Union-Alamance-Orange County NcArchives News.....The Justices of  Union County April 1, 1863
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Carolyn Shank Carolynshank@msn.com July 28, 2007, 1:50 pm

The Standard Of  Raleigh, April 1, 1863 April 1, 1863
The Standard of Raleigh, April 1, 1863
           THE JUSTICES OF UNION COUNTY
   Alas! for their justice, humanity and gratitude. May God and the soldiers 
forgive them for their unwillingness to prevent the spread of small pox, among 
the poor and needy. In Germany, before vaccination was known, a doctor was 
employed for each district, who inoculated every child and there was a penalty 
upon parents who failed to have their children inoculated. I say the Justices 
are unwilling to prevent the spread of this loathsome disease. I will prove 
it. The Justices are all vaccinated, and so are their children and negroes. -- 
There are hundreds of poor families in Union County who are not, and never 
will be; they are not able to pay a doctor for it. If the doctors are willing 
to vaccinate without pay, they are not willing to go to every house to do so. 
We have had small pox in Wilson, Wayne, Wake, Orange, Alamance, and many other 
counties -- in fact, there are few counties where we have not had it.
   MR. ROGERS of Alamance, came from Richmond, where he had been on a visit to 
his son -- was seized with small pox -- deserted by his neighbors, and died, 
no one going to bury him for several days. An Irishman was finally found who 
performed the necessary office.
   In Orange, MR. WM. CARLTON, his wife, his son and a servant, all died. MR.
CARLTON had been on a visit to his son, in a camp near Richmond. He was not 
aware that he was ever near any person who had the disease.
   Vaccination would have saved his family. It would be well to have a 
permanent law, as in Germany, compelling all parents to attend to the subject 
of vaccination and paying all doctors to vaccinate.
   What strange and short-sighted creatures these Union Justices must be -- 
what slaves to party! Were it not so, their action at last Court to prevent 
the spread of this most loathsome disease would appear to themselves in no 
other light than that of unmitigated hatefulness.
   Nothing but the progress of Christian sentiment can correct the feelings 
that prompted them to complain of vaccinating the poor, and to make it a 
matter of judicial record. The County of Union had as well enter a decree 
against every enterprise of Christian benelovence -- against the spirit that 
hunts outcasts of poverty and crime for relief and reform -- against the 
spirit that raises hospitals for sick soldiers -- against the spirit that 
erects asylums for the insane, and schools for the dumb and blind.
   An old lady at my elbow accounts for it all by saying Confederence must 
have forgotten to send a circuit rider into Union. I venture no man voted for 
the order who reads "The Standard." I venture every Justice of the Peace who 
voted  for the order voted for Johnson for Governor. I venture those of them 
who make corn to sell, sell it at a high price. I venture they will all live 
to regret their action upon the subject of small pox.
   When the Legislature passed the act, it was not supposed that people of 
wealth would avail themselves of it. It was intended for the special benefit 
of those who are in the Army at $11 per month. -- Magistrates are exempt, by 
reason of their office, from conscription. They go beyond their office when 
they enter up decrees against the spread of small pox in the families of those 
who have gone out to battle, not for their wives and children, but for their 
property.

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