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Letter to Editor
June 24, 1819
Daily National Intelligencer
Washington, District Of Columbia
What is this article about?
A Washington citizen welcomes the Mayor's proclamation restricting roaming dogs, highlighting their role as nuisances in the city: disturbing peace, endangering people, destroying property, and spreading hydrophobia. Notes excessive dog ownership among the poor and nighttime disturbances.
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Full Text
FOR THE NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
Gentlemen: It was a considerable gratification to me (and I hope to the citizens generally) to observe in your paper of the 21st inst. a Proclamation from the Mayor of our City, for the purpose of preventing dogs from rambling at large, unless with their owners. Dogs, in many situations and circumstances of life, are agreeable and useful animals, but in populous towns they are not only useless, but disturbers of the peace and quiet of the community, dangerous to individuals, destructive of their property, and often, at this season of the year, propagate that horrid remediless disease, Hydrophobia or Dog madness. These animals are more numerous in this, than in any other town of the same population in the United States, with which I have been acquainted. There is many a poor citizen in this place, who actually kennels and supports twice as many dogs as he has children. When a stranger enters the town after the usual time for bed, he is greeted by the loud barking and vengeful snarl of a cross dog, and presently is escorted by a full pack, of at least half a dozen in full cry and chase to his lodgings. If a citizen must pass through the town at night, and would be safe, he must arm himself as much as if he were about to make his way through a den of wolves. From the hour of ten o'clock at night till day-light in the morning, one cannot sleep peaceably for the incessant and horrid noise of the dogs. These are unexaggerated facts. I am, therefore, rejoiced to find that the Mayor has devised means for promptly abating the dangerous and disgraceful nuisances of dogs.
Very respectfully, &c.
A. CITIZEN.
Washington, June 21.
Gentlemen: It was a considerable gratification to me (and I hope to the citizens generally) to observe in your paper of the 21st inst. a Proclamation from the Mayor of our City, for the purpose of preventing dogs from rambling at large, unless with their owners. Dogs, in many situations and circumstances of life, are agreeable and useful animals, but in populous towns they are not only useless, but disturbers of the peace and quiet of the community, dangerous to individuals, destructive of their property, and often, at this season of the year, propagate that horrid remediless disease, Hydrophobia or Dog madness. These animals are more numerous in this, than in any other town of the same population in the United States, with which I have been acquainted. There is many a poor citizen in this place, who actually kennels and supports twice as many dogs as he has children. When a stranger enters the town after the usual time for bed, he is greeted by the loud barking and vengeful snarl of a cross dog, and presently is escorted by a full pack, of at least half a dozen in full cry and chase to his lodgings. If a citizen must pass through the town at night, and would be safe, he must arm himself as much as if he were about to make his way through a den of wolves. From the hour of ten o'clock at night till day-light in the morning, one cannot sleep peaceably for the incessant and horrid noise of the dogs. These are unexaggerated facts. I am, therefore, rejoiced to find that the Mayor has devised means for promptly abating the dangerous and disgraceful nuisances of dogs.
Very respectfully, &c.
A. CITIZEN.
Washington, June 21.
What sub-type of article is it?
Persuasive
Social Critique
What themes does it cover?
Social Issues
Health Medicine
What keywords are associated?
Dogs
Nuisance
Hydrophobia
Mayor Proclamation
Washington City
Rabies
Urban Disturbance
What entities or persons were involved?
A. Citizen.
Gentlemen
Letter to Editor Details
Author
A. Citizen.
Recipient
Gentlemen
Main Argument
the mayor's proclamation to prevent dogs from roaming at large is welcomed, as dogs in washington are numerous nuisances that disturb peace, endanger people, destroy property, and spread hydrophobia.
Notable Details
Dogs More Numerous Than In Other U.S. Towns Of Similar Size
Poor Citizens Support More Dogs Than Children
Nighttime Disturbances Require Arming Like Against Wolves
Unexaggerated Facts About Incessant Dog Noise From 10 Pm To Daylight