The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1867-04-13

The Commissioners of the Kentucky Institution
TOT the education and training Of fceblc-mindcd
children al Frankfort have Just mnde theis
annual report 10 the legislature. These COIN
missione'e are persons thoroughly competent 60
judge OF the matter which they consider. bcin,s
the Principals Of the Asyluna, for Deaf Mnics and
the Blind, and the Superintendent OF the Eastern
Hospital for the Insane, al Lexington. Araingt
the marriage Ofblood relations, which l. much
more frequent in kentucky than north Of The.
Ohio river, they protest 10 the following emphatic
terms
A subject Of very great social im,or,anee Ia
brought incidentally 10 notice ia the tepor,--,he
iniernarriage Of persons nearly related I'VE
deem II, says the report 'our duty TO the inicresi
of humanity, ~ well as ~ the pecuniary interest
OF the State, 10 bear our testimony, 10 addition
TO the abundant statistics heretofore collected
aud published by physicians aud phlanthropists,
and TO the observation Of every close observer
as well rs 10 general considerations Of propricty
that large per ccn,age Of deaf mutes and Of tl,
blind a limited per centage Of lunaliss. and. no
doubt, much larger one than either of feeiI..
minded or idiotc children, are the orspriug Of
the marriage OF first cousins. Our chariin hlc
institutions arc filed with children, all the time
whose parents are 80 rclatcd-sometlmes AZ man,
as four from one family and we have know
IN the case OF idiots, OF q still larger number IN
n family
''lt Is a fearful penalty to which per ons 81,
related render themselves liable by forming the
matrimonial relation, and which they 10 nrarl,
every instance incur, not indeed ia al. hut n,
one or more Of their offspring. Instances. ~,
do not deny, may be- shown where portion uf
the children-one Or more-may inherit from.
both parents, where possessed Of high mental aud
bodily endowments Of common origin, enhan,-
ed and remarkable qualities Of body aud mind
but y Is generally nj the expense Of unsortunnt.
and deeply afflicted brothers and sisters W.
believe lev instances can he given where such ,i-
hanced endowmenb are common 10 all the OIL
SPRING while instances are not unfrcqucnt whcr,
nearly all, aud, in few perhaps, every child i
afflicted, either in body or mind, and sometime.
10 both.
The State has, in a large majority Of cascs.
10 educate and often support for life, these
afflicted children. Has she not then clear and
ndispaiable right TO inierpose her authority 10
prevent matrimonial alliances so productive of
private calamity aud public Injury The STATE
ls thereby not only defrauded Of the labor. use
fulness, energy and intelligence Of considerable.
portion OF her citizens but she has 10 addition.
the burden OF their education aud support and
IN The case OF uneducaied idiots. their summon
TOT life, thus unreasOnahly superinduccd n,.r
her The unfortunate, by unavoidable casual.
she must aud ought cheerfuly provide fos So,
surely she Is not hound, ia reason and r.,a
policy, To lcgalize marriages so productive
private and public damage Indeed II l. pfcpot,,i
Gus not TO say wrong, that she should ,ia il
"A lay Of few lines would cut OIL. hencefof.
ward, the expenditure OF thousands Of dollar.
for the support OF the offspring of marriages of
NrS cousins, as well a. prevent the burden of q
Lifetime OF sorrow and regret in many .si!niabl,
families. We desire TO say, einpha,lcay. that
this opinion IS not theory, but j. hisrd ul,or
well-asceriained and inauhiiable facts