New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-10-01
TMBECILE CHILDREN.


and Impartial bepsfcstce upon all Of her chi dron in
the Summer, tbs divine impulse Of charity Ovarc the
unfortunate is checked. The sunny smils upon her
face to mock st sorrow and want to iayite 20
abundance AID joy. Her voice SINCE eternal truce
with care and the streams flow with exutsnt free
dom, fnd TIE meadows are rich With content. Toe
outlines of humanity are softened for the spiritoal
vision The is fruiiful Of beaedictous tsst
we almost envy the lot of those whose home ia uodsr
the broad blue canopy Of heaven, and whose simple
wants are supple by the overf7wing kindness Of the
weysde. But The Of Nsture tue satis
flying picture. The first breath of Winter briggs
ctil Of regret to animate and nauimate Shadows Of
desolaijn pass the fair fields. The streams moan,
the biros fly after the south wind. Rough and barren
forms take the place of graces aud Beauties The sharp
distinctions OF climate are drawn with rapid aud clear
touches These also brig out into perfect relief the
distiL cioDs Of mortal csss aud condition The hgdres
that, baskirg in the Summer suu evoked Done but
pleasant sympathy, start up as the shadow ard the
cold tteal over them and show that they are nased
and poorly covered with rsgs new and earnest
emphats given to the hearts Lessons OF mercy and
beDevolence. Every real man sud feels al In
creased pressure of moral obligation to help the I'M
fortunate and none fail TO hear if not 10 heed the
bier di. cries for food and warmth,
There il one class whose most pitiful condition
s not effected by the course Of tbs seasons Tbs
darkness Of their STA Is relieved by bre CLEAN Of
heavenly suushioe. They brood 10 a perpetual and
dresry Winter For its salen rigorS there is nsta
raj compensation The poor look away from their ool1
hesr,h to SqriDgtmeswhoee genial glo wholly
faces from their no lion. If health and strength
etil theirs labor however hard and of however small
profit consoles the present. and seals all terror from
the future. The poor and sick shiger under tisir
scsnty coverings and the Ct. ok Of feel gradually di
nj, isheG by the urgent frost but the lhougt Of b4my
aud reviyius airs keeps their sPi. from srly falling
and ChIissn cha'iies susja'n them thrOU "a ,he dark
est aud coolest hours. All classes Of the earbs unfor
tuuate cen trace silver lining about their clopd
copt that cass from whom heaven So TO ave with
held lie smallest comfortable ftebl5-mindei. For
ttese lar less creatures Of mysterious ana mmeasua-
BE Providence the brightness Of the brightest day e
SUMMER IL a night Of deepest darkness la ibs mar
row scope Of tLer mental vision II pc sets no shining
snomars. Apparently c5st out Of the pale of divine
sympathy. unequal to toe feeblest struggle wi fate,
ib,y ere egarded with a distant ave rather than
nesr human Iiy.
The claims OF this slvay snumsrous cl4ss-the imbe-
ce-to the wisest sud tenderest charity, have only
been rec, gniz.d within a recent period Always
,eo of The utmost difficulty to dray tbs attention Of
the comfortable majority t. aDy special cisrensation Of
sorrow and resd theTe has been in their 5upsr
stlion of5prng of the grossest iggoTaoce, for tn,
IhaDthropis to combat. In this country, where go
cis causes too ADD complex for even mention
here operate toward frgLtu ratio OF mental disorder,
the days not yet forge ten when positive seor-
ton vas visited upon these bereft Of reason Nov
ssy umf for the insane are multiplied and the system
Of treatment 70; their extremity 10 improved By Gu
laged scientific knowledge jet there ia scarcely any
pelceptble advance in the mode OF treating the elm
me ring, not wholly extinguished intellect. The ratio
If imbeciity in the population Of Ne York City is
about one TO one thousand. There is not only no pnb-
lie provision for this dreadful misfortune in It's frequent
alliance with helpless poverty, but for its private
there is 40 far as we know but one asylum within the
municipal limits Tni has been established only few
monthe al although its foun6er s recognized
of the most thoroughly devoted Of modern phiian.
throIsts the LIST twelve years Of his life having been
wholly expended in u is special labor and although
bis efforts have been rewarded by measure Of suc-
cess which at,eets Il posvs merit of his ystem and
augu1s new ard blessed diTensaon for hunaui! 30
stricken the very name u his Institute hss not been
heard outside a very narrow circle 10 this metropolis ct
wealth and civilization. THE TRIBUNE, in editorial
article published early in August last called attention
to Mr. James g. Richards and bis Institute f)r Im5e-
Gle Childr. n connection with the general subject
ii - haze AGAIN introduced. Since that appeal
mode pecuar force has been gi'en to 1t, WIN
a more public direction. Before the reSdef Is hnN''
oa,e of this significance, some account nay os zen
s the Institlte Itself TO inspection oil wh' fe
Ees erd gentlemen were invited on Ss'ud4y after
nocA acknowledgements ,h,.boo3--N I97
P% -.eenth sreet-ncoses Mr.. Rcha ds's little com
r which he and his wife preside with a cou-
mun'!'S rly care. There are eight children under
."-'.. N. youngest, who If called the bsby Of
=, 80 :. e. --snd-ahaf years old the olde1t il
80. =, w. oye together in an atmosphere SC
"VOu' ,,. that flo. glance does not re-
rom the li'tle forms whose in
'. rd grsc. ,nd o are the chief charm Of do
Io''n'V s-u 60 n wins US from care
whose genuine good nature rebn&, a" =
IL not until ons hss grown 'ccus on. a, ~, hsar,
It inpresse ca s most p,irfl sipgulsnty
nurtry indeed it lie, but nUrsery Of a. Eno mo
that it needs every support TO 90 sspf from IA ,If
ruin, of Intellect trembling on tire Verge II 49,
where the hope Of years may be shattered q gro .
instincts ard affections.
Tie baby" is the most soTowful object 81 all.
His Imbs are crossed his mouth whitens with vain
respiration and his fscs all the Expressions Of
mumbing idiot. His fayori.e attitude lie sest 10
low has-lhar with bis head haI gng over one OF is
arnr His vague emotion Of anger or delight vented
il petulsnt wbines and mcsns, or in wild chackles
HE physical armiy is 80 great that he can only be
held upon his feet ard the utmost care must be exer
ceed in his Diet This is the case that Mr. Richards