The ‘Secret’ History of American
Institutions: Women, Madness, and
19th-Century Life-Writing:
The only public buildings worthy of mention are the
capitol, the palace, the college, and the hospital
for lunatics, all of them in Williamsburg,
heretofore the seat of our government. The
capitol is a light and airy structure, with a portico
in front of two orders, the lower of which, being
Doric, is tolerably just in its proportions and
ornaments, save only that the intercolonations
are too large. The upper is Ionic, much too small
for that on which it is mounted….Yet, on the
whole, it is the most pleasing piece of
architecture we have (249).
We drove off, and after a pleasant ride of
about a mile, I saw before us a beautiful
lawn dotted with shrubbery which was shut
in by a high iron gate. A carriage drive and
walk led to a large stone building which
was stretched across the entire width of
the grounds. The entrance to this building
was approached through massive
Corinthian columns (152).
Dr. Grey can go to Washington to see a man
like Guiteau, and can testify to his belief in
the sanity of an unfortunate man who
commits a murder without any particular
provocation, a man evidently of impaired
perceptions, because he receives a large
sum from the Government for so doing;
but a helpless patient who was kidnapped
and trapped into his asylum…he calls
insane (156).
I am extremely sorry this thing happened as
it injures me greatly in the community that
I live. I exerted myself very much to save
him [meaning Chaska] and many have
been so ungenerous as to say I was in
love with him, that I was his wife, etc., all
of which is absolutely false.