The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-05-01

THE CHARITABLE ISsrrrUrIONs OF Now YORK
The late. Legislature Of the State has csmpre-
heAded the necessity Of making thorough
mailing Of our public charitable irstitutioss. A
committee will visit these places this GUNNER,
of course with view.te the redressiug. Of those
abuses which have crePt into their management
Because,shs inmates Of these institutions are the
recipients Of publior charity they .should' not
be denied the common rights which, h's-
u isnarys y1oios $40 poorest, sna1Do woated
moro lnfe dogs than human beings Especially
Is this true in cases. where. BY visitation Of
Providence, or from any other caGse, the poor
inmaseis deprived Of "a inestimable organ.like
that Of. vision. According to s.pestion, In
Giro siatiea last winter, the papils, i'm the
Institution for the Blind in the city Of New
York have been made the particular subjects
OF these instances Of improper treatment II
is asserted that fos four yeara4past the fosd
usually given to the pupils has been unfit 10
bseatea; that punishment has bsen Indicted On
papilsfo for complaining Of food; that no atsen-
ton bas been paidsto tho health OF comfort Of
che pupils; that, the rooms have been kept
upcleanly; that pupils have been psnished Tor
trivial causes; that the general treatment of
the State pupils. is harsh anityrannicL; that
the teachers ara unqualified, and that when
pupils have been discharged, their education
has boon so imperfect that they were unable to
earn livelihood, and were obliged 10 find
refuge in tbs poorhouse, This b tho state Of
tLs case IS presented to he Legislature, and
Aat body, having proceeded TO apply .
remedy for She crying evils complained Of by
saspendng the payment Of appropriations for
the support Of the institution for The present.,
have finally concluded to take tho mater
seriously in hand, aud judge for themselves
what Is to be done.
There. exists no dosbt thai the public in&i.a-
lions Of New York require complete overhaul
ing Particularly IL this demanded in establish
ments devoted TO the temporary confinement Of
children. aud known As houses Of reformatin for
Juvenile offenders, reform schools for the ya,ng,
truents' houses, farm schools, 10. Ia nany
casss children Of respectable parentags are
confined In these places for the purpose d un-
dergoing some temporary discipline and
restraint, and never with the expectation that
they will graduate as confirmed villains. Vhsn
released, as We learn from competent authority,
whatever complaints they have TO mals Of
their treatment while In conference.-the the
cruel suferIngs 70 which they have been ex-
posed, the miserable food, the cold and DESC
late lodging places, the inhumsn punshnsnts,
including the placing Of ball and chain ipsn the
leg Of child scarcely ten years old, and keep
ing them on 40 long that the iron has worked
deep into the little fellows fesh--ire sup.
pressed. Public exposure OF these ,rueltiea
, withheld because the parents Of he chill.
dren wish 70 screen a. much a. possible the
, delinquency or the refractory conduct Of their
!. offspring. But let the legislative committee 60
TO work 10 the business as 1t should, and we have
! no doubt the moral sense Of the community will
be shocked at the developments which will
follow, and we may then reasonably expec,
: the needed reforms. The COMMITTEES must care
fully aud conssientiously examine into the
grave disorders charged upon the management
Of the charitable institutions abjure oil grand
dinners and other whitewashing expedisnts
and reform ADVISES wherever they may DO found
with unsparns vigor. Tho public srpsct I
full discharge Of the duties Of The Investigating
] oaumitteA. .~.~