The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-03-15

manlly-ln lhe name oil Justee-l ask Tue Congress oi
The United States TO make the poor appropriation OF ten
thousand dollars, which will save these poor soldiers
from an nntmey grave II does not do that II VIII al
least accord 70 them the poor boon as they lnge on he
hours they will not be unheeded by WISE just and gen
erous government, In whose and IN whose Dehai
they have sacrificed their lives, ,
Mr.. MASON | want to learn from the honorable
senator from Tennessee whether that board OF oihces
who, we know, paid Visit 10 that country during ne
Ia6l summer for the purpose Of selecting site Tor hs
military ASYLUM or hospital have selected the Blue LACK
Mr. JONES will answer the gentleman with great
deal of pleasure. have before me the report OF he
three gentlemen who visited itGenera scotl. Teaeial
and Surgeon General Lawson recommended lhe seecuon
of the Blue Lick springs. General Scors report IS
equiyoca and says the board declined TO purchase Dc
cause they had no money for that purpose.
Mr. MASON. Then, understand that so lar as Gen.
Sco,s report goes, Whether he is ~ favor OF the seec-
lion not he presumed the propfeod ASKED more than
the site is worth. Is not that the fac2
Mr. JONES No. sir; tits not so stated. Ihe ques-
ton Of price is that open, and can only say that
the proprelors OF that establishment are willing TO leave
it TO any abitTament You choose This amendment ls
not obligatory upon the board TO purchase a any pfice
Il simply gives Them the means Of doing so i they please
uAdersand from personal interview with me board,
that they supposed they had something like 100000 at
their command after the endowment OF the two asy lums
which they had established but they bat not as much
money they supposed; and Tor want OF suhcen MEANS
in the opinion OF The board, they declined to make any
purchase General Lawson and General Wool also visit.
ed region Of country in the vicinity oil Cincinnati and
with the permission Of the Senate will read an extract
from General WooPs report
aAgreeably 70 the Chiefs Instructions ex-
amned in company with General Lawson, the country
for twelve miles the OF the city OF Cincinnati, where
observed several sites equally eligible and in in
stances thought to the Blue Llcks tof mn
asylum but the price appeared 10 me entirely 100
high, and 50 lar beyond he means AZ command M OF ,ne
comm ssioners not TO Justify purchase within the range
and distance xalnned the price per varying, ac-
coding TO position irom $500 to $500"
The question submit to the Senate is simply whether
shall put it in the power OF these commissioners, II
they desire il to purchase the Blue Lick springs IN order
that sick and dying soldiers may enjoy the benehcence
OF this government as was intended
Mr.. MASON. do not mean 10 say word about
this military hospital dare say il ought to be establish
ed But think ought 10 have some Certain iniorma-
with regard the eligibility OF the site, well as 10
the price demanded for it. That is matter which the
commissioners to look into. II the commissioners
do recommend il TO Congress as being eligible and
worth the sum demanded cannot vote for the amend
ment. -
Mr. DAWSON 1 will say to the senator from Vir-
gina that the money purchase this asylum is not TO be
appropriated from the general fund of the government II
military fund-a fund that has accumulate from the
foundation of the government, for the benefit OF diseased
soldiers. The appropriation which we ask for now, and
it is the first appropriation of public money for the object,
is only $4,000 II has been asked why have not these
commissioners made the purchases They have replied
that they did not think they had the means to do II.
What the Blue Lick springs would cost, cannot say
Ten thousand dollars, understood when presented
the amendment, with the sum already on hand, would
be sufficient to give the commissioners the discretion 10
purchase them If they saw ft II you pass this amend
there is obligation on that board 10 purchase the
Blue Lick springs III they refuse TO purchase, Inc mon
ey will lie in the treasury.
But j, is asked why they did not do IT, The only re-
ply can make is that they did not think they had SUI
6cent means They sad they ought 10 do So because
the springs exceedingly suitable as location Now,
we give them $4,000, and say, "Gen,emen II you
think proper, under your former instructions to purchase
the site, do so. Ii The proprietor asks too much DO
give il and If in your opinion, they can be bought
for proper price take the springs" Ten thousand dol
lars which is all ask will be appropriated by this
government for the purchase and will be sufficient "a
enable the board TO make a suitable selection OF site
Now, the speech OF the senator from Tennessee brings
the subject before the sensby OF every senator There
are four hundred and odd acres around these springs II
is for soldiers that seek an asylum They want heath
fu spo, they want the mineral waters; and, above all
that, being DID, and decrep and infrm they can have
an opportunity of corkng up the water in bottles, and
send ii of Tor sale, and thus secure valuable income
which might amount TO IS, 900 per annum With the
proceeds arising out OF the water furnished by Nature
herself, with little labor, which would only to
give them light employment, and make their lives pass
pleasantly, they would at the time secure some
Thing Of profit to the establishment. Why not do it! II
you place them in Georgetown, on wotn-ou' lands you
give them saubrious climate, bat they cannot till OF
cultivate the land They would no, be able to do II ol
the want OF physical ability. But II they were placed a
the springs they could do something themselves to ad
the country in sustaining them. have looked into the
subject, and think II we do not purchase the springs
great injustice may be done to this class OF citizens
| Mr.. BRIGHT. ! am opposed TO the amendment, for
the reason that think it makes partial discrimination
In favor OF point that has already been condemned for
the object contemplated Under the provision adopted
at the last session, 1t would have been entirely within the
range OF the duties assigned 10 the board OF officers tc
have reported in favor OF this site, and they had
ported spprehend that Congress would have ratified the
report, by appropriation sufficient TO make The pur'
| chase. Blue Lick springs was examined with severa
others iu the western valley; and as the honorable
from Tennessee places great coniencs IN the repor
made by General Scott not more, perhaps than do my
self upon a subject of this kind. l will read what ht
says:
"The report and vote OF the undersigned founded
pible la the OF preferable site That although
the site quite healthy and surrounded by abundsn
OF subsistence reasonable rates. IL was not
parativeiy as accessible as desired. 3 That IL wa
that Congress- by the provision OF law quoted
above would pay Tor the property out of the treasury
United States, should the board contract for It's
chase and 4 Because the board decided at the sam,
m citing, that IL assured Of the sudicency Of IL
proceed with the establishment OF western
asylum"
But the first two points made by the General in his re-
port think quite conclusive, and prove That the locality
is not eg and that is not easy OF faccess-cerian
y two very important points in making purchase fo
site OF this kind But IL is manifest that General Scot
himself did not consider Blue Lick Springs eligible
site for the that, after having made tboroug
examination of it, he extended his examination beyont
that He visited other points in Kentucky. and ever
honored my own State with visit, and left the popula
on of the city in which now reside under the mpres
sion that that the very point, and none other tha
would answer for the military asylum. The city o.
Madison will be greatly disappointed, grevously disap
ponted when they read his report and hnd that Madr
son IA no, even noticed in it by that distinguished Gene
raj sneak what | know when say that he left them
under the impression that above all other sites examined
in The Mississippi valley that was The most desirable ant
hes, adap,ed to this service and regret deeply regret
Il a,,on y m m con stituency that he has noticed