The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1859-01-13

attaches to one who has been the inmate ola State
Prison This institution needs your fostering care
md whatever appropriations are necessary, with a
view to its completion and to enable it to be suc
cessfuy conducted, / doubt not win meet with Ia
vor at your hands. Were it not for this institu-
ton, these ffty-eight young lads its inmates would
be confined in your State Prison, the companions
of the hardened criminal and subject to all the
COMMUNICATING influences of such associates No
man can visit this blouse of Correction" and
watch the workings Of the system there adopted.
to educate these boys and ireclaim them from the
paths ofivice, without a feeling of gratitude to
the authors and founders sof such an institution.
Inc nam building and north wing are now compile
ted beheye that the true policy of the State
requires its enlargement. ] therefore recomme nd
sach an appropriation as will be sufficient, within
wing ~ --.r- = p -
The Constitution of our State provides that
institutions for the benefit of those inhabitants
who are deaf, dumb, blind, or insane, shall always
be fostcred and supported.v This is wise and
charitable provision of the organic law The
trainers OF that instrument seemed unwilling to
leave the care and welfare of these unfortunate
inhabitants to voluntary legislation. They have
therefore required you, before you entered upon
your duties, to take solemn oath that you would
foster and support institutions for the benefit OF
those who are deaf, dumb, blind or insane. Actua-
ted by wise and humane spirit the Legislature at
its annual session for the year 1885, made an appro
priation in money of three thousand dollars to-
wards the building OF an asylum at the village (nOw
cty( of Flint for the deaf, dumb and blind and
like appropriation of twenty thousand dollars
towards the building of an Asylum at Kalamazoo
for the insane. Subsequent appropriations have
also been made by the Legislature for the same
purpose. s.=a -44-li
There Is connected with the Asylum
at Flint, and belonging to the State,
ninety-two acres and. eighty-seyen hun
dreths of land, and at the Asylum at
Kalamazoo, one hundred and sixty
seven acres. The entire expenditures
upon these Asymms, Exclusive of what
has been paid for the land,) together
with the different years in which the
expenditures were made, are follows
81 1850 for both Institutions, but used -
at Flint, Is DOC
1854, at kalamazoo, $4,000 but a'ir, -
-sse used at Flint, 5000
1866, at Kalamazoo, $4,000 but -
: 20 used at Flint, Il ss- 5000
- ss7-s at kalamazoo, 10000 $4,000
$4,000 81 $4,000
A portion of the Asylum at Flint
has been completed and has for some
time past been in use. The walls and
roof-o the main building have been
erected, but it will require further APP
preparation of one hundred and fifteen
thousand dollars to fully complete and
furnish the whole edifice, and carry on
the Institution for the next two years.
The south wing ofthe Asylum at Kala-
mazoo is nearly completed, and after
the same shall have been furnished,
will be ready for the reception of the
unfortunate insane of our State. This
wing is of sufficient capacity to accom-
modate about ninety patients. The
main building that was designed to
divide the two wings, was unfortunate
ly burned in the month of February
1858, and until the main part is rebuilt,
it is feared the prosperity of the institu-
ton will be, i'll great measure retar,
ded. 1t would require an appropria-
ton of thirty thousand dollars to re-
build that portion burned in February,
1858, and eight thousand five hundred
dollars to furnish the wing already COM
pleted, so as to enable the Institution
to go into successful operation.
These two great works of humanity
and charity, when fully completed, will
be the pride and the boast Of the State.
1t is estimated that there are within
the limits of Michigan, not less than
three hundred deaf, dumb. and blind
persons, between the ages of ten and
twenty years, qualified by mental ca
pacity to become pupils in the Asylum
at Flint. Over -one-half of these are
deaf mutes, and the balance are blind.
These unfortunate brothers and sisters
of ours are by the hand of God, for
some wise purpose, forever shut out
from the "sights and sounds of ma
ture. The experience of the past
teaches us that they are equally capa-
BILE with us of mental Improvement
and while our State is yearly lavishine
her thousands towards the education
and improvement of her more fortu.
nate children, it does not well become
her to withhold appropriations from
the only Institution that can educate
and improve these unfortunate beings.
The biennial report Of the Trustees
of the Asylums, made to the Legisla-
ture in December 1856, shows that
there were at that time within the State
of Michigan, not less than six hundred
insane persons, and that three hundred
and fifty of these were fairly subjects
for immediate medical treatment, with
aview of effecting cure. These mis-
cradle beings are scattered about the
State--some in jails, some in poor
houses, some wandering about our
streets, producing fear and consterna-
ton wherever they 90, while a still
greater portion are confined in their
once happy homes, making their friends
and relatives most miserable, without
in the least adding to their enjoyment.
There is no sight so melancholy as that
of 'the human form deprived of rea-
son." Humanity, Philanthropy, and
Christian charity, alike call upon you
for Legislative aid in behalf of these
most unfortunate of our citizens. 1t
subject that addresses itself to you
individually, with peculiar force, for
you know not how soon You, or your
wife, or your child, may be "dethroned
of reason" 1t is estimated by those
who have made insanity their study,
that at least three-fourths of the insane,
if taken in season, and properly trea-
ted, can be effectually cured.
1t is claimed by some that the Asy-
lum at Kalamazoo is being built upon
too extrayaoant plan. / do not think