The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-06-09
Quarantine.

The authorities Of New York have n
last determined to DO humane and prac
tical thing, by removing from ships quar-
autlncd on account OF cholera, at lea>,
those persons who are In health. Prcpa-
rstions arc made for this purpose, although
serious apprehensions are INDUCED that
the people Of Staten Island will interfere
10 endcavor TO prevent the locai'tH
selected from being used in this manner.
The same population few years SINCE
burned the hospitals located there, turning
ont of doors the poor patients, some q
whom were SO feeble that they came he".
pcrishing amidst the ruins Of the h",l"''S>.
Proving that man, though he ma! ~ '">
hest j. often the cruelcS; az anif'laN'
I, has alwsvs appeared IL ns to "e one
Of The most hard-hcsrtcd, rs wen ~ one o
~, mos, unwisc u>agcs Of nations, to qua
rspriue vessels on account OF sickness on
hoard, II ia great crime to continc well
versions for weeks or months in The dis
sascd ships. where they are daily in dan
ger Of taking the epidemic, under every
circumstance that could aggravatc the
severity OF an attack and increase the peril
10 life. Detained from homc-from family
and iricnds-from business: possibly ruincC
hv the detention-with no sight or Souuc
10 cheer-but dispiritcd and melancholy
with disease aud death for their compan-
ions, and breathing the hot air, which
parches aud eXhausts, when the gentle
hreczcs Of the hills would rcircshcn and
cherr-can a more miserable existence
we'll hc imagined Yet there they must
stay--and for whati Is il necessary that
they must all die, or by the test prove IN,
survivors 10 bc iuvulncrable, before the
community can be- satisfied with the termi-
nation OF the Quarantinc' There would
seem 10 be a. much Of cowardice a. 81
,ahumanitv in the regulation.
The mere rational and physical questions
relating TO this systcm-as 10 whether II J.
necessary or not, and as id'the advantages
and disadvantages Of it-have been much
debated; and even with reference 10 these
We have been Of opinion that the weight OF
argument was against the system, which
i but one of the barbarisms Of the past.
But there is a mystery abont the whole
matter Of plaques that dctics even the
searching Investigations Of tho doctors.
Religion teaches that they mean something
more than may be ascribcd 10 natural
causes alone-that the offences aud crimes
Of nations meet their punishment IN TINS
manner. And in the effort 10 escape,
should 4 community violate those ohllga-
tiore Of clarity and humanity from which
not even tie fear Of death can absoiYc
them? Among national crimes tie ne
elect Of these duties is the most grave ;
and no other has ofteneI invoked the
wrath Of Heaven. This view OF the sub
iect may possibly command not great
deal Of consideration from community
not afflicted with the "mystcrIouS cpl
Gcmic be 1t cholera or anything else.
But change comes over the public mind
when the pcstilence strikes down rs VIC
tins IN every street, and the eases are
reported by hundreds. Then the idea Of
special interpolation of Divine power
Is crcditahIe theory, which man may
espousc without being ashamed; the obli-
cations ofgood neighhorhood, the duties Of
charity and humanity are confessed, and
the man who displays them in the highest
degree is regarded as II hero. Why Is Ii
tha, when aitliction is far away, and health
~aud prosperity abound, these virtues are
not so impressed upon us, and men desire to
build walls between tlcm>clye, and sorrow
and pain
Tho devil 60. -.ck-thc dew. : satu! would ~ :.
The dew .Ji w-Ii-the dew. % saint 49, he.