Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1852-01-27
FOR NE enquirer.
EASTERN ITINaTIc ASYLUM

n
tended defence Of The directory from the nm aue
unai,a. them by late meeting of the citizens OF Williams
burg ihc proceedings I" which meeting nave oeeh puos
ed 80,
That meeting BE- it observed OF the largest ever
.hcd in thai place of about an equal number 0,
each political party and it is confidently inserted
opinions which entertained by large naoshy u '"e
citizens Of that community.
There but points in the article oeemeo worthy OF
specific notice. One Of these is, that charges were oous.
last winter against the former board OF directors anu against
some the officers All that is necessary 70 oosao anou' s
is that Committee of the House oil Dcesales was gent
during The last session, Ia look INTO Inc aals VI e
un-that the majority of this Committee was mahiesHy
composed OF materials suited 10 the views OF Inc dlscohen
ted clique who busying themselves about inc lnsu
ton; one or more WHOM tor weeks IN Richmond be-
setting members of the Legislature upon the subject and
eventually BY their pcrnaclty obtained Inc conolo
the institutions and that the committee, alter nearing Inc
charges and the defence flushed the matter and made no re-
nor. 10 the House of Delegates; il being very well known
tina the parties against whom the charges were brought de-
fed their have this epor, made ny Their friends
The other point the declaration of the writer OF inc article
question: that the present clerk and treasurer OF he asV
um are acting without compensation. This mny DC merely
true al this moment How long such state OF things VIII
probably continue, any may conjecture VINO VIII lake
the trouble to read the subloined paper.
The meeting already alluded TO- appointed committee 10
wait upon the Governor of the Commonwealth and give to
him Detailed Of the principal acts OF mneasance
of the directors OF the Asylum Tho names OF ms Com
mtec published part of the proceedings OF The meet
ing and many of them did wait upon The Governor and lay
before him the following paper about which, lurther com
mcn is unnecessary:
TO his Ercellency Joseph Johnson, Governor Of the Com
non1ocaih of Virginia
SIR At meeting OF the citizens OF Hllainsoure neio
on the 9th day of this month"; for the purpose oil considering
matters connected with the Eastern Lunatlc asylum Tue
undersigned appointed committee to wait upon your
Exceency and lay before you the proceedings ndopeo
by the said meeting together with statement ecountng
The most prominent oil misconduct perpelfaed oy Tile
Board of Directors of said Asylum since its recent or
ganzaon invoke such redress in The premises as
may be n the power Of your Excclency to Afford
In proceeding discharge the duty assigned US, VIC peg
10 assure your Exceency that actuaed by no per-
sunaI considerations whatsoever nor by any olher o'c
than desire to advance the interests Of an institution
whose and prosperity depend as we tna IN oe
than ordinary degree, upon proper and iailhlu pe'io
auce of duties by officers and guardians.
The undersigned feel gatied at being able 10 say at 10!
many wears past all Inc public institutions OF benevolent
character in The State have been sgnaly successful anu
none more so than the Eastern Lunatc Asylum whilst un
der the control of its old officers and directors II pleased
the predecessor OF your Excccncy however, Tor reasons Oh
which the undersigned are Ignorant TO dlspace on le ISL
of November asI the Board OF Directors unoer whose
the institution had uurished beyond even me
sangune expectations Of It's warnes frends and 10 appoint
new board whose since ts organization, nus e"ci
ed the serious apprehensuns LOT Tic iu'C'c
this noble Asylum. u ,.l
TO show that these appehensons are but 100 well found
ed the undersigned proceed TO give detail OF facts ana con-
sdrrntons some which established by testimony &C
inp this statemcntsome matter OF noorety IN
the community the Asylum exists and will be denied
by no one and the remainder consist OF inevitable lhlefe
ceS. a., ,,.r -, ...,
In the frat place the in which the chief and most
lucrative offices OF the Asylum have been bestowed oy he
Board leads the Notifying conclusion mat PERSONA @
urapdyelncnt was their controlling motive IN the perform
aucc of that function. Indeed il has been cstaoishea 10
the minds of the undersigned the cunvcton when 10 shaed
by all the dsinteresied observers OF The transaction hat
engagements entered into between certain members o
the Board before their commissions were received y
which some o. The most important Offices OF the nsuoh
were ds lributcd amongst themselves
The Board appointed by your EXcellencys predecessor
consisted as the law required Of eleven members TWO OF
the eleven declined their commissions. Two DINERS accept
ed and afterwards resigned theirs BECAUSE as the unaelsn
ed are informed by those gentlemen themselves they GU
not choosc be passive or even protesting plrcpaols III
the corrupt operations projected ny the maJosiS' nus,
seven members only left nscommsslon, who, without
waiting until the vacancies in the Board should Dc ed-
without giving notice and inviting candidates Tor inc olces
which they proposed bcsuw, and which, be Observed
were already filled by acknowledged 10 DC NJ anu com
percn,-wh an indccen, haste fully Iustying The inter,
ence that there preconccrtcd plan, when ihcY eafeo
nigh, be endangered by delay held meeting and actually
proceede! elect of their body to Inc ohces oil
Steward Treasurer and Chaplain. he othce oil CLERK nav
ing been previously bestowed upon one oi the seVeh
process By which this Effected was as follows Inc
member to be elected Treasurer ubsened himself temporari-
" from the meeting and his election was made by inc resi-.
He returned and took his seat and the member 10 De
elected Steward abSentcd himself In Ike manner anu was
elected, and ; with the others.
In this connection the undersigned deem but lus 10 say
that they been ntoned that one member OF me ooaf"
ICc Robert Arnistead from highly c0nmrndabe feeling
Of decacv pcrcmptoy refused 10 vote for any nemoer OF
the board TO fill either OF the offices named; moreover In one
of these elections gentleman did not vote al all and IL
NAV be Question determined by the proper aulhorlty
whether that election was legal nasmuch rs the aiuIe Oh
member 10 vote may considered equivalent 10 his absence
from The board for the OCCASION and II So lhen no qo'u
was present transact business. ,o,,
For the facts here asserted your Exceency Is
referred The copy OF The proceedings OF The o'"''
clerk and accompanying ms iipet' -. =, 80,
grossly pruscripvc in their character ana 50 INJURIOUS W
the interests oil the asylum, as 10 succct Inc
the inst and indignant apprehension Of the best citizens OF
the neighbong community without regard TO sect OF parry
appears from The proceedings OF The meeting mentioned III
,,nff ., io pD1U1n
Is THE directors removed from Office Mr.. Barziza gen.
eman who had been long the steward OF the asylum and
whose pre- eminent qualifications for the office all concede
and filled his place with member OF their own body whose
worth as citizen the undersigned checrully admit but
whose chief recommendation for the office, they are con-
strained 10 believe his cooperation win slna cirque
most of whom ha received their rewards in movement
set on foot eighteen months ago, Tor the purpose OF
ecc,ng the former bo:d Of directors from inc oue
of which they had for many years gratutuousy discharged
with exemplary fidelity, and OF getting Inc conro oil inc
ASYLUM into The hands Of The aforesaid clique In lhs pun
pose they were unfortunately successful
2dy They removed the Treasurer an olcer whose qhh-
caions as the fiscal agent nf the asylum no one Preends
10 question: and appointed in his stead another member o
their bodya man who had been one OF inc most acVe
in the movement lust mentioned and who had the unblus
ing eIronicy declare in the presence OF committee OF
the Legislature sent last winter TO investigate the affairs OF
the Asylum and particularly charges psered oy s man
himself along with Others against the old board OF directors
that his action stimulated BY the desire TO DC made ea
surcr or in his language ITO get money and power
3dy The chaplain was rcmovec-a gentleman OF expert
ence in his sacred profession and whose piety and devotion
To The pecuiarv interesting and delicate duties OF his oce
have elected the respect and admiration of all who have OBJ
served them-and his place filed by the directors with
another member of their body who is certainly most excel
lent ctiZenIand very consistent christian, but who rs the
undersigned informed has been In the habit of per-
forming clerical duties and whose residence Is distant
twelve miles from the BE ii remarked here that this
act of prescription accompanied by circumstance quite
as grossly indecent The salary of the Chaplain was in
creased although of the subjects o complaint by these
men against the former board that The salary OF Chap
lain great
There is another matter which the Undersigned wish 10
call the attention Of your cxcccncy, aud which they
slider an equally fragrant abuse Of power on the part of the
directors with the things already enumerated if the
most distinct and uneguvoca manifestation OF improper
motives which has the knowledge Of The Undersigned
Some time in the yclr 1850, the recommendation of Dr.
John Gait the superintendent Of the ASYLUM, the office
of assistant established and filled b. the then
existing board (rhe former board with Dr. John G William
son the salary being $500 This officer required TO
within The Asylum and to devote ms whole tne 10 the
duties OF his Office.
DR.. Williamson was il is true, member OF the board;
but competing candidates before them md one doubts
or utters word against his entire and peculiar fitness
for the office.
When the present directory into power attempt
made BY Of its members 10 get rid oil Or. William
purpose the undersigned constrained 10
believe from what has occurred 10 give his Office one who
openly member of The clique before mentioned but
who was we'll known coincide in their views.
The attempt eject DR.. williamson proved unsuccessful
but oDer3 led so disgust member OF the board