Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-07-30
THE POOR INSANE.
Address from the Grand Jury of the
Criminal Court 90 Sis Excel.
leDcy the Governor, Pray.
ing for Relief
Condition of the Insane i'm the Poor
house aud Jail-An Asylum for
West Tennessee Prayed For.

The following document is from the
grand jury OF this county:
To his Excellency ]. D. Porter Governor of
| the state OF Tennessee:
Your EXCELLENCY-The under
| slgnsd, VINO are members Of the grand
| jury now serving 10 the criminal court
OF Saelby county, IN your State, have, in
! accordance with our dGties, visited and
inspected the common jail and Door
house OF said county. We found in
the jail two, and in the poor
house thirty.two occupants who
are insane. They are of both
| sexes and arouses our keenest sense of
pity and commiseration. From even our
snort visit to those places, We are con-
Vlnced that some, if not many OF them,
could be restored to their friends and
relatives IN sane condition if they could
nave access to skillful and careful treat
ment of such physicians as are in charge
OF the lunatic asylum at our ster city of
Nashville. II permitted to remain in
our jail and county poor-hOuse, their
cases may become hopeless. Il ia i'm
possible for the worthy superintendent
Ii charge OF the pOor-house to give them
that attention that should be given to
those who are so unfortunate as to be-
come insane. Humanity demands at
the hands of the people of
every State and nation that
proper editices should be erected and sc-
commodations furnished at the public
expense for the insane. We are in
formed that the reason why these un-
fortunates are in our jail and pOorhouse,
instead Of the asylum at Nashville, is
that there is no room for them-that the
institution is already yovercroWded. West
Tennessee pays much larger propOT-
ton of the taxes that are paid into the
treasury than either Of the other two
grand divisions of the State, and we
deem it but an act OF justice that our
poor unfortunates who have lost their
resson should receive some OF the beDe-
fits OF humane and skjlliul medical
treatment, as well as good quarters,
whtrs they can be made com Portable. |
We frankly assert that we are greatly
shocked at the idea Of demented and
helpless people being left by a great |
state to undergo the privstiOns Of poor |
house. The poor who are there, and of |
sound mind, are doing well and are |
comfortable, because they can do, and |
are Instructed in making themselves 60;
but 1t is otherwise with the insane. |
They are helpless, and it is q source OF |
much public expense that they are cared |
for. We repeat that poor house is no |
place for insane people in a civilized, |
christian country. We therefore, in be-
oati Of those unfortunate beings, and in
the name OF humanity, request your ex-
ceIleDcy to recommend to the legisla-
tuTe, at its next session, that suitable |
be made for the erection of
an asylum for the insane, at q suitable
IOa FNyi in yoof
and no doubt will be, met with the re-
sponse thai the State is in debt and the
people are poor. Such an argument
would very properly apply to a PROPOSE
lion to lend State aid TO build RAILWAYS,
canals, etc, but 'he representatives Of
the people should not listen to such
pueiile excuses. When a mans wife,
or child, or even q stranger at his
gate is sick and helpless, if he is not q
BE will not stop to count up the
cost before he goes for doctor. When
her poor and friendlees children are in
sane, sick in mind and helpless, the
1eart of the great State Of Tennessee
shOuid ihrOb with sympathy and pity,
and promptly meet the exigencies Of the
let the cost be what it NAV.
Newspapers and public speakers are
fora tax to be levied sufficient
TO psy the interest on the bonded debt;
we, in the name of humanity, raise cur
voices in behalf OF the suffering poor
and helpless, and respectfully beg every
christian amt benevolent institution in
The Slate Of Tennessee, to put their
shoulders to the wheel, resting assured
that our good governor will be found
lea1ti y at work with them. We are,
respectfully, your obedient servants,
ALT G. luther, Geo. W. L. Crook
!. B. Daniel, E T. Keel.
=. Psrtln, III, BrysOn, Il
J. L. Sharp, j. N Stain,
lanes Holmes, T. c. Park,
!. H. Smith,
X. J. B. L. WINN, Foreman,