The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1860-03-08
The State Insane Asylum.

&F Last week we informed our read
ers that joint committee OF both houses
Of the Legislature had been appointed to
yisi, Mt. Pleasant, and TO examine into
the condition ofthe new Insane Asylum
10 the course Of erection at that place,
and to report the facts relative to lis erec-
ton and its present condition. The man
agement of this institution has been the
basis of great deal Of Democratic dec
lamaiion during the past two political
canvasses, the orators Of that party de.
claring, or more generally insinuating,
that there has been reckless waste of
the public funds upon it. In the last
campaign. especially, this institution was
the great item in the political stock OF
the Democracy, and it was constantly
brought forth by them. ard held up III
every possible position, and shown in
every lo;siole light, to attract the gaze
OF the people. But the people felt that
such a monument Of their charity must
eventually prove source of great pride
70 the State, and were indisposed TO con-
tract, unreasonably. its proportions.-
And when they learned through the SUI
perintendent of the structure, that it was
not only the largest and the bes, appoint
ed, but the cheapest institution, compar-
atively, that has been erected in the
Union, and that but twenty-five or thir-
~ thousand dollars more were required to
complete it, and that there had been no
political favoritism exhibited in the ex,
pendi,ures for its construction, they were
satisfied and had the result proven the
statement Of the Superintendent correct
there would have been no further diff
Guilty in the premises. On the basis OF
that statement, Republicans had every
where argued that further approprla'
ton of few thousand dollars would
give our State the noblest charitable in
s,itu;inn in the country, and it was there
fore with feelings of surprise and indig
nation that they read Mr.. WINsLow' re
port TO the present legislature. stating
tina, further appropriation Of 100000
will be required before the building cal
be completed. With this evidence o
the unreliabili,y Of The Superintendent
statement before them, they could no
further trust his reports, and determined
70 learn the facts for themselves. Henc
The Investigating Committee.
Tie history of the asylum and its ap
preparations is briefly as follows: B.
an act of the General Assembly, approx
ed Jan. Ell, 1855, EDWARD JOHNSTON
Dem, of Lee County. CuAs. S. CLARK
R.p. Of Henry County, and the Gov
ernor, JAMES w. GRIMES, were appoint
ed commissioners 10 locate and superin
tend the erection of an asylum for the In
sane a, Mt. Pleasant, Henry County
which should not, when completed, es
eeed in cost $4,000. The act also au
thorized them to visit similar institution
in other States for the purpose ofProcu
ring information as 10 the best and mos
approved plan Tor constructing build
ing for that purpose. After visiting tn
asylums of several States, and gettn.
the best advice they could obtain. the
concluded that it would be infinitely bet
ter to erect building large enough 70
the wants Of the State for several years
as Il whole. than TO erect in delache'
parts, a, different times. They therefor
adopted the plan Of the present huildn;
il disregard Of the law. Bat before com
inencing to build on that plan they sub
miued IL TO the General Assembly at IL
extra session in 1856 The Legislature
adopted and approved of the plan by vo
ting an additional $4,000, but it wa:
with the understanding that the building