, 1875-11-04

attack on the contractor. his Excels
lency said that " Hemenwsy made an
ass of himself by attacking Harmon
| personally in his report" Behold what
a change has come over the spirit Of
their dreams since then! The same in
dividuals now as wrongfully attempt to
misconstrae the tenor Of that report as
/, far on the other side in favor of Mr..
| Harmon, and with the same assurance
try to prove by it that everything was
particularly lovely between DR.. Hemen'
way and Contractor Harmon at the Asy-
lum. And now the cry Is that the Med
ical Association has made q personal
attack on the contractor. Verify. the
trials and tribulations of this gentleman
smacks of the uncomfortable experience
of the early Christians-persecated for
righteousness sake-they would have
US believe.
For myself, am happy to say that /
have never had any personal difficulty
with the contractor or any other ind-
vidual connected with the management
of the Asylum, our social relations have
always been friendly. SO far as I could
observe. My feelings are never marked
by that obsequeous polteness or gush-
ing adulatlon which is so acceptable to
some great men; still I believe am
always ready to accord praise where
true n crit belongs or to overlook fault
repented. as are those who make capi-
tai of aattery. and parade. ostentatious-
ly before the public, the exuberance Of
their magnaninity.
So far as the Medical Association. or
anybody else waging war against the
present antiquated system Of caring for
our insane. merely to injure Mr.. Har-
mons pecuniary prospects, or zeputa-
ton as a citizen, the idea is absurd.
Els individual reputation has been es-
tablished here o score of years before
many of us knew him.. It would be
useless for US to attack the personal
character of a gentleman SO long. and
so well known to the public, for the
purpose of proving that the system il
wrong, or even to assert that he is not a
man eminently fitted by education, ex-
perience, moral habits, etc., to fill with
credit the sacred and responsible posi-
ton Of Superintendent of the greatest
charitable institution in our Territory.
There has not been shadow of COM
plant breathed against his manage
ment of the institution by those who
had thelegal authority to make or break
his contract, hence it would seem that
he has conducted the Hospital fully in
accordance with their wishes, at least.
My resignation as Resident Physician
to the Asylum was written and had left
my hands months before I became ac-
qualnted with DR.. Ballard, or knew he
was an aspirant after the place he now
occupies. 1 have always been, socially.
on friendly terms with him. did not
sanction his views, however, in regard
to the necessity of harsh treatment and
corporeal punishment in the manage
ment of insane persons, although simi-
lar views were generally entertained
and practically carried ,aas in connec-
ton with the contract system he now
advocates SO strongly. when that sys-
tenn was in its palmy days, a few GEN.
turies ago. Yet he does not appear to
bear any ill will when We meet, as We
did but day or two since. when he
shook hands with me in his usual affa-
BILE manner. l should be unwilling 10
suspect MIN of deceit, or that he bears
any hatred toward me, and still receive
me SO courteously when we meet. As
DR.. Ballard remarked to DR.. Waughop
a few days since, if Mr.. Harmon has
a mind to pay him $500 subsidy, it was
all right for him to take it. No one
expects him to work against the inter-
ests of his employer; and Mr.. Harmon
might think that he did not get the
worth of his money thus invested. if the
doctor did not make as good showing
as possible for him in his report to The
Legislature, fseken frorA the contrac-
tors records of that institution.
Referring tho members of the Leeis-
lature to review of the late Asylum
Investigation" has been met with the
usual cry of personal strife" That
report of the Investigating Commission
is decidedly eS parte evidence, and ss-
verely personal in character. It is but
justice that the Legislature should have
an opportunity of examining both sides
of the question. Although the COM
mittee censure me in their report of,
not offering to be sworn before their
honorable body, they fail to inform the
public that they themselves had neg
lected that very important qualification
before assuming the grave responsible
ties of serving on the committee appoin-
ted to investigate the affairs of public
institution. that they had taken no form