The Hillsborough recorder., 1878-08-07
lilIshasaugb Rstarsss,
WEDNESDAY aUo. :. .s7s
2nE WESTERN INSANE ASYLUM.

We have allude3 10 onr visit 10 ihis w
sii,nsien dssiSg The hate Pres, Cearentiss,
with The .parpsss ), some faiare tims 70
speak y iaAs fully as its i,spor,asee &c.
served; and DO so now both iD j.s,ics 10
the slsgeh,ica which has been ayraigHea tss
i,s 100 kbessi response 10 a noe sal5y yesog-
nized demasd and 10 the Cen ssissosEs.
who are held 70 the bar of public oyiai,a
for TOO e1travagans constructors u ssr
trust ecyolyed oyon tbeM.
As to the fFsi, there eosla not 3onbi
have existed rs to the necessity Scr eslarg,
ed provision Sor the insssae. The eosrsitn.
tin Of 1858. not changed IN that ssy,iv,-
lar BY the smeDimenls Of 1875. nskes .he
gratuitous charge Of the insane obligatory
upon the State, or charge upon isslisi.su.
al counties where susscient general psoyi.
sion was not Supplied. The numbe, es
the e unfortunate beings in North Csrois
NJ is largely upwards Of one Thousand The
capacity d The Asylum al Raleigh . only
% aeectSmcdate two hundred and twenty
four. tboush Dr. Grissom iD bis last spas-
81 report sass there we're By overcrowiing.
Two hundred and eighty one aaser his
charge. leaving stiil tso thirds Of those who
needed The curative discipline Of Asylums
20 be taken care of at home. or in county
jails Or in poor hotses, where cure was i'm
possible. and shsfe meBtsl halaay was
sure to be aggravated while, ut the same
time. tbe public was at the same charge IS
ii the sufferer were ID The hands Of that
system which might Ies,vre him to sanity
and usefulness.
The Legislature Of 1915. recognizing
'be responsibility resting upon Is. enacted .
ias providing for the erection Of suitable
buildings to be located within three miles
Of the Town Of MorgabioB in the county of
Burke, to be known as the Western Ia
sane Asylu Of North Caroline. sBd sp-
pointing Commissioners 10 select the site
and make contracts for the buildings and
other needed wOrh, and appropriating
$4,000 for the year 1875 and s2j. 600 for
the year 1876. or shat was necessary iill
the meeting OF the mex. General Assembly.
The COmmisi ioners entered al once upon
their duties. purchased lands. made conf
tracts for buildings dc. and pushed for
ward their works with energy-with SO
much in fact. Is 10 be eoinnelled TO call
upon the sext Legislature for sppropria-
tioos 50 large IS TO have aroused much IN
favorable comment and most active hos,ili-
y to the work. We we're not behind 9th.
ers in condemning what we thought a too
liberal construction Of powers. and too ex>
irsYsgant an idea Of the nature Of the du.
ties Of the Commissioners; and the opposi.
zion thus aroused had the effect Of restrain.
ing appropriations. aud eou6ning them
within sbe limits Of vie economy.
Yet. we viii do those Commissioners abe
justice 10 say that they took jnsrer. more
: rational aud more comprehensive view Of
.he requirements Of the subject than We
did. II the State does its full Jaiy to the
unfortunate victim Of insanity, II rnnst do
IL With reference to restoration to reason
il must fully recognize the principles
which tfie! experience have proved to
secure the ftiest remedial agencies. That
experience has demonstrated that the lar.
gest liberty compatible With perfect super.
vision uust Be allowed: that freedom II
movement, and relsxatiOn Of personal ies-
fraiut. within recognized limits. mus: be
freely accorded that the incidents Of Asy.
iEu life must be - pleasant and home
like as Il i possible 70 render them; that
whatever tends 70 svoth the mind. % aiYert
fhe thoughts. tOsmuse the fancy. 10 please
the eye. are indispensable minisifstions TO
the comfort Of the mind diseased; 10 other
words, that the ides Of prison. a. place
q confinement and restraint. ougtt 70 be
as much concealed as possible. And with
these viess The commissioners very
generously risked public disapprOSsiion to
meet ~ the requirements they we're ex.
2ected 20 Gil IN connection with rhe sbiei
end Oftheir dh,ies which were. The proper
provision for the Treatment and cure Of the
insane.
The site selected had references as much
10 The happy iifuenee Of beautiful scenery
upon feeling capable of being roa.sd 20
hsslthfsl sssepnbaity. n 10 tbs perception
BY the commissioners themselves 81 xhat
was grsad Or charming 10 surrounding
landscape. Ths Asylum i.siiasted 90 The
Sop,b side o. the w. N. q. X. X about
haIfs mile dsiabt snd sbost one mile By
The Laurel roaa from Morgauton. Prom