The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-05-16
THEsrAFE L uNA4Ic AsTL UNI.
The Other Side of theSau ostion.
TO TIE EDITOR OF THE NEWS.

TO TIE EDITOR OF THE NEWS.
Shiny attention has just been called to q
letter which was published in your issue OF
Monday last, and whilst it is my inVariable
rule 10 ignore all anonymous communications
having reference TO matters purely personal to
myself, feel constrained, as one Of the re-
gents of The State Lnnailc Asylum charged in
part with the responsibility ot q proper admin-
islration Of It's affairs 10 contradict the state
ment oil ..B. P. ST." and 10 stamp 1t officially as
q tissue Of Misrepresentation.
The salary OF tie superintendent is fixed by
law ut twenty five hundred dollars per annum,
if quarters are furnished him on the premises,
as is now The case but his servants are not
paid by the State. nor Is it the practice for him
10 provision his family in full from the supplies
OF the asylum.
II is true that upon the abolition Of the office
OF secretary and treasurer IA measure adopted
for economical reasons) the superintendent
was charged with the duties Of that position,
but he receives no additional compensation
therefor. although he was required 10 file
bond bon for lhelr faithful performance. This con-
soli,iuton OF offices, however, lefVes no room
for The perpetration Of fraud, as the superin-
tendent is absolutely subject % the supervision
of tile regents, and, Whenever patient enters
the asylum he records his name, history and
o diagnosis OF the case In book which is eX-
hbted to the board at its next meeting, and
lhey determine, by personal examination,
whether the patient is q Ill subjec; lor admis-
sion to the Institution. the practice being pre-
cisely the same as that which obtained during
the administration OF Dr.. Parker, who. by his
own admissions, was virtually secretary anu
treasurer for long period ol years. IN inns
way lhe regents are constantly apprlsed OF
the num6e: OF cases under treatment, anu
the expense which their maintenance occa-
sions.
Now for the "big thing 10 which the inele-
gant "B P. S." alIudes. Until the astsession
OF The General Assembly the support OF The
pa,lper patients OF the asylum was charged TO
the several counties from which they came,
but experience demonstrated that IN q MAORI
ty ui Instances the counties were dehc!ent III
lne payment Of these sums, and the State was
Obliged 10 assume it from year 10 year. Ihe
Legislature, at It's last session, therefore. wise.
lv determined to relieve the counties Oh all
responsibility in the matter rather tnan
ieopardize the existence or success Of the In
slirltion, and hence an act was passed assum-
inr the debts oil The counties, TO the dale OF lis
approval, and making an approprlauon oa Sl
$50. 900, which was the sum thought 10 be
necessary, for the support OF the pauper lu-
mates of the Institution for the current fiscal
wear This action precludes the necessity lor
auy further tax being levied on The counties,
and think the explanation l have given WILL
ef.ctually dispose OF B. z. SIS "biS thing"
One word Us to the. disbursement oil lunds.
The superintendent makes no accounts, as
stated by your correspondent. This is done
only by the steward, who makes oil Lhe pur-
chases Of the institution, and who, Ike the
superintendent, Is u bonded officer, subject 10
the supervision of the regents. Nor does tne
SUPERINTENDENT draw single dollar from the
State treasury OF the iund created oy fcceipts
from The pay patients except upon the oruer
OF the president OF the board OF regents, 10
whose credit all moneys, whether derived
from public or private sources, are lnVariaoiy
deposited in bank. and these orders are only
given in payment OF accounts properly exam
ined and vouched by the superlntenueat anu
approved by q vote OF the board. In brief, the
system is Identical With That pursued during
tGp sNperintendency OF DR.. Parker, with the
addition of such checks upon all the officials OF
The asylum as are calculated to conduce 10 the
permanent welfare Of the institution.
have only TO add that The vulgar insinua.
liOns "B. P. s. against the competency ana
honor OF Dr.. Ensor are best answered by the
ununaliiirl endorsement Of his ability anu IN
legrily made by DR.. Robert Lebbv, ST., In lne
public prints some months ago, and by lhe uni
Versal esteem in Which DR.. Ensor Is n0tori-
onsly held BY The medical profession oi Tie city
OF Columbia.
trust that the above statement. Mr.. Editor,
made without consultation with Dr.. Ensor oy
one VINO persisteDtly opposed the removal OF
his predecessor Or. Parker, will lisabuse the
public mind of the erroneous impressions
which '.B. P. So has sought TO produce tor
reasons which. to my mind. smack strongly OF
blind partisanship. HENRY SPikNlck.
Columbia, May IA, 1871.