The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-09-01

bors, are as falthleSS and inefficient as those who
abuse our own. Misery loves company no doubt
and when we are going down hill ourselves, it
ought perhaps to be great source of satisfaction
TO us, TO know, that other people are making the
same unpleasant descent with equal rapidity and
are likely to land, with as much damage, at the
bottom. But, somehow or other we cannot get
rid of the impression, that the worthless JEHUs,
whose neglect or ncompetency upsets their respec
tive masters, ought to be scourged to the extent of
their dement's, Notwithstanding the refreshment
which the victims may find, in the equality with
which the Commissions are distributed. For the
benefit, however, of those Of our readers who are
disposed to think otherwise and who would flin
persuade themselves that we are well served be-
cause others are served as badly or worse we sub
Join an extract from the Philadelphia Press 1t is
quite obvious that our contemporary has not yet
had its ''deserts," for it seems entirely unaware
that the independence of journalism consists in the
prudence with which it holds its tongue In Bal
timore we are taught better But let us hear Mr..
FoRNEY:
IF the true history (he says) of all the candidates who
have sought and seeking, the suirages the
citizens of Philadelphia, coming election could be
written, it wond form of the remarkable vol
uhS tiat nave ever Decn presented to the world The
characters of half dozen of DICKENS popular novels
embracing well his honorable gentlemen as his mpu
dent Adventures branles preenders downright knave
and demented imbeces could find their prototypes
these clamorous claimants for public favor The rule
to be firmly established that other qualification
for an office is required than the capacity obtain it
Men who barely read and write shrink from seek
ing stations requiring for the proper discharge u
ties high mental qualifications, and men whose integrity
is than suspected and who should think themselves
fortunate that they have escaped confinement in our
prisons, demand, with unbluShng audacity Offices of the
| highest trust and responsibility
Nor is this ALL The deectable gentlemen to
whom the Press refers, seem to be quite as I'M
scrupulous in their proceedings, as they are ati-
tudinous in their pretensons. ''The means,' it
tells us, "by which this motley crowd of candi-
dates seek to crafty their ambition are in many
''inStanccs characteristic of the aspirants them
''selves. In the late County Convention, we
''regret to say that reports Of bribery and of buy
eng and selling delegates, were so common that
''they occasoned no surprise" Nor is there any
distinction of party, in so delightful matter
The blessings alluded to appear TO be equally and
mpartiay diffused.
"The contested election in the Tenth ward has ad
mOnshed the public suspicious of ballot box stunp
cannot be confined exclusively the Democracy The
list of Opposition candidates for Congress- the cards
in which them appeal to the public for suprort
eloquent reminders that Philadelphia may not vet
have done her in selecting congressman The Or.
position have over and over again nu in tLr Count Pow
offices men who guilty of the infamous con
duct and their Convention will find claimants for its
nominations bad any of those who have been elected
heretofore
| Well may our contemporary say to his fellow
citIzens-'lt is time that remedy should be found
''for this state of things" And yet we do not
think that it points out the remedy by simply
saying-'It is at the polls.' We think the cure
must begin farther back. If packed and purchas-
ed partiZan conventions alone concern themselves
with the selection of candidates, and the people
upon arriving cat the polls" find none to vote
for, but the corrupt, unworthy party-hacks, whom
the pot-houses have seen fit to place before them
upon the side or the other, we do not exactly
perceive how 'thc polls" can be made TO resi- ond
to the public disgust and Indignation. If honest
and patriotic citizens decline voting they but
resign the field to the unprincipled traders in
politics. If they vote, they but swell the triumph
| of one dsreputabe organization or the other
They must do something more, if they would
disenthral themselves from servitude of which
the degradation, deep as it may be, is
not the worst part. They must dedicate
themselves to the work, as they do to every
tend to command it. They must undertake it.
and carry it through, as a matter of busincss-a
thing in which their individual, personal and pc
cuniary interests blended with the public good
| inscparably and altogether. They may naturally
| enough, be unwilling to undertake the lIerculcan
task of reforming the whole nominating SYSTEM
They may he content to leave to politicians Offices
which are merely political. They may reconcile to
their conscienCes, if they will, an abandonment to
that extent, of their duties as citizens But in
regard to offices which concern the administration
and execution of the laws; in regard 10 municipal
Offices whose incumbents are i'll daily contact with
their direct pecuniary interests and most immediate
personal rights they must themselves act, if they
would have action result in any thing They
must fling party politics aside, because, with such
offices and such rights and interests, neither par
ties nor politics have any rightful concern. They
must get rid-not merely of the hangers-on. who
frequent the ''primary'' grog-shops, and whose
humber aims are contented by plumber and impu-
nlty-but of the respectable" aspirants who are
ambitious of higher things, and who, regarding
municipal position" as but stepping-stone to
something better, will pander to any abuse which
they believe will help them on their way. It is
not only they, whom money buys, who are cor
rnpt Ambition has its coin, which also purchases
and debases. The desire of notoriety-the vanity
that itches for applause-the love of pace-the lust
of power and influence and command-are. all.
shapes in which corruption cheats us of our better
selves. Against men who are open to these as
sauts, we must guard, in the Offices referred to-
W hat we want-what We must have, in our chief
municipal office, at least if we would redeem our
selves-is good citizen who has no idea of being
PRESIDENT of the UNITED STATES, or even of going
to Congress, and who is willing to serve his fellow
citizens as duty, and to receive their gratitude
and the consciousness of duty discharged, as his
reward We can say, truly, of our people, what
the Press asserts of its own, without respect to
party:
at is insulting to this community to assert that it
docs not contain men whom tcould implicitly trust both
as regards ability and fidelity in every office in its rift
VIII not our fellow citizens find out at least one
such? If they will motif they will allow the
selection to be made for them by the worst men
in their midst-if they will let their Chief Maois-
trate be the choice and especial representative Of
those whom it should be his first duty to hunt ont
and punish-surely it will not lie in their mouths 70
complain if he obeys the bad instincts of his Off
clal nature, and pays back to the lawless and
corrupt the patronage and protection, which is
their best gain and the communitys worst loss
----aa1--.-
we are pleased to see, by specimen of orna-
mental printing in colors lately executed by Messrs
JAMES Lucas SoN, No. Is S. Calvert street for
the BALTIMORE AND ONO RAILROAD COMPANY, that