The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1876-01-23

A general convention Of persons little mad,
and intending to become more so, as occasion
may seem to require, is now IN session at the
Blanco House in West Tenth street. Graphic
reporter attended the first meeting Of the con-
vention last evening and the following IS
succinct account thereof:
Isidor John Joachimson Orlando william
son Thoms is the real or fictitious name OF
the President, who took the chair lttie a1tef
8 o'clock. and at once called the meeting to
order, whereupon the following preamble and
resolutions were read by George Fitz John, OF
North Adams, Mass:
Whereas, the lunatics and persons intend
ing to become lunstics throughout the length
ana breadth Of the land have seen with dis
NAV that the tone of the newspaper press Is
inimical to their best interests; and
Whereas, one Senator Jacobs has intro
duced bill in the Legislature of the State OF
New York, recommending that any person
who has done homicide and been acquitted
therefor on the ground of insanity shall be
imprisoned for life; and
Whereas, public sentiment has been foully
instigated against us lunatics and persons in
tending to become lunatics as occasion may
require, so that if things 60 on in this way
homicidal lunatic may be hanged or impris
oned, or otherwise interfered with and mall
treated; therefore
RESOLVED, That lunacy is the normal condi.
ton of the human mind, and that any attempt
to suppress lunacy is high handed outrage
against the moral and intellectual propensi-
ties of our best citizens and violation OF
the Magma Charta and the Declaration Of In
dependence, the palladium of our liberties;
and
RESOLVED, That sanity is a neurosis incom-
patible with freedom of action in homicide,
haI ao
RESOLVED, That we appeal at once to the
medical profession. at the head OF which
stand Dr. William A. Hammond, DR.. Henry
Maudsley, DR.. Brown-Sequard, and the vast
majority of alienists, to stand by us as they
have hitherto done, and prevent as OF yore an
Infatuated, bigoted and sane public from deal
ing with US in q mean and cruel manner, and
combining or hanging any member Of this con-
vention who shall kill any person whatsoever.
Moreover.
Resolved, That we congratulate John Scan
nell, Jesse Pomeroy, Ed. Stokes, Daniel Mac
Farland and other lunatics on their success
in eluding the sleuth hounds of oppression,
and bid Romano Dillon, who slew that disa-
greeable person Dilleber, be of good cheer;
and
Resolved That we call upon lunatics of
every class and color, upon Spiritualists,
Theosophists, Nihilists, poets, alienists. ply
sciaps, jurors, Talmages, Perpetual Motion
lists, Keely Motorcides, materializa I'D persons
and others in similar walks of life, to rally
round the flag, since sooner or later they too
will be imprisoned or hanged unless they now
come forward in the good cause.
The resolutions were received with express
sions Of approval, such as standing on the
head, moving, stamping and yelling. When
the noise had subsidized, q man named limo
thy Dexter Mohammed Ann Feelington Rich.
ards spoke as follows, with extreme rapidity:
at we take the square root OF the Declare
ton OF Independence and multiply 1t by the
Book of Revelations into the prophet Daniel
we shall find that lunacy is but the outcome
of a feather buster and is one of the brightest
Jewels Of the human mind. Especially
when it is turned in the direction
OF murder: Suppose o mans head is
but the cover of spittoOn, why
should not remove it if wish to expsctor-
ate? Suppose voice bids me kill Mayor
Wickham to let ont the poor workingman con-
cealed in his stomach, shall 1 disobey that
voice? Oh, hey, diddle, diddle In the days
of tyranny thus sang the poor, oppressed
lunatic:
Stay. jailer, stay and hear my woe
He is not mad that pleads to thee;
For what l am too well l know,
And what should be.
prison lunatic?'
Mr.. Richards then, attracted by the rare
bonnet Of lady in front Of him, hit it . ter
rible whack and sat down.
John Madden arose and said:
II think Brother Dexter is too radical in his
views. am what you might call moderate
lunatic. would pay no attention to Daniel
or an interior voice. have studied E-cobar,
and-well, here's the gist Of the matter: if =
man attempts your life you have right to
kill him; if you see him running at you with
an open knife you must kill him; If You know
that be intends to kill you you must do like
wise in self. defense; if you have great reason
to think he hates you, and know how short is
the step from hatred to murder-kill him; if
you have injured man he hates you
and will kill you, so kill him-kill, kill,
kill; that's the true survival of the fittest.
/ would also, in moments Of great spirit
ual insight kill . man who wears his
gloves half on, or who has q cracked voice.
If my wife looked at him, ] would tear his
heart out Most people are bad. II you
meet . man in the street, ten to one he is q
villain; kill him if you would serve HUMANE
tributed; l will kill rich man as soon as Q
dog if want his money"
This speech was received with cheers
Peter Thomas then rose and said he was not
yet lunatic, but probably should soon be-
como one, as he had q great grudge against
his mother, who kept him on an allow ance.
This made him wild, and at times he could
hardly restrain himself. Once he knocked
the old lady down with q chair, but he in
tended to do better next time become fully
insane, and cut her throat. On q mean
woman
I'll plunge my hand adown her throat
And bring to light her bleeding heart
Upon this woman who said she was the
only son OF Louis XVII, and unjustly de.
prived OF her throne, ran up on the stage and
sang Is follows:
Let lunatics in league combine,
Let Bedlamtes all fall in line
Let murderers with CORY hands
From every cline, from-al the lands,
Combine against the laws oppression,
And tor their wrongs demsna redression
CHoRUs-Snaps and snalls,
And puppy dogs tails,
John the Baptist and Prince Of Wales