The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-06-07
BALTIMORE.
MONDAY, JUNE 7, 1858.

The remark was not long since made by Royal
Parsonage in England, that free institutions were
as yet on their trial. They on their trial in
this country to-day. In Washington and New Or
leans-in the capital city of the Republic, and in
the commercial metropolis of the South their
worth and their efficacy must this day be submitted
to the test of severe experiment. popular election
occurring to-day in each of the two citles is the
fiery ordeal through which must pass, before the
setting of the sum- cherished and boosted popu-
lar institutions. The increasing apprehensions
with which every recurrence of an Election in our
large Cities begins to be viewed by the more peace
able and conservative portion of the community is
a fact full of solemn and significant warning. 1t
is the melancholy and conclusive evidence of the
growth of popular distrust in popular intelligence
and virtue. The people are beginning to doubt
themselves and their own capacity to exercise hon
estly and fairly the high prerogaves of popular
ereignty AS each great occasion draws near, when
citizens are called upon to exercise the highest and
most responsible privilege of citizenship the right
of suffrage, men begin to cast about for extraordi
nary means whereby to prevent and guard against
extraordinary contingencies. We feel the necessity of
putting additional restraints and checks upon our
selves, and our own propensity to abuse the cleo
tive franchise. We seek for additional guards and
securities, wherewith to surround the baot-box,
and even call into existence unconstitutional
agencies for the preservation of public peace and
order, while we are engaged in the solemn duty of
casting our ballots for the candidates of our choice
In view of the municipal election which takes
place in Washington to-day, the Marshal of the
District has felt it his duty to organize "a special
armed force for the occasion, and has issued his
proclamation notifying the public of the fact and
ordering EIGHTY volunteer troopers to assemble
''early on Monday morning, at the public Jail,
equipped and ready if need be-" to cooperate
with the city authorities and the police in quellng
disturbances. This-in the Capital of the Repub-
lie, while the Congress of the Nation is actually in
session. and where the Chief Magistrate of the
UNION has his official residence. In New Orleans,
in anticipation of q similar election, the people,
within the last week, have risen in arms against
the existing authorities, deposed them from their
places, and established in their stead Revolution
airy Government with extraordinary powers and
of an irresponsible character under the protection
of whose bayonets they, this day. propose to 90
through the forms of popular election. In
Baltimore, we know that for some years past, our
elections have been absolute mockery of the cleo
tive franchise, disgrace to the name of republic
canism, and blot upon the fame of our State and
City. Over the deceased bodies of Citizens the
present MAYOR was borne into office, and during
his administration, we have more than once re-
allied to the letter the sarcastic description of
French liberty, given by an English satirist -
Universal Suffering and Vote by Bullet" The
picture, which is overdrawn and falsely coored,
as regards popular elections in France, is truth
full representation of elections in Baltimore. These
are appalling facts-and to every lover of his
country, are suggestive of painful apprehensions
Let us devouty hope that the news which shall
come to us to-day from the cities of Washington
and New Orleans, will be such as to restore in
measure our diminished confidence in the capacity
of the mixed and turbulent populations of our large
Towns to conduct the great experiment of popular
government to a safe and happy solution.