The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-09-15
a pooroK,s pLAIN WORDS.
He vigorously and Professionally Protests
Against Fostering Moral Disease.

He Vigorously and Professionally Protests
Against Fostering Moral Disease.
A physician of Boston wrote letter to
another in the same city, in answer to the re
ceipt of a copy of speech in advocacy of Grover
Clevelands election as President, presumably
made by Carl Schurz, in which he says:
Il am not strong party man. Under some
circumstances would vote for Democrat. even
if he was no better than Mayor Martin. But
when you try to influence me directly or indi
rectly land it is pretty direct this tiIne to help
lift man into the high Office of President that
you would not were he private citizen, ntro
duce into your own family must say that you
mistake me politically as much as have mis-
taken you
you have daughters. Some time they may
be widows. 1t will make no difference how
ever to some men whether it be maid, wife
or widow, but if they were ever treated as
Grover Cleveland treated Maria Halpin as per
report of your own committee, the man who did
it would not live long enough to even think of
being a candidate for the presidency | don't
believe his remains would be thought worthy to
lie on one of your dissecting tables.
tsYou have sons Will you tell them in pri-
vate as you dopublicly, that the crime of Grover
Cleveland is of no real consequence, and ad-
wise them to vote for him as moral candi-
dateP You send out every year scores of grad
uates who are to be for the most part public
men, Will you teach them in future that their
private life will make no difference as to their
success as public men; that is, not if your influ
ence can prevent itl am not champion of
Mr. Blaine. The Republican party does not
need one. But it is enough for me to know that
Mr. Blaine has satisfied his friends, his fair
minded opponents and his party, that there is,
or was, no truth in the charges against him, and
not that they were of no consequence
II shall never rise to a high position political
ly God forbid that shall ever sink so low
morally that will cast off and not protect the
mother of my own child, or that will imprison
my own son in an orphan asylum.
II have seen you, doctor, at the bedside of a
woman in her hour of peril, surrounded by at
tentive nurses and sympathizing friends, and
every means that could alleviate human suffer
ing, and not the least among them your own
kind words and skillful treatment, and think
you will agree with me when | say that one of
the saddest professional duties we are ever
called to perform is to wait at the bedside of q
mother who is not wife. No sympathizing
friends there no kind relatives there Except,
perhaps, a broken hearted motherE no anxious
husband there. In place of soothing and en-
couraging words those of reprOach and anger.
Nothing to mitigate the terrible suffering she
must undergo Instead of the joys of mother
hood she has only to look forward to q life Of
shame and disgrace, for herself and child. You
and have witnessed such cases many times,
and as often will q curse almost escape my lips
upon the villain who is the author Of this great
wrong and who sometimes strives to Justify
himself by. saying She was impure when I
Has the above been your experienced Or
would you console the suffering mother by tell
ing her it was only boyish freak that ''he
hadn't got his wild oats sown yet" oven if he
was over forty years old; that he would probably
Get her q temporary home IN lunatie asylum:
that the child should have the name of one of his
friends, and should be tenderly cared for in an
orphan asylum;' thatif ever he was the presi-