elevated and Fixed upon mn
"a eve expressive only Of anxiety AM
distress, and without offering atsyIlabla
4 By a significant gesture, directed nv Al
ftentien 10 the chain upon his ankle
/ Finding him any thing else than maniac
turned 70 the keeper, with surprize, anc
tenquIred whyit was hehaa him thus fet
teredH' Nor was this 'astonIshment al
flayed BY The reply, that il was ID conse
quence 81 bis tearing bis clothes and des
,royipg his fqrniture-for il he had beer
as poorly provided with either when flee
a. in his then condition. he could surel,
have indulged bis Destructive propensi.
ties 70 the utmost, without any seriou,
damage resulting. Aner learning from
the Keeper, that he was never dangerod.
OF violent. j endeavored ID prevail DION
/ him u be satisfied with merely confirms
his hands; and proposed 10 direct him
howstD make muf. which would effec
tuallyE prevent his doing mischief, whilst
ne could be permitted to wear bis clothes
ana walk about bis. room. But ihe old
man seemed welded to his chain. and nd
persuasion could induce him 10 abandon
il. I,ofcourse, left he apartment, deep.
:ly paioed al The spectacle presented and
resrelhng most sincerely tbat the poor
sufferer could not be admitted into this
asylum, where bis comfort would have
been s cured, and the disease. Which was
fast becoming more firmly riyeited than
the ohain which bound himi could almost
certainly have been removed.
The next ce1Tt 10 which " al conduct.
ed, contained an object the most forbid.
ding. that II had been my los 10 behold ii
humansform. Like the poor German above
described. his long and profpse hair and
beard seemed not 10 havef been cut or
combedfor a great while. He was CO.
ysIsd With filthy rags, SOD the heavy
Guam IWHttE IasItneu rfif no Irre uoof,
was only long enough 10 admit Or his iys,
ing down on his eomforiless bed Of boards
and blankets. The appearance Of the
poor creature indicated that he had drunk,
a two, fold portion ofthecup Or affection
suffering the horrors Of mental disease
aggravated BY physical neglect and tor.
ture-sgd the effi1via which issued from
his filthy abode, alike o2ersied to prevent
nv iarrying long with him On retiring,
| was shocked still further tolearn that he
had been Ia this condiuon. chained 10 the
floor. f6r more than three years This
has since been admitted into
our ylum, nor was | sprprized to- find
that, from his long confinement TO a par
ticular position, his bxer extIemilies had
become entirely paralysed. He is now,
from this cruel ire atment, hopeless Grip
TO walk or stand-and will
10 all probability 8 continue during life
"a third apartment, which opened into
a narrow passage. was. if possible, still
more revolving thaneither Of The former-
not because il sPp@red, more pncomfoIta
Bile or cherries, I'd such scould NOT well
have been The cae, bu, because il as
tile abode Of fire iniaae females, three Of
whom were MhitehndNwo black. One !
Of each colour 5 chained 10 opposite
corners Of The room N.hilstNhs remaining
three were permitted during the day to
exercise OF labor 10 lie anjoinipg passage,
A further description Of their appearance
and circumstances, horrible Is II might |
be, could not surely sggiayale the deep
loathilga which must be Produced in The |
mind ofevery humane and in elligenl in-
disidua; BY this simple statement as %
their nlnber, sex, color and condition. Il
There was one other male confined |
elsewbtre id the establishment, but hav-
ing xiiDsssed enough Of Thy degradation
and suifsrings Of my fellow beng, IN IA
not impose upon the goodness o. 'ns 0N
M evn doct INC fsltis~-sif. fl.
"TbissIail received annpsAsSn iT IF t AHs
nuhtfc kscnaur5r--l.st&t. I'-1T IL. ffi',
FRHhoRdlsssIH dollars for the manner ini which
be thus treated these nnfoTtunales:-a
sum. which had there been apartments.
here for their reception, would have sup
ported comfortably and genteslly fpr the
same period. these seven andIsix others,
making ia all thirteen. s1 M
+ aAs before remarked. il therelnot loo
much reason to fear. as this exhibition
has occurred in one Of the most wealthy,
intelligent. and populous. COUNTIES d the
State, that ii but represents the cohdiiion
Of many others throughout opr cVuLtry !
And does il not call with aloud voice
upon The Christian. tie PhlIanthFo2ist
aud the Statesman. 10 BE- or and doing,
mot only 10 alleviate the pfit4liohs and
sufferings Of this Inflated class tofI fellow
to eIase This hdmlliating
strain from the escu.cheon or DOR beloved
VIrgInias Surely the apathy which has
existed 10 regard 10 this Subject, thus far.
must have resulted from The fsckdhat both
Legislators aud their constituents have
been ignorant Of ihe hapless ccodltion q
which So many Of this cIass Or out unfor-
tunase fellow citizeps are consigned; and
hence isis ailirporlsnt that lhese. and
similar facts, {of which Ii Is 10 beIregret