The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-12-16
The Hospital for the IAsune.

The Hospital for the Insane.
At the session of the Virginia Leg
islature Of 1878, that body passed IN
act for the construction Of third Lu.
matte Asylum, to bc located in WIN,
vas then called Trans.Allegheny Wiz.
ginia, aud as un earnest Of tho under.
taking, appropriated S25, 900 towards
that purpose, Three distinguished
Virginia gCntlCmcn-two from cast of
The Blue Ridge and one from the Val.
ley were appointed by the Governor
tolocate it. Owing to Centrality and
Ct',ei advantages, they chose Weston
a' the place for its erection. A Board
OF our best citizens were commissioned
SoOn thereafter as Directors, and two
Of them appointed to get up tho plan
Of building. In discharging that duty
they procured the services Of one Of
the most accomplished architects in
tho country, who, in company with
item, visited oil tho Lunatic Asylums
Of uote 10 the United States, 10 order
to acquuint themselves more fully with
the modern plans and architecture Of
such institutions; and the plan Of that
model building for the insane, on the
other side Of the river, is the product
Of their labors. The Virginia Legis.
laurJ appropriated prior to April,
1851, the sum of Sl65,OO0 towards
it, construction, aud the work went
on brayely until the war, when its
further prosecution was necessarily
suspended, But for this (civil war;
the greatest Ofall evils, tho "Trars.
Allegheny Lunatic Asylum" would, in
our opinion, have ere this, been com.
pleted. The war disnemo crcd the
ancicut Commonwealth Of Virginia,
aud made for US new State. The
new State brought on at once new
state Of ttiugs-new Offices and new
uon to gil them-new law-makers-
new laws and new public buildings
were then for the first tine to DO look.
cd after. These things very naturally
brought on not only struggle for the
honors and Cmoluments Of tho Offices.
but for the location Of the public
buildings, in the hope Of additional
gain BY the handling Of the public
monies expended in their erection.
The pcniteutiary, tue University, the
Institution for the Deaf, Dumb aud
Blind, and the Normal Schools, have
been located and erected, or otherwise
aided by til, Legislature. The Capi.
tOl Of the State has not, US yet, been
permanently located. 1t has. SO far as
we are informed, at the present session
Of the Legislature, become tho subject
Of much bitter. captiOus, aud threaten
ing discussion, Members Of that body
and outsiders in the interest Of Charles.
TIN. have, as We learn, attempted to
intimidute our Senator and Delegate 10
the propQr discharge Of their
public duties, by threatening them
With the defeat Of an appropriation to
the Hospital for the Iulane. To such
as make these threats, we must be
permitted to say, that the Hospital for
the Insane is the joint property Of the
whole people-erCcted for the exclu.
sive use aud benefit Of the insane Of
every county in the State aud it ap.
pears that every county in the State
las more or less insane 10 it, cared and
provided for at the States expense.
Every citizen Of tho State, and every
friend Of this unfortunate class every.
where, has in it common interest.
We feel proud Off because it is of it.
sOlfa monument Of the highest Chris.
tian civilization. 1t is truly our no.
blest charity-its inmates arc the
States wards, and the Legislature
their appropriate guardians. iona.
than NJ. Bennett and Albert A. Lewis
have no greater interest in it, or guar.
dianship over it, than any other mem.
beFs Of the West Virginia Legislature.
In all matters pertaining to the public
interests, the people Of this County
aud Senatorial District expect McssrS.
Bennett aud Lewis to do their duty,
and that, too, without fear or favor -