_Gentlemen of the Committee_:
I feel it my duty to say one word in defence of the Petitioners, in reply
to Dr. Walker's statement, that, "in his opinion, nineteen twentieths of
the petitioners did not know nor care what they petitioned for, and that
they signed it out of compliment to the lady."
I differ from Dr. Walker in opinion on this point, for this reason. I
obtained these names by my own individual appeals, except from most of the
members of the "Common Council," who signed it during an evening session,
by its being passed around for their names. I witnessed their signing, and
saw them read it, carefully, before signing it. And I _think_ they signed
it intelligently, and from a desire for safer legislation. The others I
_know_ signed intelligently, and for this reason. And I could easily have
got one thousand more names, had it been necessary; for, in selling my
books, I have conversed with many thousand men on this subject, and among
them all, I have only found one man who defends the present mode of
commitment, by leaving it all to the physicians.
I spent a day in the Custom House, and a day and a half in the Navy Yard,
and these men, like all others, defend our movement. I have sold one
hundred and thirty-nine books in the Navy Yard within the last day and a
half, by conversing personally with gentlemen in their counting-rooms on
this subject, and they are carefully watching your decision on this
question.
Now, from this stand-point of extensive observation, added to my own
personal experience, I feel fully confident these two Bills are needed to
meet the public demand at this crisis.