Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-06-23
Slate Institutions.

from a private letter to a friend in this place.
We drove into Columbus TO breakfast,
passing by the Asylum for the Blind, and
having a fine view of the Asylums for the
Insane, and the Deaf and Dumb, and a num-
Der of princely looking private residences.
After breakfast the gentlemen of our party
walked out to the Penitentiary, where we
were admitted and shown through the vaTi-
Gus work-rooms, the dining-room, and sleep
ing-room, or rather into a hall from which we
could see at a glance 700 dormitories ranged
in five or six tiers one above another, with a
little narrow platform running along in front
of them with a low iron railing over which
the %convicts can look down a dizzy depth on
the stone floor beneath. When we first en-
tered, we were conducted into a handsome
parlor; after sitting a few minutes another
guide came and showed us through a hall and
down two or three steps into a room contain
ing a stand of musketry loaded and the bayo-
nets set, and a number of pistols hanging
around. The back part of the room was COM
posed of iron bars between which we could
see into another small room out of which three
doors opened, two into the rooms occupied
by the c~onvicts, and one into the apartment
where we were, by which there was a guard
who unlocked the door, let US through, locked
it again and took his seat very composedly,
as much as to say, i" there you are, sirs, get
out if you cam"
Soon we heard a tap at one Of the other
doors, and the aforesaid guard opened it by
means of a long dead latch without unlocking
the outer door-a guide beckoned us through
and we were locked in with nearly 500 des-
peradoes and cut-throats. | must confess a
slight chill passed over me which, however,
looking iron doors and windows. The men
worn in shops, one shop being devoted to one
trade, such as making saddle-trees, for in
stance, and another to some other business.
The men are changed from one shop to an
other.
In some rooms were as many as 60, and
: in some not more than IL or Is men with one
guard to each room. The men all worked as
though they were working for life, not even
taking time TO look up. There were boys
from Is or l6 years old, up to grey-headed
men of rs or 80. | could not see anything
different in the shape of their heads or their
physiognomy from other people, as a general
thing, but some showed out "Me degiI that
UaS in them"
After returning from the Penitentiary, we
all went to the Asylum for the Blind. The
superintendent conducted US through the
! rooms, and had a few of the children read and
practice in Arithmetic and Geography. He
. brought a little Chinese girl, 9 or 10 years
= old, and introduced her as Jessie Gutzlaff-
: she was purchased in China by missionary
lady, Mrs. G~utzlaff, of her father, for $13
and brought to this country about three years
n ago. The little thing seemed so pleasant and
t affectionate that she enlisted our sympathy
directly. She played I" Home," and sung il
. a low, tremulous voice-I wondered the while
whether she felt what she sung-she, a poo
$ blind girl, sold by her father, thousands o.
miles from her home in a foreign land among
: strangers. God bless those who succor her
said | to myself, and as the last notes of til,
piano died away, we bid her farewell, anc
walked (some of US at least,) t~earfully away
From there we went to the Asylum for tn,
Insane. One of the officers cond ucted Il:
through the establishment, and very exten
a sive one it is. | have not room TO give yol
a description of the arrangement of the diffe
o rent parts. Every thing appeared to be KEEP
in perfect order, and thought the person VIII
d conducted us through was as well adapted
to his Office as any person could possibly be
% He had a word for every one of his patient
d as we passed inquiring into their troubles
= some of them had just heard of their ships a
IT sea being wrecked, others were looking an
waiting for letters by mail, &c. The mos
OF them were very s~ociable, and would com
j. up TO us, shake hands, throw their arms aroun
III our necks sometimes, and walk along wit
10 US. One man wanted to buy my beard t
rs finish out a piece of fine lace he said he wa
weaving Another fellow took Jack for Ger
IN eral Jackson, and asked him a great man
n, questions about government affairs. We le
of the house feeling pleased and sad at the sam
III .ime-sad at the thoughts of seeing SO man
ut persons of fine minds and intellect stricke
ne down; and pleased that they had such con
it Portable home provided for them-as comfor
an able, apparently, as it is possible 10 make i