The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-07-30

JOSEPH G.. NEAL, the author of Charcoal
Sketches, once undertook to prove, in his pleas
ant semi-satrical way that of all creatures, bped
or quadruped, existing on the American Cont
nent the City Hog enjoyed the largest share O
liberty. However this may have been twenty
years ago. it is certainly by no means the case
now. The porker is no longer permitted to wal
low indolently in the mire of the streets or to
wander at his own sweet will through the dirtiest
of lanes and alleys in search of swill and garbage;
or to sun himself in some retired nook, or at some
public corner as he was accustomed to do at an
earlier day. We have stripped him of his ancient
and time honored privileges. We have summarily
elected him from his office of Scavenger-G General,
and if we have not yet wholly succeeded in ban
ishing him beyond the limits of the municipality,
we have done the next best thing-we have re-
stricted his peregrinations to back yards and
vacant lots. The City Hog, therefore, cannot now
be quoted as a notable example of dirty independ-
ence-that distinction, in these latter days, has
been transferred to the City Rowdy. But if the
City Hog was nuisance, the City Rowdy is a
terror. Oaths and curses are as familiar to his
lips, as the sung shot, the knife, and the revolver
are common to his hand. In politics he is MERGE
nary, by profession bravo; at heart coward =
He cares nothing for the laws he violates-why
should he? Did not he, and others like him, as
sist in placing the Judge upon the Bench2 Is he
not hand and glove with the STATES ATTORNEY
Does he not stake drink with the magistrate,
and claim fellowship with the police? A man SC
useful on election days is not to be COMPOUNDED with
those poor spirited creatures who an hon
est living, and careful to respect the rights Of
others. The laws were not made for the rowdy,
but for those who have no friends in high places
The rowdy is above all law. He is a chartered
ibertine, free to act he pleases and certain to
find apologists and defenders. He may drive the
caulkers from their work in the ship-yards of
South Baltimore. He may get up a riotous de-
monstration against the stevedores on the coal
wharves. He, and his associates, may first beat
nd then stab certain MICHAEL WAMBAcH. as on
Sunday week last. The Saturday following they
NAV commit a murderous assault upon JOHN
HAMpsoN On Monday they may attempt to shoot
down a man in open day, "within sight of the
Mayors office, and within square of the Police
to Join party of excursionsts upon the river,
take possession OF the oar on DOdrQ the DOat,
'sbreak and destroy whatever comes within the
s'scope of their destructveness;" fire off their
pistols Unfortunately among crowd of terrified
women and children; land at the wharf on the
Point, and commence the onslaught anew; shoot
down one man, and seriously injure several others
all these things they may do, nay they have
done, within the past few days, and the local
record of each of these outrages shall be found to
wind up by stating, for the satisfaction of the
curious in such matters, that 'the guilty parties
escaped" Of course they did. Where would
have been the use of arresting them? The magis-
trate would most probably have admitted them to
bail; and was it proper that the police should risk
a broken head or a chance shot for nothing? Or
if the police did their duty, and the magistrate
performed his, the States Attorney has tender
heart, and the Judge is reported to be mercifu.
II the Court should be applied to, for the purpose
OF fixing the amount of bail, it would certainly
be made light enough and JOHN H1NEsLEY lives
not far off, But we have already said quite enough
to illustrate the perfect freedom and independence
of the City Rowdy.