New-York daily tribune., 1859-02-09

1,.. nt q time; and as they would die, che got
otb.rs TO f their places that 6se OF them bad died
rnee May; thst DIR. Blbbins, whom We suppose to
be the DR.. BeviDs mentioned in the Governors
.dayits, gave certificates for the burial of four of
them. In regard TO the mix obtsined for these
children nearly all the witnesses very much disa.
gree, and nothing certain can be made GU; of it,
But in addition to all this, we present report
made to the Governors nearly two years ago, upon
examination and authority which none Of them will
have the hardihood to deny, presenting facts not
only similar, but even worse than these in regard
to the treatment Of Aims House chidren-facts
which were alike di,gracefu to humsnty and crim-
inal on the part of these ho suffered then to exist.
The parties Offering them time and again urged the
adoption Of remedies, but were put OIL oy one ex-
cuse and another, and the whole subject was prac-
ticslly ignored At the time the report which we
refer TO was made, Mr.. Lease Townsend was Chair
man of the Committee on Out Door Poor. Whether
he informed his associates Of these facts or not,
we do not know; but he himself certainly knew
them, and certainly knew that dozens Of children
were subjected to slow torture, amounting ia some
cases to actual starvation; we're brought up in
places not fit for hogs; were kept in filthy wretch
edness be ond the power of words to express; were
druggsd or otherwise stupefed to prevent their
complaints from being beard, and treated 10 all rs-
spects with as little care and conjunction as the
yest of wild beasts. All these facts were known
to him, and we presume were known to the entire
Board, but yet no practical improvement was made.
At the time spoken Of one benevolent institution
in the city, whose friends we're particularly active
in the matter, succeeded in getting about thirty
FIVE Of these unfortunate infants into their care,
but their further applications were denied, and
thenceforward they have had none Of them.
New, the truth il, according to the testimony
here adduced and by the facts well known to the
parties who have investigated the subject, the un-
fortunate infants who fall TO the care OF the Gov
errors are in many cases, given out to nurse IN
stead of money donations to poor, ignorant and
dirty ysgabond,, whose only design is to get the
dollar week for their care, and the customary
allotment of clothing; that in some instances they
are literally starved, and that even Dspensary en-
pIoyees deem it matter Of charity TO let them die
rather than try to cure them. 1t is demonstrated
beyond cavil Ii at these children are kept IN places
not fit for the abode of respectable hogs; that they
are drugged to prevent their cries from being
heard; and that as soon as one poor wretch had
given up the ghost, the fvorite nurse was accom-
modated with another. 1t is true that two years
spo certain most truthful and worthy men under
took TO work reform in this shameful abuse, but
that they were discouraged and defeated By the
Governors, their statements disregarded, and their
interference discouraged. That when Isaac Towns
end was Chairman Of the Co onmittec on Out do)r
Poor and had charge Of these Children these facts
were shown to him, and that he did nothing to-
ward reform; or to be more particular, that he
was credibly informed that these infants were con-
stsntly maltrested in the most shameful manner,
yet refused or neglected to produce the necessary
reforms.
IT is all well enough for the Governors to briog
forward their doctors, their visitors, and young
children TO smooth over what they call misrepre
septston but will they undertake to deny tho
statements made in our columns today II they
can do So we shall cheerfuy give them the largest
opportunity, rot only for their own sakes but Tor
humanity aud civilization. We challenge them 70
the task Let them DO so, or rest under the biaSt
ing charge of numbering the innocents."
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