Daily Kennebec journal., 1881-03-10
The Insane Hospital.

agement o! Insane Asylums. received in
reply some rem0nstrances to its structures
evidently from persons in Massachusetts.
The journal declares in explanation that
it's remarks were not intended for the a-y-
lums Of Massachusetts, which il believes
10 be well managed. but for the asylum in
Maine, the melting cause being reports in
the papers ~ Ia evidences OF brutality
brought ont at the investigation now in
progress. Now the people of Maine are
willing To bear all the responsibility and
odium which iairly belongs To them in
connection with the management Of
their hospital for the insane. They
think they are as humane a. the
the people of Massachusetts, or any other
State. Our State is not 80 rich as Massa-
chusetts but we claim that we are no, bar
barians. We fancy we ought to know a.
as do the editors Of the Boston journal.
In il are the unfortunate of our own clti-
zens, whom duty and affection and State
interest lead us TO regard with peculiar
care and kindness II it were known that
abuses exist in our Hospital such as have
been alleged in Massachusetts papers, the
wipe them out and punish their authors
rs the people of Massachusetts would
he to correct abuses in their aSvlums.
There were complaints made about the
conduct OF our Insane Hospital. and at
once the Trustees of the institution asked
for an investigation. The legislature or
dercd an investigation, and as able. i'm
partial. and fair committee as could be
selected in the legislature was appointed
To investigate. hear and determine
the matter They have investigated
thoroughly, listened patiently and atten-
lively, their hearings have been open to
the public. and able counsel have been en-
ploved on both sides. The people OF Maine
who have no axes to grind are satisfied with
the course that has been pursued. The
investigation is nearly through, the result
will soon be known. and we have no doubt
that it will be in accordance with the facts
and merits of the case.
But from the first, papers in Massachu
sets have taken an extraordinary interest
in our Hospital. Before the investigation
commenced they published most atrociouS
articles against the management. the
sensational and blood-cur Hing head
lines "f which attracted attention all
over the country and created a
widespread opinion that the Maine in
sttution-as one oi them said-is "a hell
upon earth" Their aim was. first. to
sell more copies of their papers second to
PREJUDICE the case and aid in ousting the
present officers. In the rear of these
venal and unscrupulouS sheets published
at the modern Athens. comes the Boston
Journal, claiming to be a respectable pa
per. and gives its testimony in regard to
Insane AsylumS as they Are and as they
Might be-" Under this general heading.
the Maine Asylum. it appears. was the
object of attack; for when pushed to eX-
plain it answered in substance; We did
not have reference to the Massachusetts
Asylum. which is model and pink of
perfection. but to the asylum down among
the barbarans in Maine. where the attcn-
dants and officers are mere brutes and the
patients are ieartuly abused.
II the Boston Journal had waited until
the evidence upon both sides had been
heard. il would not have published its
stupid and unjust editorial rejecting so
harshly upon the people OF Maine and the
Maine Asylum. But it went oft at half
cock. when only one side of the case had
been heard hence its one e-sided. offensive.
libelous article. serving rs an endorse
ment to the ISLANDERS of meaner sheets
The other side of the case. the defence.
has been heard since the Boston Journal
published its editorial. aud we doubt if
any asylum in Massachusetts, or any other
State could pass the ordeal OF n searching
examination any more successfully than
has the Maine Insane Hospital The great
outcry about abuses and cruelty in the
Hospital has been silenced in the most
complete manner. No more harshncss
has been allowed in the management of
patients than was unavoidable. This has
been the rule of the institution, and when
attendants went beyond it, or complaints
were made, the cases were looked after.
aud the attendants found offending Were
discharged. Such appears to us to be the
facts. and we have had as good an oppor-
tunity to judge OF the Investigation and
the general management of the Hospital
rs our Massachusetts brethren who have
been so industriously blackening the name
of Maine and its Insane Asylum.
The question whether the national banks
which recently deposited legal tenders to re-
tire their circulation shall be permitted TO
return their bonds and obtain the currency
again is under consideration in the Treasury
Department. There are conflicting opinions
upon the matter. The new Secretary of the
Treasury has been appealed to and his opinion
will soon be known.