The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1869-05-04


Feeling deep interest in this 90
ia Trustees, we beg learc Is s:ih1ait this
supplementary report, bringing to yoar
no;icesome facts which have not hitherto
been brought before you, showing, in
o'tr Judgment. why it sh9uIa not only e
co1anaed lat enlarged, and greater ca,
pacity provided, that 10 may subseive
the object for which it was established,
~ providing 'homea,' not only for the
destitute, disabled soldiers; bat also fer
the hundreds Of soldiers orphans, who
arc daily knocking at It's doors for ad-
mittance, care, and even the necessares
of life--iood and clothing. Although
the last General Assembly failed to pro
vide for its extension and proper sup
port, we are ledaeto believe it was
not for the want of proper sympathy
with the Institution, bat from the fact
that they did not understand the neces-
sites of it, and the demands upon is for
relief BY the disaslcd soldiers and or
phans Of the State. aE
While it is true that the national asy-
luaas' do provide comfortable homes
for a large nuraber OF soldiers, there is
large number Chat they DO not an-l can
provide for under the existing laws
which govern them, and they fail alto
cether to provide for tic orphans In any
way, but ere strictly designed far sci
.iiers of the late war who we're II the
volunteer seryice, an Wbo were dis
charged for wounds or disease contrac-
ted in the service, and which fact must
be stated upon their discharges Fox
instance, q soldier wlo enlisted il the
three years regular service from Indiana,
and who lost leg or al arm while on
GutT ailA his regiment, ani for yea
sal44 .e,i lis family, yet Was finally
stricken down with dis .ase and rendered
helpless. can not te cared fer rs any Of
these asylnms.
While we gouid say nothing dispar
aging Of these noble structures, which
the Government hiss reared for the dis
ahIed soldier Of the volunteer service,
bat bid them God speed in their good
work, we earnestly ask tbas our Home
le cont.nlad Stat il may provitie com
Portable homes for tie class Of rlen WHO
have not been proyijcd for by tic ma-
nifcencc OF the Government.
Another eee0n, why Indiana, as well
as ot1er;,;ates, should have. homes, Is
this Tic disable soldier does rotlii3e
to cave LIS owa State. isis is urged
nv many d the,n \. hen yea talk to them
about going 10 lAs National Asylums
Alcny OF them afe only temporarily
disabled, and wish 9 Few weeks or
months medical or surgical treatment,
can be rsst ored anl sent homo 70 their
families to 5e blessing to them, and
cycn ". i.e uader such treatment want
togo homo asa see their lamiIics- send
them out OF thair own State and this,
to . great extent, s rendered in,possi-
be.
Another class Of s2liicrs unproyided
for BY these asylums are the scanen--
men Who enlisted in the marine or gun
boat service. Indiana has large mum
Der Of men belonging to this branch OF
tbs service who were disabled. Many
of them have been and are now inmates
of our home. There is no Home or
place in the United States where this
class of disabled soldiers can be cared
for. and to close up cur Home. would be
to turn out these men TO the cold char
ity of the world, Or to make paupers OF
them, during tile rest Of their lives.
Our Home provides for all honorably
discharged soldiers OF our State, who
were disabled in any branch Of the Gov
crnment service, either regular, voiun-
teer or mcine, and also those who may
have been disabled after their discharge,
and who are necessitous at The time Of
application for admission.
These soldiers enlisted to service rs
Indiana soldiers-thcir attachment for
their own State. They were promised,
in hundreds Of speeches made to induce
them to enlist, that, should they become
disabled. they should be cared for. VIII
Indiana now turn her back upon these
noble veterans? We hope not.
But another ana greater rc7son why
this institution should be continued and
literally supported, is the hundreds OF
helpless, destitute orphans Of the hun
drcds Of our brave men who sacrificed
their lives upon tie altar Of their coun'
try that it might be saved from destruc-
ton, and whose last thoughts, while they
lay upon the battlefield, MORALLY woun-
ded, and their life blood slowly ebbing
out, or while they lay languishing IN
prison pens, with their lives starving
out, or in hospital, with disease and