The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-10-11
BALTIMORE.
MONDAY, OCTOBER II, 1858.


as it has been frequent and unpleasant uu'y 10
do webaye at all times studiously endeaVoureo not
70 deserve that censure which attaches to people
who make habit of complaining of evils, for
,bicb they have neither the wit nor the will to
Spooest any adequate remedy. Months ago-long
before public attention had been drawn to the
subject by the gradual approach OF the Municipal
Election, and at time when it was not known,
or even suspected that Mr.. SWAMI would either
receive or accept a denomination, we uniformly
and persstently urged as the true and only
remedy for grievances which were on all hands
acknowledged to exist-the entire separation of
municipal affairs from party politics, and the cleo
ton TO the MAYoRALTY Of some capable and indie
pendent man, who should be nominated and sup
Dorted exclusively upon grounds of merit and
personal qualification. The arguments by which
we sought to enforce these views are too familiar
and obvious, we hope, to require repetition here.
Their force was admitted by the friends of Mr..
SwAyy himself when not long since they solicited
for that gentleman a general and Spontaneous
invitation to become a candidate for reelection,
which, as The l4naerican adroity suggested, might
have the effect of freeing him from the embarraSs
ment and tyranny of political pledges and of
enabling him TO do justice in future to all his
constituents Whcn-failing in that notablescheme,
Mr.. SWAMI was compelled to accept the nomna-
ton of Il convention Of his own party, and be-
come its candidate for the MAYoRALTY, the occa-
sion seemed to us peculiarly opportune for the
organization of an independent movement in
opposition, and the presentation of an Independent
ministration all candid and impartial men admit
ted and deplored His reelection was solicited
under circumstances which forbade any hope of
future improvement. 1t was expressly sought as
a Hyindication' and an endorsement" and it
will be claimed accordingly evidence that
no amendment is needed-and that people are
content that things should continue as they are
The American party being thus provided with n
candidate to its liking, who tells the con-
vention which nominated him, that it is for
their sakes that he has been 'Epersecuted,"
and for their salles that he consents to be
''ofered up anew-and the Democratic party
having abandoned the field from sheer inability to
keep it, the occasion seemed to us the very one
of all others, most clearly justifying and re-
Quiring the interpositon of that portion of the
community who rate the blessings of good govern
ment above the success of any political organiza-
ton whatsoever. We confidently looked for an
independent movement Of the people for the pur-
pose of placing in the MAYoRALTY an independent
man. We frankly coufess that we have been
greatly disappointed in that expectation, but the
causes that have led to that disappointment are at
least apparent. With the experience of the last
two years fresh i'll their recollection, men have
despaired Of accomplishing anything against the
combined forces Of rufiansm and the Getty gov
ernment" arrayed in opposition to any change
With the police and the rowdies both on his side.
MIR. SWAMI has appeared to them absolutely irwin
cible, and they have hesitated to engage in con-
test against such tremendous odds. With the
conviction that whatever violence might leave
undone, fraud would be certain to accomplish,
they abandoned all confidence in the ballot-box,
as the instrument of our political regeneration,
and looked TO time and circumstances to bring
about that relief which they themselves had given up
all nope OF electng. The probabilities at one time
consequently, seemed to be, that the election would
be suffered to go by default that quiet and peace
able citizens would abstain from votinr-and that
MIR. SWAMI would be left to make as much as he
could, out of ''verdict'' in his favor obtained
under such circumstances and by such means. Re-
Gently, however, an independent movement has
been Instituted, though not such an one as we ex-
pected and advocated-and an independent candi
dent has been nominated, who certainly was not
Ill our contemplation at the time we were urging
onr felloW-ctizens to action and the aspect of
Affairs has been thereby somewhat CHANGED. on
that movement and that candidate we have
hlther purposely RETAINED from speaking. We
had not participated either directly or indirectly in
the nomination OF Colonel SHUT, and possessed no
INFORMATION upon the subject besides that which
we mad published in our columns. HAVING TINS
impaired TO our readers all the facilities in our
power 10 assist them in forming their opinions
We at length take the liberty of expressing
our own. In thus relieving ourselves from,
the suspicion OF being in any way concerned
In the independent movement, ana in the nomina-
ton OF Colonel SHUT, we of course mean not the
slightest diSrespect TO ether-for of the movement
we have no hesitation in saying that we believe it
to have been honestly undertaken and in good
faith, and Of Colonel SHUT will say that he has
our best wishes for his success. We simnlv
wish to show the ground upon which we ourselves
stand, and that our testimony in favor of Colonel
SHUT is not that Of partial or interested witness.
We find him presented as q candidate for the May
Orally without our agency, and contrary to our
expectations. If he should be elected we cannot
claim TO have contributed to his success otherwise
Than by exposing the unftness and errors of his
opponent; neither shall we be committed to any
support or vndlcation of his administration, as
might have happened in the case of the selection of
candidate whom we ourselves had suggested or
preferred. 1t Is true we are opposed TO the re-
eiecuoh oil MI SWANN-but that is no reason of
course, why we should advocate Colonel SHuTr,s
nor should we, if we did not honestly believe him
to be the better man for the place. In some re-
spects we think him to be emnently suited for it.
His integrity and fidelity in the discharge of his
oohSauohS we have never heard questioned In
practical, unpretending sense, such as the MAyoR
Atty required before it became government ~
we nave no reason TO doubt that he is Mr.. SwANN's
superior lis qualifications as a Chief of Police
nave oeen subjected to the test of actual expert
ment' lie was selected for that position by Major
JAMES U. Law, who was an excellent iudoe Of
men, and who said of Colonel SHUT that he was
oe''er ht'ed for such duties than any man he ever
KNEW 1t Is question whether. in times like
these, ana IN view of the work which he will have
10 perform, ii elected, the qualifications which
oolonel SHUT possesses are not the best possible
ones ior Il MAYOR, and there is no question that
they are worth much more than the sneocb-mals-
ing, messa@e-writing faculties which constitute the
exclusive ABILITY Of the present incumbent. Alto
gethef' therefore, We have no hesitation in declar-
ing our decided preference for Colonel SHrrr &c
between himself and Mr.. SwANS-and that is the
only practical question which the election in
wolves. we think that he is entitled to the ear
nest and jealous support of all who deprecate the
reelection OF the latter We think tbat NO man
who does not wish to see Mr.. SWAMI reelected
should lall to vote for his oppouent-or at least
make the attempt. The idea of s.rehuk;,o,,, Mr.
SWAMI by staying away from the polls. and ner-
hitting INN to be elected without onnos;t;on 10
simply preposterous The only way 10 rebuke is
to defeat him. To that end the votes IF tbo con-
sentative and respectable people of this citv ara
indispensable. For such men to permit tbomssI VOC
to be kept away from the polls bv q moro onnro-
hension of personal violence, which after oil
turn out to be unfounded is DOWNRIGHT co,,o d.
If there should be actual violence and 70 cuff
Gent extent to interfere with fair o,oo.;o,, NJ
SWAMI is doubly disgraced. He has tho oxnor;
ence of former elections to admonish hiu-a force