The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-01-09

MASSACHUSETTS IpIoCY One of the most valu-
able documents which has been published for some
pamphlet Of nearly Isl pages and abounds with facts
and statements which worthy OF all cons deration
Massachusetts Legislature, to inquire into the cond
ton OF the idiots Of the Common wealth. to ascertain
their number and whether anything could be done in
results Of this commission. BY digeut inquiries in
nearly one hundred towns in the State, the commits.
sioners have aecertained and examined the
of 574 helpless and hopeless idiots and the basis Of
these Inquiries the opinion s expressed that there
over 80 In the entire State Of massachusetts, in
rous stages OF idocy The commissio person
or by competent agent infinitely examined the con.
dition of over 400 Of these unfortunate beings
their report furnish series OF tables occupying 40
pages which exhibit the age, the physical and me s
condition of these poor creatures and facts
respecting the causes of idiocy and the method
OF dealing with idiots for which the Commo wealth
and the world at large, these gentlemen debt Of
gratitude The picture Of degradation wrstchedness
and misery, which the details Of this report
present. 10 perfectly overwhelming. 1t is enough
to move the hearts Of the most caous, and to stir
the very soul of humanity to exertion The Improve
ment made by the commissioners Of the facts
developed by their investiga TONS thus forth =
The moral to be drawn from the existence of the
violated the natural laws, far msrred the beau
tful organm Of the body, that Is unfit instrument
ior the msns.tation OF the powers OF the soul The
idtocy In society is that very large class of persons
ignore the conditions upon which alone health and
reason are given to men, and consequently they sin
in various ways: they disregard the conditions
which ehould be observed in intermarrage they over
look the hereditary transmisson Of certain morbid
tendencies as they pervsrt the natural appettes of
the body into iusts Of divers knds,-the natural
emotions of the mind into fearful passions and thus
bring down the awful consequences of their own ig.
porsncs and sin upon the heads Of their unofe nding
children. ldocy is found in all civilized tries,
but 1t is not an evil necessarily inherent In society
1t Is not accident and much less is 1t special dis
pentation of Providence to suppose It can be 70 is
an insult to the Majesty Of Heaven. No II is merely
the result Of violation Of natural laws which sim
pie clear, and beautiful which require only to be
seen and known, in order to be loved and which, IL
strictly observed for two three generations would
totally remove from any family however strongly pre-
disposed to insanity or idiocy all possibility Of Its
currenceo
relates TO the improvement moral, intellectual and
physical of which idiots, the most degraded and
brutal sre susceptible Facts detailed respecting
1chools which have been established in Europe for the
instruction Of this wretched class of our fellow
lures, which show concusyey that the most helpless
and wIetchcd Of idiots may be greatly improved in
their ply steal condition, and. comparatively speaking
elevated, morally and intellectually. To
tei!r.