Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1881-04-16
- ITas Dr.. camden Remoeed :
CAN sach things be
Ard overcome Us ike a summers cloud
Without our special wonder!"

and re.ret. and "A deep sense of the wrong in
hicfed upon the unfortunate inmates, that We
have lust learned from the published proceed
in.-s Of the new Board OF Directors OF the In
SINE Asylum 40 Weston, that Dr. Camden, Tor
the past ten years its Superintendent, has been
removed Why las this thing been done2 Who
is responsible Tor it, At whose instigahon was
&. BROUGHT abOlt? What were the motives
which prompted it9 What are the reasons Tor
uP Has there been IN complaint Of official
misconduct as regards the Superintendent, Dr.
Camden? Is &c pretended, even, that he Is IN
competent, Or was inefficient careless OF the
welfare of his patients, neglccttul Of ms duties
professional or other unmiudfnl az the inter
rsts of the State OF Whi"- he is tEe custodian,
@. h9s he in any manner rendered himself anne
A1l,e % any -uargc or suspicion which made
&c necessary 90 suspend h;m? Is not the insu-
tuition IN The front rank Of charities 81 It's de
scrip'iOn anywhere i'm the L. 50 Are not ITS
inmates as we'll clad as well fed as well treated
in an respects as patients arC m amy other lusu-
tuition and j. not the per capita expense the We
N minimum Of OUTLAY and the per centage OF
OF similar hospi,als2 Has not the Superiuteud-
emit shown such aptitude for the duties Of the
p0sitiOn-such kindness, such consideration.
such humanity toward the helpless uniortu-
Mates who are committed 10 his charge, that,
while the light of reason Is queuched forever, 50
most AlaElA 0A
love burns brightly iu their hearts and ShewS
It's halo around the good man, the kind SYM
pathi>iug physician. tac firm but merciiul SUI
periut,udent who is regarded by his patients
as their friend and father The writer has been
informed THAI when these poor afflicted and un-
happy people were told that the man who had
devoted the best yelr- OF LIS life TO their care
and the ameiOraiion of their hard condition,
and who is lowed and almost wOrshipped Sy
theu, was 90 20 awty from them, the scene
which CuSuCd. the CrcS the Shrleks. the lamcu-
tltiuus tina, ere heard were enough 90 appal
the stoutest hclIt and make the most hardened
man shed tears q regret-f not rcmOre-iur
the inGlm. Oi tLe sc; taat had been perpetrated.
We ask AGAIN. why va, tins thing uonet An
I'm the name of humanity We demand o.. am
sWcr What was the cause Ot tliS acton of a
majority of the Board OF Directors What mo-
,iycs prompted it2 We're there any charges H.
gainst ,he Superintendent Ii 50, what were
they2 Wa, DO personal feline or prejudice
" HAT man is bad enough and bold enough %
allow such things O. control his action In q
matter Wacn hisp pubic, moral. sanitary, social
and legal COZ alton, exist. affecting the we'll
being and safety Of society itseifl Was IL per-
sonal ambition or desire for personal advance
mep.t Does not such q man know that the dy-
Mantle OF public opinion viii blow his wishes
tJ atoms and make his name q bywort and his
whose confidence he has abused and whose trust
he has bc,ayed' Was IL political eXisency
that demanded itt ID So. ana the democratic
party Is On De turned over 90 such base uses, il
WILL De an open question whetherits OrguuiZa
tiOn had NOT better De broken upand destroyed,
instead OF allowing it tO deoauch, p0llutc and 10
disgrace the fair name of West Virginia by such
nhOiy practices
And why was Dr. kuu>t removed? Had he
also been degehc. in the discharge of his duties?
Has /, been suddenly discovered that he Is i'm
competent. or WAS uuiaithul or neglectful2-
Why was hc removed And who have been
selected to occlpy-uut hll-thc places of the
C0mpeten, and efficient officers whose heads
have fallen under the axe OF official di-pleasure
or resentment. orprcI udiCc. or personal illwill,
OF po>>ihl indulgence ln modified or dilute me-
potism. OPP us % reward for services rendered p
Who IS the newly appointed Superintendent
Where does Poe reside and what is hi, age D.
What dislngu.>hei evidence of qualifications
for the position has he ever giycn3 What OPP
portuuities has le cujoyed3 What institutions
of like charc,c- has he been connected with.
and what training has he bad 90 DO him for The
di charge of thc complex and perpleVing dutie,
that are thus su denly thrust upon him? lie
may Poe thOrou his competent i'm all respects,
bat where is theevidence? Thcquestiou recurs
a-ain with rcloub,ed force. why displace conn
petcnt jcCrs against whom neither charge nor
suspicion %, wrong d. i'm, or neglect. or iuc0m-
potency. Is or has been ALLEGED 90 appoint any
one else tO tacp.0ccs which they have digniied
and adorned
What has been the practice in other states
when % became necessary to examine into the
official acts ot superintendent of insane aSy-
lumst Some years ago the Legislature of Ma
rvland investigated charges against the super
of Mt Hope and honorably acquitted
him. and he is now at the head of Nj. Hope
Retreat. one OF the largest and most success
tui Institutions of IFS kind iu the country
More recently o disagreement spraug up be-
tween the superintendent of Sprngdale ASy-
lum near Baltimore, Marylaud-a state institu-
tom similar tD our Owu-aud the Board of
Directors, which made 10 Necessary Co change
the Superintendent This WIS done and au
e SFcrt, on auenist Ofiongc with insane
i,N luu, duu ample experience JOB their MANAGE
meut. was selected o. I'm the Vacancy. If such
had been the ease. there might not DC SD much
cause of complaint, though there i always a
serious objection o. making such changes. and
in no instance should The permitted unless for
good causes. weilpr1vcu
Therefore DOB view Of an these facts II the
case Is 60 that we protest against this thing
and cal. the attention of tine legislature to 10.
so THAT DO may 40 i'> approaching session, in
vC--icute the matter iu a.i i- bearings. immc-
tiJie. remote or contingent and take such
action us viii 300 tle iu,Ire c.lcctually prevent
a recurrence of Do Whenever the Insane Asv-
Wm become tlc means toau end iu politics. it
viii be dismal day l1r those who are untortu-
nate OBJ have friend, afflicted with madness.
and 10 viii De- yol darker day when such uu-
fo-tuuates are majc o. tor iu the changes of "a
impending calamity. JvsucE.