Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1851-04-02

RESPONSE
The Legislature of Virginia

ASYLUM have read the report of the Special Com
mittee of the House of Delegates, charged uu1lLs
the present session of the Legislature wth the M oc
of visiting said asylum; and while they are gratleo
with the commendation bestowed by the report on on
the general management of the institution, ana "itI
the entire exoneration of their own conduct anu
motives, and of the conduct and motives OF theh
officers, from thefou charges of cornpon cast upon
them; while too they have entire confidence IN tile
fairness of every member of the committee, ana III
their ability to discharge the trust reposed IN theh
by the House Of Delegates, the board reefs II oue
tothemselves to the Legislature and 10 ne Coililt-
tee but most especially to the interests OF the PuDc
charity, of which they are the constituted guarai-
ans, to notice some important features ol tile Coi-
mittees report and to place the Legislature IN pos
session, more fully than has been DONE OF the cor
respondence between the committee and this board,
and of the circumstances under which the report
was made.
| In canyassing anv errors into which the commit
tee have fallen they do not mean to be understood
as calling them at all in question. On the contra
rv, this board is rather surprised to find under the
extraordinary circumstances attending the lnvestl-
cation. that the good sense and just disposition OF
the committee guided them in the general TO such
equitable conclusions. The leading witness against
them was Mr.. John D. Imboden, one OF the dele
gates from this county, on whom the committee
had right to look prma acie as the peculiar irlena
of the institution. The board OF directors MINK
thew have right to designate that gentleman as
their prosecutor for on his examination ne admlttea
himself the responsible author of series OF Mum,
hers in public print here, signed "Independence,
making the most crminatory charges against TINS
board and its officers and also that ne had framea
the list of nine charges, which were the subject OF
the committee investigation, sat the request OF the
chairman Of the committee" he SAID: But tne
irresponsible author of independence" was hard-
ly reluctant to comply with such request. mus
the board of directors occupied the unenVlaole Po-
sition before the committee, who were strangers
to them, of being charged and prosecuted by their
own representative.
Mr.. John H. McCue, the avowed author OF an.
other series of Numbers in the same print, signed
,:Vox PopuE," making serious charges against the
board was another principal witness on the trial
vet the committee with all these causes for unfa-
yorabe preiudgment surrounding them, have re,
ported fthat although their visit was sudden ana
unexpected they were delighted to lind that clean
illness, system and order prevailed throughout lhe
entire Institution that they do not hesitate TO cA-
press the opinion that so far as the comfort con-
venience and management of those for whose
benefit this noble charity was designed are concern
ed, that this institution will compare favorably with
any of similar kind in any OF the states; ana lhe
admirable tact, skill and kindness OF the superin-
tendent DR.. Sribling in establishing and MAINTAIN
ing wholesome moral deciPline among those
unfortunates is deserving of the highest commen-
dation: That the directors have adopted risla
system of economy in relation to the purchase OF
snnnlies for the ASYLUM, nsomuch that frequent
complaints have been made at the fixed low prices
authorized to be paid for the products of the coun'
try - That, ''upon the whole, the committee are
of opinion that the general management OF this asy'
nm has been as free from might reasonably
he expected
The comttee further report, that the first OF the
nine charges was unsustained by any evidence,
thereby exoneratng the directors from the accusa'
ton of appointing to Office favorites, allied by blood
marriage or religion and they pay the directors
the compliment of declaring, that while majority
of them might belong to the same branch OF the
christian church, and several are connected BY
blood or marriage yet sit did not appear that they
were governed by those consideration in making
appointments, and it did not appear that improper
appointments had been made
They report it as abundantly proven that the Sc
cond assistant physician possessed in an emnen
degree those qualities that fit him for the statlon'
thereby negativing the nuendo OF the third charge
that he was appointed without ftness through Ia
voritsm, and with the sole purpose OF ADVANCING
him to office in another state. They negative INT
fourth charge, which,eif true would have brough
discredit on the superintendent and the directors
involving them in the improperly ofpaying, anc
him of receiving, commission on purchases maze oy
him while on his private business at the North
The sixth and seventh charges, Of serious malfea
sance in Office against the treasurer are strongly
neoatiyed bv the committee, and the ninth charge
was abandoned.
Thus the directors feel that they and their Oil
GERS are exonerated by the report from every
charge, except those involving mere errors OF Judg
ment, from which universal fraity of humanity
thew claim no exemption, and for the imputatiof
of which they entertain no unkind feeling towards
the committee.
Standing, however, before the legislature as the
acknowledged friends of the institution over which
they preside, having no motive operating upon then
but desire for its welfare having passed the ordeal
of trial in which they refused to claim the protec
ton of those forms of law and rules ofproceeding tc
which all citizens are entitled and threw the doors
of enquiry wide open calling on all their accuser
to come forward (see letter Appendix A y and hav
ing on such an investigation been acquitted OF eve
ry charge that could bring suspicion OF selfishnes
upon them, the directors feel at liberty, indeed
bound by duty, to canvass freely with the leglsla
tare of their State questions involving the veal O
the most interesting state charity that can ever ac
dress itself to the good feeling OF Virginia
INCREASE OF SALARIES.
The second charge afirns that salaries had bcet
increased when duties had been diminished.
On this charge the committee say, that "previ
Gus TO 1850there had been hut two physicians ems
poyed in the asylum, the principle at salary, o.
$4,000, and one assistant at a salary of $500; thai
about that time the institution was enlarged to
capacity of 420 patients The directors, in antici
patton of an increased number, appointed an add
tional physician and increased the salaries OF each
the principal to S25O0, and the two assistants tt
$3.50 each. Inasmpch as there has not yet beer
as many patients as can be accommodated BY