The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1859-09-03
4 G. 4 II d.

} Attempts are made in certain quarters
! to injure the Republican party, on &C
count Of its alleged responsibility fo
building a Lunatie Asylum at Mt. Pleas
ant. No one could object to this if tn,
statements made and the Inference
: drawn from them had any foundation IL
truth. If there has been anything don,
that w; wrong in regard to this or an,
other ma.,er, andthc Republicans aid it
they should be held to answer for it -
Has a wrong been done, and BY WHOM?
; | propose to state, as briefly as posi-
bic, the true history Of the location ant
erection of the Asylum at Mt. Pleasant
aud shall state nothing that is not sus
ceptibc Of the clcarest demonstration.
ITS LOCATION.
The Insane Asylum was established "at
or pear Mt. Pleasant" in Henry County
by an act of tho General Assembly up.
proved January the 9th. 1855, the Sen
ate at that time being Democratic and
presided over by Maturin J.. Fisher, OF
Clayton county, and the House Of Rep,
rcsenta.ives having what was called an
Anti Nebraska majority. (lSee Session
A'ms ls54-5, page 1879 1t would
seem therefore, that neither party was
responsible for the location. No man, at
that time, though. Of politics in conncc.
tion with this subject, as is shown by the
unparalleled unaninty with which the
bill making the location ard raining the
| Commissioners TO superintend the cree
tion of The Asylum, was enacted into a
law. The bill was passed the House OF
Representatives by a vote of fifty 10 six
Sec House .'o"'ual 1855, page 35l, }
and passed the Senate by vote Of 26 To
4 See Sehate .o"raal 1855, page 265 }
THE BUILDING COMMISSIONERS
Were Judge Edw. Johnstonc of Ice
| county, Democrat, Dr. Chas S. Clarke.
now OF jefferson county, Republican,
aud the Governor of the State. They
were named in the law above referred TO-
and the responsibility for their appoint
ment was divided between the two poit-
ical parties in the same manner as was
the responsibility for the 10 alton ot the
Asylum. aver that no one Of the Com
missioners was ever Influenced in the
slightest degree, in bis conduc. as Com
missioner, by political considerations -
| am well satisfied that Judge Johnstone
was not, and as an evidence that the
other Commissioners were not, | will
state that the man who was selected to
Supervise the whole work. Henry Wins
low, Esq, ever was. and is nos an un-
compromising Democrat, who never voted
any other than the Democratic ticket,
and was discharged from a similar posi-
tion in the State OF Maine on account Of
his advocacy of Democratic princin!es
and his hostility to Observation-Disclosures.
He Was employed by tho Commissioners
on account OF what were believed to be
his merits as a Superintendent, and they
are happy to know that his conduct has
justified the selection. Mr.. Winslow
has employed, discharged aud paid, every
man employed about the work, purchased
all the uiaterialand superintendcd the coa-
construction the entire building Almost
all of the chiefs Of the carpertcr, brick
making, brick laying. stone cutting, stone
laying, CITE, etc. departments, learn
also, Lave been Democrats. | will say.
however, that | have only learned this
latter fact recently, for, really, no one Of
the Commissioners ever thought to in
qulre to what political party any employ
ce belonged.
PLAN or THE BUILDING.
The act Of the 2ith of January, 1855.
contemplated the construction OF a small
building at an expense of $50, 600,
which, it was thought, could be enlarged
as the ex igencies of the State might re-
quire. Tho Commissioners thought SO
too, But they consulted Architects, Su-
perintendents of Asylgms in other States,
and other persons interested in insttu-
tions of the kind, and satisfied themselves
that $50, 900 would not Greet aud COM
plete an Asylum that would accommo-
date one half of the insane people Men
in the State. nor, indeed, that il would
complete any kind of an Insane Asylum.
They became satisfied that the General
Assembly when they passed the law lin
iting the amount that the Asylum should
cost to 500, 900, knew as little Of the re-
quirencnts of well constructed institu-
ton Of the kind, as they themselves did
before they began to investigate tha. sub
jcct. and they therefore determined to
adopt such plan for the building u.
they believed the wants and interests Of
the State demanded Massachusetts, was,
at just about that time, commencing the
erection Of her third Asylum at North
amp,on, and had adopted plan which
was said to embrace all modern and de-
sirable improvements The Commission
ers procured transcripts Of that plan, with
view to lay it before tie General As
sombly, and secure its approval and adop-
tion, If possible, for the Iowa Institu-
tian La the mean timc, however, they
proceeded with the excavation for tie
foundation, made some brick, qnrricd
some rock, etc, etc, but did nothing BY
which the State would be injured thou
sand dollars, if the Legislature should
see ft to disapprovc their action and re-
ject the plan they proposed The General
Assembly of the State was convened in
extra session on the ID day Of July. 1856,
which was before the foundation of the
Asylum building were laid. The Com
missioners appeared before the Commit
tees of the Legislature with their plans
and specifications, the merits and proba-
bic cost Of the whole thing were thor
oagh!y canyasse!, and an additional ap-
propriation was asked, not because tie
money would be needed before the next
regular sessions of the Legislature, but
as an endorsement Ct the recommenda-
tons of the Commissioners. This Gu
dorsemcnt was made, and an additional
appropriation Of $50, 900 was voted by
tbs Democratic Senate, still presided
over by Maturin l.. Fisher, with only