The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-06-14
no THE PUBLIC.

A private correspondence between MILTON WITT
NEY, Esq, and myself rather what processes to
be such correspondence having been published by
Mr.. WHITNEY, on Saturday, in several of the news
papers OF this city, am compelled, though it is in
utter fepughance to my own taste and feelings, to
repuoilsh 1t IN this connection, striking out the
ltallclsng OF certain words which were not under
scored IN the originals, and restoring certain other
words winch exist in the originals, but which
omitted in Mr.. WHITNEY's publication. Under Or
binary circumstances should be content with doing
only thus much, but it is perhaps proper in the
present that should ask leave to trouble the
public with few additional words.
As general rule, should not feel it my duty, as
the editor OF public journal, to connect my own
personality with any of the articles which appear in
its columns. newspaper speaks for itself. Its
opinions are worth their value and nothing
more. They should not derive force from the
strength, or lose effect from the weakness of the
name that endorses them. They are their own
strength or their weakness. Strictly speak
ing, therefore, felt under obligation to commu-
nicate to Mr. WHITNEY the fact of my authorship of
the article which gave him offence. knew per-
fectly well besides, that his ignorance on the subject
was a mere fiction; paltry for not
doing what he ought to do, while appearing
to do something. Still, Mr.. WHITNEY holds
ahigh official station, and by conventionaty gen
tleman, and as he complained so grievously that
the names the parties who had traduced him. were
concealed from him, felt disposed to waive in his
the rule which as an editor had laid down to
myself, and oput an end to all cavil on his part
and that of his friends by addressing him my note
of the 10th inst. Obviously to every one but him
SELF that note certainly asked no redress from him.
! had, 49,
benefit. His speech itself quite redress enough
| for me, had been his most vindictive enemy
| Instead, however, of availing himself of the
information which | gave him, to make such
personal appeal to me, as no gentleman would
| have hestated to make on the instant had the cx-
tent of his grievance been one-haf of what he al
! legged Mr.. WHITNEY contented himself with endor-
sing over to Inc individually the vulgar abuse which
he had addressed to Judge STUMP when he pretended
not to know his assailant. This course left me
nothing to do, but to repent of my error in having
dealt with Mr.. WHITNEY, on the theory of his
being what an official of his grade ought to be.
and to withdraw from further correspondence
with an individual whose contact could not in
any way be otherwise than disreputablc Such
was the obvious purport of my note of the 18th
inst. The only ''invitation" to San argument
contained in either of my notes, consisted
| in the communication to Mr.. WHITNEY of my name
and my responsibility for the injury of which he
complained; an attention on my part, which, how
ever well meant, the sequel has shown to have been
wholly superluOus. If Mr.. WHITNEY is content
| with the cheap satisfaction he has obtained and
thinks his character rc-estabished, and his wrongs
redressed, by the repetition in gross of the vulgar
| language which it had sufficiently dsgraced him
to have used in detail, certainly have no cause OF
| complaint. If he is satisted-surely so am l. This
is his idea Of what he calls with italicised emphasis
"proper spjri," and think it is very proper
| one--for him.
have only to add, that if it be true as Mr..
| WHITNEY states in his card of Saturday, that on
the receipt of my first NOTE he "divested himself of
all official restraints he certainly gave neither
to myself nor to Mr.. kERR any hint to that effect
leaving and perhaps with reason, to infer it from
his usual official habits. If such really be the case
and Mr.. WHITNEY has actually resigned his office
it is matter of congratulatiOn to the people OF
Baltimore, who are thus cheaply rid of an unwor,
thy official, and of personal qualification to myself
to have thus proved public benefactor. If it is
not true however. then the assertion to that effect
contained in Mr.. WHITNEY's card is an empty bra
vado his part the falsehood of which is in per
feet keeping with his conduct throughout the whole
affair. THOMAS WV. HALL JR.
CORRESP ONDENCE.