The Washington union., 1857-09-17
BALTIMORE AS SHE IS AND MAY BE.

LOUISIANA, returned 10 TINS city yesterday.
BALTIMORE AS SHE Is AND MAY BE-
States have their infected districts; cities are al
flicted with disreputable localities which appear
to be beyond the reach of redemption; and the
most obscure villages not unfrequently have "spots"
which are carefully Stunned by virtuous orderly
people. There is one city in the Union-and it is
with extreme pain and deep modification that we
record the humiliating fact-that is rapidly ap-
preaching that disreputabe notoriety which must end
if a remedy is not Immediately applied in giving it
a most unenviable relative position to the whole
country. Who, q few short years ago, would have
believed that the once proud prosperous city of
Baltimore, with worldwide reputation for its
wealth. refinement, and hospitality could have fallen
into such condition that the lives and property of her
citizens completely at the mercy of organized
bands of desperate numbering rufians Such is the
revolving state Of affairs in the fifth commercial city
of the Union or else the daily local chronicles of the
Baltimore papers-papers of all political shades and
afinities-are sheer fabrications, coinages Of
the brain.
But there is evidence-daily hou11iiy crushing evi-
dence-that, as general rue the journalists of Bal
timore have discharge ed their duties with great bold
ness and fidelity, and that far from exaggerating
the alarming condition of their local affairs much has
bee1softened, and much altogether suppressed from
motives which will naturally suggest themselves
to the reader. 1t is matter of notorety that de-
cided majority of the citizens of Baltimore are demo-
Gratis; and yet that majority cannot be heard and
felt through the ballot-box in consequence of the
murdcrous assaults or intimdations of an armed,
organized, and law-defying minority and such are
now tho periodical scenes of violence at the polls
that after election has been held in the city peo-
pie at distance look not for the returns Of the
judges but the returns of the hospitalsthe lists of
the killed and wounded democrats. The immunity
which has followed these frightful outrages has en-
gendered spirit of lawlessness in the breasts of
the offending parties which manfests itself with
nearly as fatal effects on other days besides
election days. Sunday fights, and weekday
fghts-fghts in the highways and by-ways, in
the suburbs and in the heart of the city
attacks on private and public houses--mrrders
by night and by day--general melees in which hun
dreds are engaged with rifles, revolvers, and bowie
knives now form the great staple of the local items
Of Baltimore journal. reference to file of the
Baltimore Sun, American, Republican for the last
two or three years, will show that we have not over
stated the Socontinual has been this fearful state
of awlessness that we have long since reraned from
even auding to these outrages as matter of news.
These statements may be denied but it cannot be
denied that the whole business of Baltimore shows.
to use mercantile expression, downward tenden-
cy." Real estate in that city is much lower now
than it has been for years, and prices still de-
clining. The business of the wholesale and retail
dealers has fallen off to such degree as to excite
both inquiry and alarm The large hotels of Balti-
more, once regarded and truly regarded, as very u
cranve investments, now scarcely pay expenses
The thousands and thousands of northern and south
ern travellers who formerly "staid over for a
night or day in Baltimore, with comparatively
few exceptions, now hurry through the city for
a more desirable and secure resting place. Nor
is this all. So widely known is Baltimore for
the infamous, murderous, and anti American char
actor of its outrages, and deeprooted is the
general feeling of indignation for the authors and
abettors of those outrages, that we can mention
whole communities in Virginia. Tennessee and other
States in which pledges have been exacted by the
people Of the store-keepers not to purchase any
goods, no matter how trifing tho amount in the city
of Baltimore and these pledges we have good rea-
son to believe have been relgiousy kept.
We do not mean to say by this that all the mer,
chants of Baltimore responsible for the ourases
which have done so much to injure the reputation
and business Of their city, but we do mean to say
that many, very many, of their number have aided,
and still aid to keep in murderous existence armed
and organized bands of political bullies, by their
counsel, countenance, and liberal pecuniary contri-
buttons, and that unless this aid is promptly and |
forever withheld, and unless they are hereafter
found the side of law and ORDER instead of on the
side of men whose deeds of violence have filed the
country with disgust and indignation still further
and more injurious consequences to the business
growth, and prosperity of Baltimore may be safely |
regarded as inevitable.
1t is not too late for Baltimore to recover from the
blight under which she is now suffering-to take
her DID, proud stand among her sister cities of the
Union--to avail herself of the almost countless adj
vantages which her favorable geographical position
and the enterprise and beray of her citizens have
placed within her grasp--and to stiAe that spirit |
which can only have spasmodic existence in ruin |
carnage, and blood
1t now rests with the citizens of Baltimore 10 se-
cure for themselves and their beautiful city bapnv