American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-03-17
TFOr the American Republican.

NESSRS. EDlTORS,-I eTilllI Iuc tIHougH TIC
medium of your widely circulated paper, re-
spectfnlly to address few words to the public,
and the constituted authorities of the city of
Baltimore more particularly, on the lamented
frequency Of FIRES; the very great majority OF
which are unqucstlonably the work of the vile
and wicked incendiary,-no only thereby de-
stroyng the property of citizens, but greatly
endangerng also the lives of whole families
No matter whether it be the man OF indepen-
dence, (pIobably the result of long and well
spent life, replete with honorable activity and
economy or he who has retired, wearied to his
supposed rest, after the laudable exertions of
the day, and cherishing sanguine hopes of the
prosperity of the morrow; or the poorer, yet
equally respected individual, who has been la
boriously toiling from SUNRISE to ITS setting, in
order honestly to minister to the wants of an
helpless family, entirely dependent upon "the
sweat of his brow" the widow, and fatherless;
the imbecile, the aged, and infirm; all are alike
subject to be aroused from their pillows by the
dreadful and towel known warning of the
midnight bell or the clamorous rattle and stem
torian cry of 'Fire, fire, fire." by the careful
and viglant guardian of the night Let any
one seat himself but for one hour, and delbe-
rately picture to himself the horrible and indie
scribabe agony unavodably produced in the
breasts of those who, in an instant, discover
themselves malignly subjected to one of the
most awful of all earthly calamities, when, if
he possess but one drop of "the milk of human
natnre'' in his whole composition, he must
arise from that seat devotedly determined to
put into requisition every faculty which the
goodness of an Omniscient Creator has gwen
him, for the purpose of preventing such i'm
for fho
Fires, and their baneful consequences, do,
and will, at times take place from unforeseen
and unavoidable causes,-but from the hand of
vllainy, it is incomparably more affective. In
either case, the heartfelt sympathy of every
upright, honest man is powerfully elected; but
the demoniacal act of the incendary naturally
excites an infexible desire for the punishment
of the inhuman perpetrator of such vast, and
too frequently irreparabe devastation and ruin.
And does it not appear passing strange, that
desire so Just and reasonable shosld not be car
ried out to its full consummation?, But the
question may arise. how is this to be done? |
answer, readily and certainly;-that is, if the
city of Baltimore really deserves the far-famed
euogums passed upon her patriotism and in
tegrity, (and assuredly believe she does;) then
| fearlessly assert, that measures may be devils
gu, iuiiy CdPduic vi CHeChiiIS LILO WuntOH CdIecr
of an evil SO loudly, so reasonably and so ge-
nerally deplored.
Every conscientious man, even if he have
not dollar at stake, must, from the common
dictates of humanity, at once resolve to aid, as
far as may be in his power, the adopted means,
be they what they may, for the suppression of
mischief so certainly tragical and bereaving.-
Each one, the clergy and pious more especa'y,
will not only hail the probability of such an
event, but strenuousy exert themselves, both
in private and public, to establish a blessing so
truly desirable The acknowledged power and
Importance of the Press, also, will doubtless
prove influential and useful, by the constant
sound advocacy of any measure calculated to
destroy the Vaccinations Of the wicked and
reckless, so terribly appalling and satanic.
In the American Republican of the 10th inst.
observed among the many notices of fires, an
expressed hope that watchmen may exercise all
due vigilance; but if the present mode be per-
sisted in of calling every hour, it will allow of
little surprise, if their best endeavors are mega
lived This "call" as audibly informs the thief
and the incendary Of the absence of their enc
my, or his approach; thereby affording ample
time and opportunity for accomplishing then
fend.sh purposes, and safely escaping. The