Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1854-02-08
voL.sxIx,.--.No4.2 A.

age in our institution Is very little DelQw
those OF the French and British, and far higii.:
or than that Of oar own county. Whenpa.$
tients are sent to an Asylum, it is tolbe cured;
and how can that !Asylumbe a failure which
achieves. success in this particular 3 This
institution has enjoyed the confidence, not
only OF the people Of our own State Tor =
large number Of wears, Int Of the people Of
the State Of North Carolina, Georgia. Ala.
bama and Mississippi. Nor has this conf.
dence been misplaced In no institution
would the unfortunate persons who hare
been sent to It from abroad have been 70!
eceived with. greater kindness, treated with
greater, skill and humanity, nr. had the chan.
ices of recovery, nth aall ia disadvantages.
increased. They have come from the first
eircles.af soeietylin retrospective States,
and never, it is believed. in singleinstance,
have they left its walls without! pronouncing
blessing upon the heads Of its officers. In
very many instances they have returneda
second and third time, again, to receive
that kindness which had so freely been hos.
towed upon them. And lcttit be remembered
that not y few ofshese had heen III North.
ern Asylums, and that after an experience
Of both, preference has been. given to this.
In moro. than seventeen years, four patients
only have been removed from this Asylum
! tn the North, and one of these bad to be
! brought back on account of his own strong
entreaties. Two Of them died in a short
time, and one recovered. These are 4preg.
nant facts; and must have their effect. M 81,
I would close here; but tire bitter assnlts
upon its management, its organization, aud
whole policy, demand, perhaps, a few words
more. assert that the institution has been
progrc;sirc. and that our Legislature has al.
ways exhibited towards it *. spirit Of high
benevolence and noble generosity. Our
State was one Of the FIRST to. move forward
in this great work, and in addiiion.to5 the
heavy expenditure at the outset, she has
from time to time made the most liberal ap.s
propria,ions at the call of the Regents. She
has watched over it through her legislative;
committees, aud she has had the gratifying
assurances, year by year, that;:h noble
designs lave worked the noblests results.
She knoms that it is no failure; it has been
an asylum for her.most gifted sons and her
fairest daughters, when God has deprived
them Of the noIlest Of all gifts-thc gift Of
reason; and she has seen them return from,
its walls to the bosom Of their families and
friends in full possession Of all their powers.
What now is its presents condition? an.
swer, better than Il has eter Jcen before, and
more entitled to the public confidence. 1t
has a Board Of Regents, the majority Of
whom has been connected with the nstitu.
tion for upwards of ten years a physician
who was one of the first Regents aud who
has been the chief medical officer for nearly
twenty years; superintendent who has
been in charge for about fifteen years, and
who is also the resident physician; chap.
lain, who has officiated for many years and
a head keeper, most valuable officer, who
has been in it orabout fifteen years. Along
intercourse with the, insane must have quali:l.
fed them for the better discharge Of their
several duties, or experience and observation
yield no fruits. There is an order, a clean
illness, a .pervading decency in all that is,
possible, which. must strike the visitor.-5
There is but ofie;Liw. and that is the law of.
kindness. II is the picture, witll,but few ex.
eeIaions. Of a eonteittd, happy, and quiet
family The grounds in front are beautiful.
| " oriiamen.ed. and'a green house, withsits
rich treasures Of frui. and Aowerst opens be-
fore you. TO these grounds and to this
green house 3. large portion, of The patients
are admitted patients are permitted to
walk out to the sand hills in charge Of their
keepers and this privilege is,extended to all
who can be trusted. have soen a dozen in
charge ofa single keeper a mile from town.,
The men who can be induced to work are.
employed in farming, in the vegetable gar.
den, and in tho cultivation of flowers. The
females, true, might say, to the instincts or
habits of their sex, take the most interest in
needle work, knitting, and similar employ
ments. There is a library. provided with
books and newspapers, to which all have
access who desire. 4 new piano has been
provided for those who have skill in music,
and often the ears of the visitor are greeted
by the sweet strains which issue from It.
The chaplain breaches every Sabbath, is. a,
member Of the household, and spends his
whole time in benevolent intercourse with
them. They are we'll fed, well clad, and
have all their real wants attended to. Tho
gas has been recently introduced into the
building, and this is made to burn all night
for better protection of the inmates. Theirs
is an additional guard of night watch. /
repeat that the institution is worthy Of con-.
fdence, and the attempts TO write or talk it
down will prove abortive, and fatter my.
self that have proved it in this hasty article.
And now, in conclusion, have to proceed
to the most painful task Of all. The physician
of the institution has thought fit 10 reply td'
Howard in spirit Of great bitterness and.
severity. | will not retort upon him, and in
the present state Of my feelings could not be
induced to do so. | respec! him for his
many virtues; and with deep sense Of oh.
legation for the many acts of kindness receiv.
ed at his hands, here distinctly disclaim any
design to arraign hin, before the public.
HOWARD.
GArEs.-Never put up pair of bars
where you can hang good gate. Theyare
perplexing, and do not answer the purpose
half as well as good gate. Where one
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