New-York tribune., 1872-08-27
THE IUNAcy COMMISSION.

1t is questionable WneJner JDe CHARACTER VI
! the affidavits lately published in THE TRIBUNE,
alleging mismanagement at the Bloomingdale
Lunatic Asylum, fully warranted the action of
Gov. Hoffman in appointing Lunacy Com
mission to investigate the charges therein
made. If all that was told were true, it is
rather the inquiry of a Grand Jury into crime
which is demanded. But the public was not
satisfied to accept as fact all that was sworn
as true. No matter how positive in utterance or
however accompanied by strenuous assertions
of ability to confirm them, the statements
of released patients and discharged employees
of Lunatic Asylums are naturally received
with suspicion of the sanity of the one and
the honesty of the other class. Such serious
doubts of the good sense of Mr.. Van Week
and the good faith of the Irvings were felt on
the publication of their affdavits, that the
action of the Governor would have been re-
ceived with some surprise had not his state
ments of his own experiences and convictions
of the insuficiency of the lunacy laws justified
him in his appointments.
But the story which the Commission will
have to tell when its inquiry shall have been
concluded will not be as generally accepted as
the affdavits of the former employees. 1t is no
reflection on the character of the gentlemen
appointed to conduct this inquiry to say that
practical and rejecting men will repOse
more confidence in the sworn afIidavits of
the employees than in the official report
of the Commission. 1t is solely a ques-
ton of opportunity, not of veracity. The
Commission have the advantage of personal
credit, but the facility for observing is wholly
with the employees. 1t is impossible In the
very nature of things that a Commission of
this character should ever get as near the
truth as the nurses in the wards for, of course,
all that is wrong will be carefully con-
cealed from the investigating committee, while
all prudential considerations were forgotten
when only the servants were present. 1t can
no more be expected Of DR.. Brown that he
should acquaint his official inspectors with
every defect of his management than of
discreet housekeeper that she should show
her social visitors the untidiest apartments of
her house instead of her drawing-rOOms II is
the cook and chambermaid, not the visitor, who
detects the skeleton of the house In Short. the
Lunaey Commission will be carefully housed
in the parlor, hurried through the kitchen,
and, without an opportunity to develop the
tuition thoroughly whitewashed. If the mem
bers find out anything to the discredt of the
institution, DR.. Brown and the Governors will
be thought well nigh as fitted for straight
jackets as their patients are.
The fact is, that what is needed to restore
public confidence in the institutions where
abuses exist, or TO arouse public indignation
to the reformation of the badly managed, is
the practical test to be afforded only by the
commitment of sane man upon whose hon
esty and truth the fullest reliance can
be placed. lie must be not only
man of honor, but of observation, and
with the power of expressing, on coming
out that which he shall have seen. Such
proceeding would establish the absurdity OF
the lunacy laws, of which we are absolutely
convinced. and develop the truth about the
Encouragement of asylums, of which there Is
growing suspicion. We believe that such a
procedure in the case of Bloomingdale would
establish that the law of commitment is pain
fully lax, and that the management OF