The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-04-27
THE REPUB
WASHINGTON.
WEDNESDAY MORNING. April q 1853


The Western Military xhylum.
This establishment will fail to confer MANY
of the important benefits for which its institu-
ton has been authorized, if it is not erected at
the earliest practicable moment. The soldiers
Of the revolutionary war are few in number
the soldiers of the war of 1914 are fast pass
ling away; the soldiers of the late Mexican
war have felt most heavily the hand of dis.
ease, and have fallen and are falling like the
withered leaves of autumn; the future of oul
country will, we trust, be free from war and
1 all its woes and glories; and from our peace
establishment there fortunately springs com
paratively little need of hospitals. The asy-
lum, therefore, that Congress has required &c
be erected in the West should be promptly
built, that many who need and merit its kind
ly protection may be gathered within it.
But it appears that nothing has been done
toward the accomplishment of this purpose,
and that while, of the three asylums author
lied by Congress. one has been located near
this city, and one at Pascagoula, Louisiana,
for that designed for the West no suitable To-
cation has yet been found.
We marvel much at this, in view of the fol-
lowing facts, viz:
|. That Congress at its session before the
last enacted that 1.-THE Board of Commissioners
: of the Military Asylum be and they or a
part Of them are hereby authorized to exam
: inc the Blue Lick Springs, and the land at
tached thereto, and if the same be found ell
gible for the purpose, and can be secured of
the proprietors, OF any suitable quantity of
the land, including the buildings, at rea-
sonable price, to purchase the same for the
Government of the United States, and to To-
cate thereon the Western Military Asylum"
2. That after committee of the commits
sioners had examined the Blue Lick Springs
and the land attached thereto, and had pro-
nounced the same eligible for the purpose,
and had ascertained that they could be pro-
cured of the proprietors, in suitable quantity,
including the buildings, at reasonable price,
the commissioners retaining from making the
purchase only because their funds were not
adequate, Congress appropriated the further
sum of ten thousand dollars for the purpose of
enabling them to make the purchase, and by
an express vote in ca III House, called out by
certain opponents of this location. refused to
repeal their former enactment, as above quo
ted, viz: that the commissioners should pur-
chase the Blue Lick Springs, if found eligi-
BILE, &c.
3. That in the absence of some very potent
objections to this locality, of recent discovery,
the prevailing sentiment of the country, the
tenor of the reports upon the subject, the self
evident facts in the case, and, most important
ofall, the letter and the spirit of the enactment
of Congress, call for the location of the asylum
at the Blue Lick Springs.
Of any counter influences we know nothing.
We have not considered this matter with refe-
renee to local interests We are aware that
the people of Kentucky have from the begin
ming earnestly desired this selection; that the
Legislature of Kentucky has memorialized
Congress on the subject; and that the Repre-
sentatives and Senators from that State have
constantly shown an ardent desire to see the
wishes thus manifested gratifed. But our con-
victions have proceeded from no such grounds.
They are solely based upon belief in the
peculiar and eminent adaptedness of the place,
and the direct authority for its selection.
If the commissioners have at last found that
this site is ineligible, or that it can not be Sc
cured of the proprietors, with its buildings, at
a reasonable price, then they are not required
by the act of Congress to purchase it; and, in
our humble judgment, these facts alone can
justify either delay in TIE work or search
in other localities for site upon which to COM
mepce it.
In the gentlemen constituting the commission
we have the utmost confidence. Chey have
experience, skill, and great integrity and may
indeed have good reasons for their apparent
hardness of which we are wholly ignorant. If
so, we trust they will pardon zeal that owes
its origin to desire to crafty the popular de-
mand, and to promote the public welfare.