Wilmington journal., 1872-01-19

sable provision lOf these unfOrtunates.
In no view Of the case can VIC afford t.
fail or to falter; patriotism, economy and
alike demand il. We must az
and act now. The numbers arc daily H.
creasing; delay is not only dangerous Lm
feafuily hazardous. We must fly 10 tl,.
rescue Of this brain on fire, few week.
or at best, few short months; and all j.
hopeless, all lost. Instead of supportiro
the patient at the expense Of the State for
one year, or perhaps for two, we will hav~
to keep him for better or for worse; it lna>
be for forty years or more, and il may b..
that we cannot fully realize the extent oi
our mistake until we have passed l"y0rG
the confines OF time.
Twelve months ago. Ills Leci.latttf..
deemed it necessary (pOOr as were our ptu-
ple) to spend the treasure Of the State fol
the purpose Of vindicating tie majesty ,r
the law and CT protecting the libertie. e
the citizens against tyranny and usurpatin,I
Now we find in these 1.-TWO hundred all
fifty applications for admission on file tn
throne and government OF reason. invade
by an insidiouS and dangerous foe, no,c
destructive and fatal 10 lis peace and ha-
piness than any enemy or usurp.r. wheth,r
foreign or domestic, that has ever wage
war against the rights and liberties Of OR
people. And now il again becomes necr>-
treasure for the purpose Of building a hon.
and a resting place for these nnd-lcst wal
derers-tO free the captive brain, take ntI
their fetters. loose their chains. lead tlel.l
olt of the prison doors and poor-houses am
place them in their only humane home
"a we'll appointed hospital for the INSANE
1--WE know not what "A day or an hOur Will
bring forth" Our fathers or mothers. uur
brothers or sisters, our wives or children
or ourselves, may in 4 few brief hours -,
days be added to that long and luckess lis
of "applicatiOns on file. May the God =.
reason. as well as Of infinite love and mcr.,
will it otherwise with us.
NJ. President l now propose, 10 look for
a moment at this question ofcarlv provision
in an economical point OF view. As havc
told you, ii we can build hospital and
have il properly arranged. for the treatment
of these poor creatures. admit them e1rll.
while acute and durable, according to stat
istics compiled by the most eminent slpe.-
intendents, very large per cent. can D..
. cured and restored 10 their homes and fam
lilies. Do not provide an asylum tor tlri'
treatment and allow them to pass into IT,.
chronic stage and they will have 10 be caitG
! for at the expense &c the State. during lie
We can readily see that on III. basis TIN,
tax for this object will he increased an lji'-
dred fold.
But To analyze this question IA little lr.-
ther, let lis suppose We had four cas-, t.,
the class termed acute or curanIr admitted
into the Sylum, and at the end Of one. tWr.
three and four years respectively. they wotll
be discharged. cured. at cost to the Stat.
say of $500 per aDnum each, amounting L."
three, six. nine. and twelve hundred d,l
lars making in the aggregate, $1,000. rtt
suppose we fail Ia accord aceumnOlai o,,
for them until they would pass into tic
chronic or incurablc stage. We might .liri
reasonably expect them To remain in tie
asylum for ten, twenty, thirty and fplt>
: years, which at the same rates for -acl.
: would cost three, six. nine and twelve thU =
sand dollars, making in all thirty thousand
= dollars but say that the State viii not III, p
: vide room for them and would pay o.!ls
the one hundred dollars now allowed thci,
: We find it would amount 10 one. t~u.
/ three and four thousand dollars III all
ten tho Isaud dollars. against three thouS4ud
= necessary for their maintenance. AMI
/ in all probability bc cured. if timely a.,t
= properly treated. II is unnecessary to PSI.
e sue this analysis further. it must -
: patent to every unprecedented tni"G.
T upon which side the economy rest.
Do YOU say Tie people are too poor fo
Il bear the tax now Under this sl Stem they
will grow poorer, year Ly year. and il H..
: taxpayers will hereafter take the troui,l.
5 TO enquire into al least one cause If thri:
Il increasing poverty, they vii ascertain. tia
= il was the fault OF their legislators. IL n;
[: providing for these unfortunates. the pronla
Il and early treatment, already described. Il
s we cannot levy the tax. or will not. uu,
: su ccessOrs will take shelter behind uGI
L action, and they will not feel bound to &,
: So. This course continued. would lnll.
u them uprovided for by the State. a.,
, would necessarily leave their care -
L keeping to each county. Then what ma.
II we expect 10 see in the way Of couIu'
asylums for the insane? Where is ~.
$ county at the present time possessed
: means sufficient to furnish even a resIrc
able pOoI-hOuse for her own indi,g.n
n poor?
t Where then can tie county authori,i,-
o place them? Why. tie very best IT,
4 can do. will be TO distribute them into TIM,
10 classes. One class Uhe worsD will have f.
4 90 to jail: the second or medium class v F,
;e I've fortunate in securing quarters at tlr
Is poor house and the third. <oInciinc
q called harmless and innocent, viii bc rolf.
d aboIlt as football between poverty. por
10 houses and death. Where then would l
IF our boastcd philanthropy Where cNc.
q oIlr humanity" But several have alreaj
a said 10 me, I'VE cannot afford 80 levy tn
q tax now. / have asked ..wlv not nnm ."
e They say the people viii complain. "
= President, il this matter j properly e.
planned TO the people do not btlfle Ii,
-, will complain. but il they do l,:t rs pciioI
- our duty; "lct us acguif ourselves Ike IN,
:, be strong, and leave the consequence,
! Him that commanded the sunlight of rra>
:! to shine into the darkcned brain oi !
"a '.Gadar"ne, ''"ho had his dwelling amIo
u the tomb-." Othas PERSONS ltav" =.
= viscd to turn ont he oi,l ;ialmlrs
- cases, as they are pleased {" term the
- from the present institution and rcIa
- them by the admission OF those cases
=, mania now mostly confined in the couu
prisons, If this plan was practicable
proper and would be pressed 10 it's ItIn,
II limits, 1t would not afford room fer mo
= tnan one in ten cases requiring carly l.t.
~ ment, and 1t appealS TO me To le abolt
y reasonable rs the father finding his hou
Il wrapped In flames about tho hour Of IN
C night, and ten lovely children >l-.,i
0 swcetly end uncOnsciouslv wtlin-all bci
r suddenly arOused-iramic with friglu
Is each ono struggling 10 climb and cling
IS that fathers ncck-he would attcmut
3 save only one,
- In my schOol-bOy DAYS / read Il story
- one Of the early settlers, Capt. Dunst
= with a family Of perhaps seven childl,
the hero OF tale related as one of
n many thrilling incidents which occru
IL during long period of savage warfare.
g. was ploughine i'm his field, and SEEING
y Dlood-thirsty warriors approaching steal
81 lily towards his Dwelling, lie mounted
5 horse and dashed oil rapidly, thinking
. could perhaps save one child. in the t
q moments il required To r. ccl his house
l. thought occIne Ell To hin. which child .ha