Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-02-22


the appropriation. The amendment was adopted
by vote Of three to one and the gentlemen had
seen tit to say that they could not accept the
appropriation. Therefore he felt absolyed from
any agreement to vote for the resolve. This was
all he had intended to say. But there were one
or two points that he would like to refer to. He
granted all that had been said in regard to the
AFFINITY and honorable intentions of the gentlemen
who have been instrumental n instituting the
hospital. lie granted all that had been said in
regard to its usefulness. He did not wish to be
considered in any sense as opposed to its progress
or success. He had Subscribed TO its fund and be
would cheeifully do again, should the resolve
not pass. His only point was that as the homGo-
pathcs, now numbering 100000 in the State, had
contributed largely TO its funds, they had petit
toned for one Of the wards of the hospital, which
by the way he did not care much about himself,
for he did not think the two schools could work
together in harmony, as he had said before. Bat
the managers of the hospital received the petition
and appointcl u committee TO consider it and had
never made any report on it. After having used
the money of the hompopathists and come to the
State for more, he did not think that a quest so
simple as the one contained in the amendment
should be rejected. And three quarters of the
members OF the House did see its RESPONSIVENESS
and voted for it. Two physicians came to him
from Portland and tried to get him (Wheclwright)
to withdraw his amendment. And why! Be
cause, as they acknowledged, it was so reasonable
(the very words they used) that they thought and
tHdt IA IL WAS pTcsscu upon HOUSE ludt II
would be adopted. The meaning of this was that
1t was reasonable request, which ought to be
granted. In the memorial annexed TO the resolve
it is said that aid from the State will be indispen
sable to the support and working of this admira
BILE charity" This they believe and have said
Yet they fear (perhaps it was the bare smell of
homeopathy; he did not know it was so powerful
betore) they fear this little thing strongly that
they are willing to refuse the grant Of $4,000.
Mr.. THOMAS. / would inquire Of the gentle
that the homeopathic had pettloned or request
ed ward certain privileges in the hospital, and
that no answer had been given to their requestl
Mr.. WHEELwRIGHT replied that after the sub
scrptlons by the friends of homeopathy through
out the State, homeopathic physician in this
city subscribing, there was committee appointed
from various parts of the State, Of which he
(Wheelwright) was member. Judge Kingsbury
was another. A petition was presented by Judge
kingsbury to the faculty of the institution max
ing request for one Of the wards OF the hospital.
so he had been informed, for he was not present
at the time. A committee was appointed to con
slider that petition, consisting of some of the
ablest m"n in the State, and he (WheelwrighD
had asked DR.. Gilman night before last if that
committee had ever reported-as he wheel
wright had previously been informed that 1t had
not-and the DR.. had said that he had no knowledge
that they had ever made any report lie (Wheel-
wright certainly, as one OF the committee, had
never been informed that they had considered the
subject.
Mr. THOMAS. The gentleman is mistaken.
hold in my hand the answer to their request given
to Mayor Kngsbury Oct. I, 1873, and here is the
report.
Mr.. WHEELwRIGHT. That which the gentle
man holds in his hand is report of the Trustees,
which heard DIR. Gilman read himself; but 1t Is
not in answer to the committee. think DR.. Gil
man will say that the committee to whom the
matter was assigned have never reported.
Mr. POWERS said that when the amendment
was introduced he had contented himself with
simply voting against it, for he did not believe
then nor did he now in the propriety of putting
the two schools into one hospital. In fact, he did
not believe that an inmate of hospital had the
right to dictate his mode Of treatment. Hospitals
are charitable Institutions they are institutions
which have board Of trustees and other mana
gers, who give much of their time and much Of
their money for the purpose of alternating the
suffering. Under these circumstances he felt
that the Maine General Hospital had a right to
come before the legislature and be heard upon the
merits of the case; that il was not fair for the leg
islature to attach as condition upon which they
should have the appropriation that they should
introduce the other school Of medicine TO the in
stitution. He believed the result would be bad ;
therefore he hoped the amendment would be re-
jected.
Mr.. BARNARD said that when he voted upon the
amendment last Thursday, he did il under mis-
apprehension. lie had the impression that 1t was
strictly State institution. This morning he
should vote for the appropriation and that the in
stitution manage its own affairs in its own way.
Mr.. CLEAvEs remarked that he voted for the
amendment and for the resolve on Thursday. If
the amendment had been rejected, still he should
have voted for the resolve. The question has gone
be fore the Senate, and they have rejected the
amendment. 1t had come back to the House, and
in his Judgment, if the House adhered TO its form
er vote, the appropriation which is SO much need
ed would be lost. The appropriation is in the in
terests of humanity, and hundreds of our citizens
will be benefited by it. He thought enough had
appeared in the discussion to satisfy the friends Of
homeopathy, land he was one of theml that when
they come before the people of the State and de-
sire to establish an institution of their own, that
they will receive the aid asked for. He hoped the
House would recede and concur.
Mr.. WHEELwRTGHT: My friend who has just
taken his seat is warm friend of homeopathy
and am glad to hear him say what he has. |
have accomplished the object which expected, in
having the people of the State understand this
matter; and as have before suggested, it was in
no spirit Of opposition to this hospital. shall
vote to concur with the Senate, and vote for the
passage of the resolve appropriatins the money.
Mr.. RANDALL said that with the light he had
last Thursday he felt inclined to favor the amend
ment, but he thought there had been enough said
TO convince every gentleman that the amendment
should be rejected in concurrence with the Senate
He should so vote, and hoped each and every
member would do the same.
Mr.. WILSON stated as one who voted for the
amendment the other day, that he voted for it
honestly and conscientiously. But the matter
comes before us now under somewhat different
circumstances. The Senate had rejected the
amendment of the House, and it now became a
question of practicability In order to recede and
concur with the Senate, of course the House
would have to take the views of that branch. This
sometimes is difficult thing to do. He regarded
it as the greatest call that can be made upon a
man or woman, to stand up and deliberately say,
81 was wrong" 1t requires moral courage to do
it, and these are the questions to be Iut here :
"Wcre you wrong before Are you convinced
that you were wrong. and if so, have you the NOR
al courage to say you were wrong :" He believed
after the explanations that had been made, and
from the situation of affairs they found
now, that any man would be justified in coming
to the conclusion that the time had arrived when
the House should recede and concur with he Sem
ate.
Mr.. WHEELwRIGHT-I do not wish the gentle
man to think | recede because | think | was
wrong.
Mr. WILSON, am willing for one to say was
wrong.
Mr.. TALBoT-I hope every gentleman who
wants to make a confession will have an op)or-
tunity to do it.
Mr. FUTILE said he voted the other day under
a misunderstanding To-day the matter had been
been shown to him in different light, and he was
convinced that the House should recede and con-