The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-09-26
The Working Of the Social Institutions
Of the North.

|
The Working OF the Social Institutions
Of the North.
The New y DIRK papers contain some curious
revelations of discoveries, recently made in the
management of Founding Asylum, in the
course Of which much light is let in Incidentally
on the moral condition of that community The
establishment referred to is but one of many
which the necessities of that city demand-and
the suspicion of foul play to the little victims
of the sins of others, in order to increase the
number of entries there--has alone induced this
expose of the purposes for which such houses
are established, the demand for which more than
equals the supply
Cannot the philanthropists of the North who
are comprising sea and land to make one prose-
| lyte' to their abolition doctrines-fnd more
profitable employment in abolishing this slavery
nearer homc--of the worst kind, slavery to
sin--whose "wages is death %
As JOHN RANDOLPH once told the pious lady
who sought his aid in evangelizing the heather,
while on her doorstep there sat squalid child
of ignorance and poverty, "Madam, the heather
is at your door,
From The Commercial Advertiser we take the
following:
THE DEVELOPMENTS AT WORCESTERSHIRE
account published in the supplement accom-
panying to-day's paper of the mode of dsposng
of the bodies of dead children at the Infant
Asylum," near the railroad depot at Harlem,
will naturally excite wide and deep indigna-
ton. From the various published accounts we
have selected that which appears most candid
and most authentic. 1t is supported, indeed, by
the testimony Of witnesses under oath, Including
that OF the principal or proprietor, Qor that we
believe is the right word) Of the institution, a
maiden lady Of advanced years, Miss Mary Shot
well. Yet this bare statement of facts we have
perused with acutest pain, and can scarcely trust
ourselves to speak OF it with the calmness which
public duty enjoins So many corrella i've facts
and such startling differences are also associated
with these acci entail and partial disclosures,
that we are embarrassed with the task of con-
densing and arranging the thoughts that crowd
upon us.
/ We discard entirely the exaggerated accounts
| published in some OF the papers, and the follow
| ing facts remain that the asylum was formerly
at Fordhum, but became so unpopular, from the
/ offensive and indecent method of interment that
its removal was made necessary; that deaths
were so frequent, aud the mode of interment so
secret and improper as again to arrest attention;
| that judicial investigation was made; that eight
bodies were found buried in certain lot at the
depth Of only six inches; that certificates of the
deaths of seven were produced, four Of which
were signed on tie day of The inquest by Miss
| Shotwell herself; that the number of infants or
children in the institution is generally about
twelve that before their interment in the lot,
which was done in the night time, they were
put out among the bushes for some days; that
the instructions given to the man who buried
| them, by Miss Shotwell, was to "bury them
anywhere he thought best" that during the two
years and half that Miss Shotwel has carried
on this asylum "a great many children have
been there;" that they frequently die there"
these last facts being stated by female resd-
ing in the asylum, who also testified that Miss
Shotwell signed the four certificates from
memory;l that Miss Shotwell herself giving the
testimony, the children were laid in the bush
and subsequently "buried lightly" by Miss
Shotwell's orders; and that she could only pro-
duce certificates or otherwise remember or
count for seven out of the eight children whose
| bodies were found.
| We know none of the parties in the affair, and
shall deal only with the general facts. 1t is proper
|
on what we consider good authority, that during
the last three years, or rather more, about one
hundred and forty or fifty infant children have
been received into Miss Shotwell's asylum; thai
all or the great n,d30rlyOf such children are iVeg
uinaate, and are placed there either by private
| individuals, or by the Aims House authorities !;
tina. the ten Governors, however, have, since they
took charge of the department. sent not more
than from fifteen to twenty to Miss Shotwelrs
care, and those only either by the request of the
parties answerable for their support or because
| Of the scarcity Of nurses that MIR. Leonard pa
tronized the asylum rather extensively, having
great confidence in the benevolence of the lady !;
that the support Of many of those privately
| taken there was committed for; and finally,
which is an important fact, that the earliest age
at whic'l they should leave the asylum" is
seven years. If in this particular our informa-
ton is correct, and if as sworn to before the
jury, there are now but twelve children in the
institution, which has existed only between three
and four years, the question naturally arises,
aohot has become Of the hundred and len or tcenty
that mere received into The establishment.
| We understand also that this asylum is entire
ly private institution that the profits accruing
| from this Communication for the support of infants
go to Miss Shotwell. Now we think it only
Justice to that lady, and to the community at
| large, that the most searching scrutiny be made
| into the entire management OF the asylum, from
| the first hour that an infant child was received
within itsgwalls up to the present time. Where
are the records of their entrance! BY whom
were they brought? How long did each live
after it was received! How much was paid with
each, or during its life :! Where have they all
! been buried These and many kindred questions
will naturally arise and should be fully answered.
When public decenry ard common humanity
are so violently outraged when helpless in
fauts, received within tie shelter Of an '';ssocia-
ton" and an asylum" are buried anywhere"
as though they were dogs or ycrmin, and not
humans--therc need be little decacy about the
fe, lings of thoe who can be so unfeeing to their
species. And further, il we arc to have private
founding ho pitfalls, with private management
ard private profits, and no accountability or over
sight, LET US Know it and look the fact in the
flee.
And here we have touched question of inn
mense monochrome for the introduction Of