Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-12-13
three letters written to kim, I have just
received one from our SENATOR Ooionei
DuBose, In which he says:

received one from our SENATOR Ooionei
DuBose, In which he says;
NASHVILLE, TENN., December IL, lS7l-
RKv. A. II. KERR-DedT Sr-4our letters,
wTfttau IN regard 70 the unfortunate insane
persons In our county al, nave Deen recelVeo.
| I brought the subject Immediately before the
| legislature Yesterday, with the hope OF afford-
| ing the relief wanted. The difficulty arises in
| me want OF capacity OF the insane ASYLUM TO
receive and provide for the great number OF
this class Of patients who apply for admission
through their friends What IS required is q
hospital Of this character in each grand divis-
ion Of the State, or one large enough TO ac-
now being made to the one in Nashville.
regret as much as You the miserable condition
incarcerated in the shelby county jail. With
kindest regards for yourself and family, am
very truly yours. ]. ]. DUBOSE-
In q late paper see 1t stated that GEN
ersi Wright's articles In the APPEAL, ex-
planning why there are any insane in the
dungeons of our county jail, was referred
by the senate to the committee on chsrita-
BILE institutions. see it also sisted that
there are not less than ts0essfy-three hun
dred OF this unhappy class of persons In
the State of Tennessee. Some OF these 1
know are confined In iron cages, attached
TO some Of our county poorhouses; some
sre In the dungeons OF the county jail OF
Davidson county, at the capital Of the
State, under the very eyes Of the legiala-
ture. Esquire Campbell, Of Shelby eoun-
ty, lies there to.dsy, denied the tender
care srd sktllful treatment required by
such unfortunstes. Some are In our own
jail, some in others, while q larger class,
perhaps, are being watched and cared for
As best they can, by their friends at home
rather thsn have them thrust into COM
mon jails with burglars and murderers.
And the apology, the only apology for all
this (can il be accepted as an apology7) is,
that there Is not room in the present
asylum of the State for the accommo-
dstion Of this most unhappy and depen-
dent portion of cur people.
Now, let me express the hope that our
Representatives in the legislature, that
Governor Brown, thst the Legislature
itself, will not permit the wants OF our
poor insane to sleep in the hands Of tie
committee on chaTi sble institutions.
Gentlemen Of the committee, of the leg
islsture, every night you sleep in your
beds Of ease these unfortunate people are
groaning, dying, for want Of proper treat
ment and care.
In the State of Kentucky it has been
found that g single asylum did not meet
the wants Of this unfortunate people, and
hence another was ordered by her wise
and humane legislature; SO she now has
two, one al Lexington the other at Hop
klusville, in the southern part of the
State. Ought not Tennessee to have
three, one for each division of the Stste7
In the meantime, let US have q law
making IL imperative upon some one, the
comfy courts, their chairmen, the mayors
of our cities and towns, or some power
with the ways and means provided, to SO
cure to these unfortunAtes EHrSes clothing,
ssSitdbie food, medical attention, and what
ever may be necessary to contribute to
their comfort, health and recovery. K.