Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-06-19
INSANITY AND DIVORCE
An Interesting Episode at the Asy
Ixuss. for the Eusane

An Interesting EPISODE at The ASF'
! Ium for she Insane.
The following is an extract from the
report of DR. w. 2. Jones, late Superin.
tendent and Physician of the Tennessee
Asylum for the Insane, submitted to the
Legislature last fall:
CT had forgotten to mention to you,
gentlemen, an incident in which Iperhaps
coveted little distinction. In the early
part of the present year, one of the deputy
sheriffs of this county, called upon me at
the Hospital for the Insane, and after
presenting me o subpoena to answer, pO-
htely requested that should designate
the lady mentioned in the paper, that he
might serve the notice upon her-the YER
biage of the document do not remem-
Der; in substance however, it required
that my patient, maniacal as she was,
should appear before the court, in anoth-
er county, toshow cause why her hus-
band should not be divorced. TO the re-
quest l interposed q positive refusal, re-
marking to the officer, he should not see
her, that he should serve no such notice
upon an insane person over whom | had
control. Some weeks subsequent to the
period here mentioned, the sheriff him
self, came out to serve the same notice
upon the unfortunate woman. AT this
time | was sick and in bed, and sent 8
message to that officer that he could not
see her with my consent; that she
was pronounced insane by court
having jurisdiction in the same
county; that by virtue of in
sanity she was incompetent to attend to
business of this or any other kind, and
in consequence thereof, was deprived of
the liberty of obedience if she would;
that he could, If he desired, see the Su-
perintendent and serve any process what
ever upon him. But here, presume, the
matter ended; at any rate, have heard
no more of it. Though a aw-abiding
man, confess, l coveted in this instance,
the privilege of appearing before the
court in vindication of the rights
of the afflicted, in so far as rights
attach to the insane committed to my
care.
1t is melancholy, deplorable relec-
ton than any one can suppose there is
corruption and depravity enough, in the
courts of this or any other Christian
country TO grant divorce because one of
the parties to the marriage contract is I'M
fortunately sick.
If he who but swears falsely is regard
ed worthy of punishment here and here
after, of how much sorer punishment, if
possible, should he be deemed worthy,
who, for this cause undertakes to absolve
one from the most sacred obligations
known in civilized society.
take this occasion, gentlemen, to
suggest through you, TO the General AS
sembly, that serving legal process of
whatever kind upon insane persons re-
strained of liberty, is simply and emf
nently ridiculous, and totally unworthy
the respect of anybody. Notices Of this
kind effect more or less unpleasantly, all
who have a moiety of intelligence. They
say 81 am commanded to do so snd so,
and you will not permit me" "My
is to be sold and will be squan-
dered, and you keep me here" They are
often provoked beyond measure, or ex-
cited to the mos! violent exhibitions of
rage, and thereby improvement or recoy-
cry is retarded. 1t sometimes happens
that one clothed with official dignity, up
holding the majesty of the law, reads in
measured accents, an elaborate legal doc
ument to one 50 thoroughly demented as
not to be able to comprehend an idea. Is
such proceeding respectable nonsense?
Why may not the Tennessee Legislature
set good example and repeal these absurd, |
these irrational provisiOnsl and require |
legal documents to be served upon natu-
raj or legal guardians; and thus save in
sane persons, restrained of liberty, the |
or incomprehensible annoy
ance now so frequently visited upon
them, and always without reason and
regardless of insanity.