The trial of Ebenezer Haskell, in lunacy, and his acquittal before Judge Brewster, in November, 1868 : together with a brief sketch of the mode of treatment of lunatics in different asylums in this country and in England, with illusrations, including a copy of Hogarth's celebrated painting of a scene in old Bedlam, in London, 1635.

  • Haskell, Ebenezer.
Date:
1869
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The trial of Ebenezer Haskell, in lunacy, and his acquittal before Judge Brewster, in November, 1868 : together with a brief sketch of the mode of treatment of lunatics in different asylums in this country and in England, with illusrations, including a copy of Hogarth's celebrated painting of a scene in old Bedlam, in London, 1635. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    looked upon bj7 those in favor of liberty and a change in the dis- tracted condition of affairs as a tcood adviser. His boldness and determination in exposing the wrongs of governments made him unpopular among the crowned heads cf Europe. Paine, with his pen, made England lose her Colonies in America. No one can wonder why old England passed an act that his book (Eights of Man) should be burned by the common hangman. They kept a number of vessels of war constantly on the watch for him, to prevent his crossing the Atlantic to France, his influence was so much dreaded. No human being's efforts have done more for liberty. lie had from his youth a strong resolution and con- stant temper, and adopted the opinions he promulgated in his manhood. His language was simple and easy to be understood. In 1792, Paine arrived in Paris, where he found Eobespierre dictator. He had not long been there, before he was arrested by the order of Robespierre as a foreigner, with others, and imprisoned eleven months. Eobespierre had issued a decree that all foreigners should be beheaded. Paine was to have been one. It is remark- able how he escaped. On the day before the execution Eobes- pierre was dethroned, and supplied Paine's place at the guillotine block. Affairs took a different direction. Paine did not immedi- ately regain his liberty. Mr. Monroe, the American Minister, had him eventually released, on November 4tb, 1794. Mr. Monroe kindly invited him to his house, where he remained eighteen months. In Thomas Paine's Crisis, No. 1, he begins—0, ye that love man- kind! ye that dare oppose not only tyranny, but the tyrant! stand forth ! Every spot of the old world is overrun with oppres- sion. Freedom hath been hunted round the globe—Asia and Africa have long expelled her; Europe regards her like a stranger; and England hath given her warning to depart. O! America, receive the fugitive, and prepare in time an asylum for mankind ! These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will in this crisis shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly. The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. A noted Tory, a tavern keeper at Amboy, was standing at his door with his child, speaking his mind, said he, Well, give me peace in my day. A generous parent should have said, if there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace. Not a place upon earth might be so happy as America. The world is my country; to do good is my religion.