The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1847-01-29

the pitilcss storms, in the other.
There is at this time in Morgan
county, a man who has been furi.
ously mad, most of the time, for ma.
ny years. Since he became insane
he has been supported at large ex.
pense by the county. His sister
and brother-in-law have charge O
him. A county officer writes to me
concerning this poor creature, as
follows:
Claiming is in most wretchet
condition, being kept more like q
wild beast than human being"
have, together with several citizens
of Jacksonville, visited this maniac
Those who are paid by the county
for taking charge of him, seemed to
me to err through incapacity and
entire ignorance how to control him,
rather than through wilful neglect
and inhumanity. His sister said to
me, "he is sight of trouble, and
costs dreadful deal-but we had
rather take care of him, than leave
him to strangers, because we are
kinder, and treat him better than
they would" Now for the cOmf0yi,
the situation, the treatment of this
unoiTending man, who, before the
accident which induced insanity,
was characterized, as is testified by
those who knew him, for intelli-
gence, industry, and correct habits
1t was an intensely hot day last
summer, when ! visited Tanning.
He was confined in "a rooted pen,
which enclosed an area of about
eight feet by eight-probably few
inches over. The interstices be-
tween the unhewn logs, freely adj
mitted the scorching rays of the sun
then; as they now afford admission
to the frequent rains, the driving
snow, and the pinching frost. He
was without bed and without clio.
thing; his food, Of the coarsest
kind, was passed through space
between the logs; emo BETTER" said
a neighbor, ethan the hogs are fed"
Some sort Of coarse bed clothing
and garments, at times were sur
piled, but usually not. His feet had
been frozen, and had persisted; up
on the shapeless stumps, he could,
aided by some motion of his shoul-
ders, ra;se his body partially against
the side CT the pen. This wretched
place was claaascd "once in a week
or fortnight" in mild weather; not
SO in the wet, cold, wintry seasons.
| was told that when the pen was
opened for this purpose, the help of
neishbors was requisite Owe have
men called, and they go in and tie
him strongly with ropes, and get
him out on the ground, and then
they clean the place, and him, by
throwing over pals Of water" OF
course no fire is here introduced in
the cold winter weather; but sim
gular egpcdient has been adopted,
as horrible as it is singular; beneath
the pen is excavatcd pit about six
feet deep and six on either side.
This dTeary, gha0tly place is enter
ed through a trap-door; neither
light, heat, nor ventilation are there;
but there is to be found a pining,
desolate, suffering maniac, whose
piteous grcans, and frantic cries,
would move to pity the hardest
heart"
Gentlemen, as you read this terri
bic narrative, and if you choose may
visit the miserable subject of it,
place yourselves for few dreadful
moments in his situation: realize,
If you can, some portion, it needs
will be small part, of his suffer-
ings: consider that these are spread
over years gone by, and may drag
through years to come, if no hospi-
tai unlolds its portals to receive and
give relief for such deep distresses.
The Saviour, whose disciples we
profess TO be, left one simple, infal-
iible rule, as a dire ction for the acts
Of man to his fellow-man, viz ''oS
ye tc0uld that men ShouH do 10 YOU,
do ne cuen so 10 Mcm." have laid
before you one case. yet not reveal
ing half its horrors it varies but
very little from many | could adj
duce the list OF which other per-
sons can extend, both here and
abroad.
But one effective remedy for these
woes is presented it can only be
found in a well established, skiliully
conducted hospital.
Legislators Of Illinois, upon your
action on this question, rest the
peace and happiness, the usefulness
and the lives Of thousands of your
fellow citizens may, your own i'm
mediate interests herein, are indis-
solubly intertwined. Who shall say
that this mountain standeth firm,
and that he is securely anchored
upon the rock? Who shall say that
the familiar friend, the revered pa
rant th, ch;ld of hi, affections th,