Litchfield enquirer., 1853-05-12

: applications to make should take nOiice.- 5 The stated allowance of $9, 900, in aid of :; the indigent dee and dumb, has been found 5 sufficient to deiray the expenses oC as many beDelclarieS as can conveniently be receiv. > ed into the Asylum.
 . The applications for admission to ,he Perkins Institution for the blind have been greater the past year than at any former " period since the duties of Commissioner D have devOlved upon me. But owing to the [ limited appropriation in aid of that object, |" lt has not been in my power to grant per ? init iD every case which has come to my . notice. There are now five pupils at the . institution, and another will be added at the . commencement of the next term, whose support and instruction al one hundred and sixty dollars each, will, in the course of the , present year, nearly consume the snni al appropriation of $l 1000 for that benevolent purpose. Though heretofore more than sufficient, a moderate additional all0wan nee from the State treasury is now deemed ad- visabl
 There are now established, as have had occasion to notice before. schools for ihe idOiic, at which it has been found entirely practicable to impart some degree of in- siructiOn to that unfortunate class, produ+ cing in many cases considerable improve> ment of the intellect, with Q corresponding change of habits. In view of these facts, it seems proper to inquire whether it would not be well to make provision also for the indigent idiOtic, for the purpose ol testing the benefits of plan which already prom- ises 10 effect most important results.
 The number of indigent insane who are receiving aid from the State at this time, is 75. It is not well understood, believe, that the fund set apart for the deranged poor, though amounting 10 $7OOO, is not sufficient 10 detray the expenses in full of those who have claim to its benefits. The lowest price for weekly support at the Retreat is $S, the paymsn: of one halfof which only, owing to the number of Applicants for the charity of the State, can be safely assumed by the Commissioner. There is now in the Treasury. subject 10 the order of the Legis lature $S,O00. bonus money paid by banks which have gone into operation since 1851. Though authorized to draw from that source to certain amount if required, have not thus far exceeded ihe sum for which special provision is made. Every thing which concerns the physical and mental comfort and improvement of those for whom the foregoing means of support are huma nely set apart, will be found deeply interesting to the community ,and command
 have no doub, the profound regard of the Legislature. .r,.. -.... ------~,s--..... | Icannot withhold the expression of my hearty concurrence in the measures which have already been taken for the establish. ment ofa Staie Reform School for juvenile offenders. The report of the trustees ap. pointed 10 carry into effect the act of the Legislature. will furnish all the information on the subject which its importance de. mands. They have located the institution at Meriden, near the centre of the State, on a ridge of land little west of the Hartford aud New Haven Railroad. The site cho. sen for the building contains S4 IA acres oi land, purchased at cost of SS, ,496 50. To the west of this, tract of l3O 2 acres has been procured at a cost of $9, ,lO0- making the whole cost of the land selected | SIP ,596 50. The farm lies iE a beautiful valley, capable have no doubt, of high state of cultivation. The sum of $29, 800 has been raised by subscription and apprO- priaion from the State Treasury, part of which has already been paid out, ,and nearly all of which has already been expended or guaranteed for the erection ol the buildings
 
 To carry out the plan proposed for com ple,ion of this great and humane object, at least $25, ,0OO more will be required. That is the sum asked for by those who have had this matter in charge, and the reasons they have assigned for invoking the further aid of the State, are, must be allowed 10 say, weighty enough % attract your serious attention.
 ! rcN nnsfa lad was computed that something like 80 boys were annually committed to the county prisons in the several cOuntes in this Staie. Probably the number is nearer 100. Others, rraigncd for offences of one kind and an- other, have been easily let off. or OnIy slightly punished, through an iDdspositiOn to deal too severely with those not yet grown old in crime. The school about 10 be established is not designed for prison, > but school for juvenile relosm, and it is manifest that when it shallgo into operation some of the expenses which now fall DpOD the Counties and State will be saved by the course of relorma,ory discipline about to be adopted; and what is of more importance, the discipline itself will help 10 save from utter ruin that class of youthful offenders who, cast of from al moral restraint, and groping in ignorance, or iDfamed by angry passions, ripen early for inc several degrees of crime, and set public opinion al defiance.
 In whatever aspect regard the question which this interesting subject presents, l cannot bu, consider il one of ihe first im- poriaBce. Unwilling as am to encourage appropriations from the Treasury to any considerable amount, and entirely opposed 10 making drafts upon lhe funds ct the risk of incurriDg Gebt, unless clearly required by come great public exigeDcy, l see ln the present prosperous condition of the finances reasonable pretext for giving additional support 10 a legitimate object of legislative favor and encouragement. The object of inc Reform School being . that which its title implies, il seems impor- , tant that the term for which delinquenis may be sent to ,he House of Correction, ; should be made long enough to afford some reasonsb bIe prospect of efecifng a thorough