The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1850-12-13

gulshed.
! Hi,Iory aud experience viii aite-t The Efct. thai
where science. general knowledge and moral cnl.
tiyaion, are most universally dIfihs, d among the
Ipeople, there liberty Ia the most cherished, the
rights oI persona aud property are the most safc
virtne and religion, aud whatever else eau adDrn
society and render mankind prosperous mud hnp.
ny are held the most sacred To extend md
secure 10 coming generations the benefits of liber.
~ a3d well.regulated Tree institutions, II is ne.
lcessary Tor the statesman 10 look with earnesi
lcare 10 the means Oi instruction for the youth Of
the country, for by them he may shnPe the des.
tiIes Of the Stale aud the nation Tor good or for
evil. through succeeding ages, 49," ....... ..
An efficient system OF Common Sclools tho
Ironghy executed is the only menns Of attaining
this desirable object. Under our present law on
this subject, much has been done; but the law is
Imperfect The law which now prOieEses 10 70.
gnlate this system has been in force ior many
years. 1t has undergone muny alterations. is
lnied IN many different volumes OF the statutes,
and is thus made difficult 10 he found, and still
more difficult to he understood by the great ma-
jority OF persons whose duty il provsSes to point
Ioui
That portion which relates to forming and alter.
ing districts from two or more townships. aud
lie portion providing for fixing sites and levying
taxes Tor building aud repairing scllnolhousrs,
land the supporting Of schools beyond the means
Isupplied by the various schnol funds, is obscure
aud ni uncertain import the cause Uf much se-
rions complaint and trouble, aud begets much
dislike TO the whole system.
would recommend TO your consideration the
PrOpriety ola thorough revision ofall the statutes
on the subject, as TO make them plain 10 all,
and effectual to the accomplishment he objects
desired
On the cath day Of September. 1850. Congress
passed law granting To each State, tnr specif,
ed purpose, tile swamp or Overflowed lands with
III its burders, still belonging to the General Gu.
vernment, which will he made the subject Of
special messnge
The difficulties in relation to the Western Re-
serre School lands. have been during the season
|, Settled; and engrOssed lists obtained from the
Dep rtnent OF tli9 whnle number Of acres claim
ed. These lands have been brought into market
, ID pdrsuauce Of tue law. aud have met with a
rapid sale, riiuRins iu addition to that school fund
and afOr lug the pledsihg Prospect Of consider.
Bile Increase TO the population, Improvement and
wealth OF tile Several c6HntieS III which tile lunds
are situated.
The several Benevolent Institutions have beeu
conducted through tue season., it is believed in a
muniier generally satisfactory 10 all concerned
4 and with such success dOes great credit U the
State, and confirms the W sdom aud well directed
D benevolence OF the Legislature in their establish
4 ment.
1t Has for several years beeu manifest that the
Lunatic Asylum. even ut lis present SIZE, was III
sufficient tU supply the wants OF the people O
n the State. The Directors aud Superintendent 81
3 the Asylum have, in three Successive annual re
ports, called the attention Of tue Legislature Il
o this subject, aud reconiGr,led that il:e incien
steps be taken Tor The erection Of Que rr lIor,
q like institutions in diiiereit parts Of the State.
0 The following quotation from their last rrpor
0 will show the Opiuionoi those 10 whom the over
sight uf The Institution has been entrusted by lht
General Assembly:
q The Directors of tile Asylum have more hal
once heretottNa ud"efed 10 tie coming uecessit,
2 OF making uriher provision fbr HE insane Of th
- State by the erection nI twu additional Asylums
G one in the Northern aud the other in the South
:: ein ptrl Of tie State."
By u report of the Superintendent. male Jan
tIiIrS 49, l949 in answer 10 call uf the Selat
for information tn that subject. il appears tlni
tile ntmber oi applicants !or admission then pen
o ding. which had been postponed Tor want oIruom
0 was one huudrel aud IOrty-ive. This numbc
must lie lar too small 10 comprehend all there
o in the State whn need the aid which il was in
tended by the lnSti. itinn 10 bcstuw. This eau
o not be renfed led wiIlnut turning at large all tn
Eiucu!ables, aud probably not even tlleu; US II!
0 lumber of this class is much less than the NUN
Der Of iusane in the State who are ont Then
| but lew Of those incurables can be discharged
0 with any safety t. themselves or tue public. Bu
why Turn my awny7 They eau he snpporte
0 there cheaper ui!d ii?ore comfortably for then
selves aud their friends than they eau be nny
4 where else. The average number III the insiit
ton during ne ssar ending November Is, l6'.l
O was three huEdrt2 Gaa ttemy three. while
the previous year one hundred and forly.five ~
O plicaiuns for admission Lad been postponed q
O want Of room in tie Institution, How long Slia
= citizen of Ohio who applies 10 Tue State Bene,
olent Institution for tho admission nI d husbau
0r wife, father Or mother, u sun ur daughter, b
turned away with tile heart crushing answer
I There Is not roOInl
- In the year l848 the Legislature of Massachu
seltS appointed II committed TO consider th
= whole subject connected Will insanity iG iii
III Commonwealth" That committee, alter a care
II, ful examination of the whole matter, reporte
L. the whole number of insane in thai State 10 b
Ir fifteen hundred and tpelee- HINT in the five inst
tutOns for this purpose in the State there is sat,
ne factory provision made for eight hundred an
p- ffythree patients-that sixty patients are prov
d. ded for ut private asylums-thal no suiiabe pro
n. vision eau be made for tue insane in the count
jails-and that six hundred of the fifteen eundre
B., and twelve insane persons in TINT State unpr,
vided Ior in any asy um devoted 10 that purpose
h That committee having thus ascerained the de:
L. tituton OF the ffcted, with promptiinde hor
he orable TO themselves aud worthy Of their State
IT. recommended the erection of such buildings a
- would provide for the wants OF The people.
e. the same ratio exists here as in MassachISeit
It. there must be over four thousand in ths State an
5. more than three thousand six hundred for whol
II there is no provision. But whether the sam
D. ratio prevails here or not it is manifest there ar
s' very many who cannot receive the benefits q
ID our present Asylum, spacious aud well conducted
er as it is. ....
It There is one other feature rf this nutter whic
al according to the present law, seems to requir
Bf some attention. Thei law requires, that beior
as pc son having family can be admitted as
n state patient, that it shall be shown that his pre-
c. perty, after deductiug debts, is worth less tina
ops thousand dollars. 1t may with great propr
Il ETY. be asked. why com, ell any one TO pay Tor z,
,r ing into bis own housei Has not the whole pre-
ds perty of the State been taxed 10 build the hous,
u. ahf DO not all pay In proportion to their proper
ut " for its support Take case, and one whic
ot mny occur TO thousand families under the pr,
er sent law: The head of family is admitted TO III
ig Institution, and the amily eIt 10 support then
OF selves, and raise the moneV 10 pay the expense
nd OF their afflicted head. In two years the whoI
m Of the little properly will be expended, hB unt
ne tic MAY bs discharged as incuraJs aild relitne
er upon the hands Of the family pa sled for the wal
Of the little means which has been exhausted !
10 this effbrt t6restore him to health. Or he ma
rs be discharged as recovered, 10 sink again unut
g.. the accumulated dpfessnte ofosS Of prbperty ali
aiamily in want. III Two OF the annual reports
be the Directors, this subject has been pressed upo
The Legislature asking that this distinction ma