The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-03-11
prov.s,ou for Lunatics.

Nh, communication signed Hupsnitas,
:, This days DiTstch, discusses sooJec' VI
cory deep interest to all hamane people. we
shall premise what we aave to say aoou.
with the remark that very greet chanee mas
come upon society In Virgins WHINE luz
lac, twenty years. gne number OF iuoa''cS
hns orc.,lv sucrcuscsl, the family" Is no.
thing like Sc able to take csre OIL 'he,n, "oo
the tails are, by reason Of the geea'''''a'
.,o,sed nx.mbcr q criminals. made utterly
eff, n,se.s for the confinement OF the u.s.
s,r,n,,,e neoplc who have lost their reason.
these Carts t,xve rendered the Incarceration
If luns,ic In The comHen Jail cruest! anes
disgrace to civilized community. 1nefe
has been a tfiare.up in this community cen
rerning the condition of the city GALL as
though that'institutiun should be desirable
place to liss in, and saouid be made suitable
for those :Htiable pstients who from nsstor'
tune or.paturai constitution hs9e lost their
reason. The IDEAS INDUSTRIOUS Criminals,
should .not be made happy by luSury and
comfortable quarters. Lunacy shoesd not
be CONFIRMED byeseing coudea ned to the lie;
OF pcEal suffering with the disciples of
criaye. The meek sentimentalIsn "h'ch IL
uustHe TO disco, the distraction bct~een tsc
criminal and tie poor lunahc goes Tar 20 Ia
yosve the person who teeis 1t in the category
of che Door temerted classes, whose fates
should excite our very souls TO sympathy
ant, sorrow.
The late:3)r. STRlBLrNs, wke was 'atNhe
head Of his profession in the Union as
skilful practitioner ia cases.n lunacg,'So'd
us that it was q matter Of the Sery- greatest
importance that patient shorh De prompt
Iy taken .in hand; that when q person De-
csme derauged he shefld Immediately pe
plsced under the most skhful Treatment;
that everything be ss ", thatereryth!us done
for him; had direct besEng a pom hlsSSn'ho.
DIT tepdeddo compose or kritate bin, and 10
coBfrn-or relieve the terrible mental con III"
ton in (which he had heeR placed. 'sse iur-
ther>sa;d that few months of bad treatment
might confirm bin for life as a sandman,
While few weeks of gentle and humane
care might restore him TO guiet-te intelli'
eence. ,peoce, happiness, and .levc-to the
joy of a circle Of friends and relatives: the
sum,of which could not be estimated.
Now. let us ask, What sert Of help, what
sort of aid to the restoration OF serenity anu
love, can the Jail afford to poor being VINO
from one cause and another u ay-have lost MS
reason? II is barbarous to sendsuch an un-
fortunate to consort with criminals and see
their horrible vices and their vile practices.
The State should now provide for these
poor creatures by separating them from
community of villains and seapegraceS.
Relief is demanded for then. by every con-
sideration. They are not criminals. Their
misfortune is beyond our ken: but their
protection and safeguard falls upon Us rs
duty to both humanity and religion, and if
we fail our crime is in proportion TO their
helplessness and responsibility aud our ca.
pabiltyand responsibility.
In regard 10 the city Of Richmond eSpe-
cially we may most heartily regret the re-
lection by. our city legislature Of ii measure
By which the temporary care OF the luna
ties was TO be lett 10 hospital which BIS
gained good reputation in this .commu-
Iity-that. under DR.. MoNCURE. 1t will not
do 10 say that the State is responsible.
Every man is responsible for negiecting an
act of humanity which he may perform. He
cannot find an apology in the plea that the
duty of caring for the helpless aud deserted
belonged to another. The Lord of Right
eeusness aud Love will in that case say,
"Thou art the man" and the city legis-
lature would be faithless alike to humanity
and the kind spirit Of this intelligent. COM
mur:ty were it to. require the poor.oitizen
bereft of reason tosbc put into the midst of
trapsgressors and felons. Forbid it Justice,
religion, and humanity.
While we write comes / letter from
Louisa, which states that two uniprtuaates
have died there in folon's cells. 1t is Ads
grace To humanity that, such thing should
occur. We implore the Legislature OF the
State, and we implore the Lawmakers OF this
city, to examine this subject thoroughly, AID
to take some measure which will separate the
most unfortunate Of human beings from ASSOC
citation with the worst. It's L crime OF \
very high grade-it is n scandal upon civilizR-
ton which dOoms the lunatE to associsti on
with the criminal. No State which com units
81 great an Outrage upon justice, reIig ION,
and humanity ought to be considered as
amongst civilized nations.
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