The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-10-22
BALTIMORE.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER q. 1858.

When The american of Saturday last assumed
its virtuous position in regard to the late ''eec-
tion" we were perfectly satisfied that it would
follow the inevitable law of its nature and unsay,
in the course of a fortnight all that it had screw
ed up its courage, so magnanimously, then to
say. We received therefore, as matter of course,
its editorial discovery of Wednesday in regard TO
the ''marked tickets
THAT Mayor Swami was wholly unaware, until the
night preceding the election of the fact that such tickets
be used and then expressed himself in the strong
terms Of disapprobation of the measure declaring
that had he discovered the fact he would have had
them destroyed and other tickets printed
Before the week is out, the retrograde move
ment will no doubt develop the further fact, upon
equally "undoubted authority" that Mr.. SWAMI
had no idea the election was to take place at ALL
until he learned, on Wednesday evening, that it
was over.
But-assuming, for moment, that his Honor
was in fact ignorant, until the eve of the ''eec-
''tion," Of what everybody in his confidence
knew perfectly well-supposng that he had for
gotten the red-strped tickets of last fall, and
never dreamed that similar laudable contrivance
could possibly be devised for his beneft-con-
ceding too, that he left, in good faith to his
policemen and his other partsans, the preparation
of the means by which his coveted endorsement
was to be obtaned-is his organ weak enough to
suppose that his skirts are cleared, by such forget
fulness and ignorance, from the responsibility
which attaches to him for the ''fraud and vio-
lence" perpetrated in his name and on his behalf?
Mr.. SWAMI was not merely candidate for the
MAYoRALTY-he was MAYOR already. He had no
right to leave TO others, the doing of that, which
he was himself bound to see done, so that no man
should suffer from it. 1t was his duty not merely to
be ignorant of the frauds which in preparation
on his accountant to see and know that there
were no such frauds. 1t became him to take care
that no machinery of violence and imposition
should be fabricated to secure his triumph 1t was
his honorable obligation not less than his sworn
duty, and there is no escape for him, in the pue-
re excuse that he did not know what was going
on. He was bound to know it. He could easily
have known all about it. Nay-without the
necessity of any special knowledge-if his official
character and conduct had impressed those around
him with any sense of respect-with any idea that
such base and unlawful devices would really shock
anddisgust him. and provoke against their authors,
though ever so much his friends, the genuine IN
dignation of high toned spirit-no man of all his
partisans would have dared to insult him, by
linking his name with such disparagement They
would never have ventured TO do what they knew
or believed would incur his honest and unqualified
resentment. Unless they had been satisfied that the
''verdct' would atone to him for the means of
obtaining it, they would have known better than
to have packed the jury, in his name.
But this is not the whole case. Mr.. SWAMI, at
all events, did know of the preparation of the
"chequered tickets on the evening before the
seection." That much, The american confesses
for him. Had he not then ample notice of what
the next day was to bring forth? Was it not-as
THE american called it, on Saturday-"an open
confession of dishonesty and intended violent
Interference with the right of franchise "a con-
teSsion, made to him duly and in advance? Was
he not then doubly bound to prevent the ''violent
interference" so ''intended' and so announced to
him, from being consummated? He wasforewarned
why was he not forearmed? Was he not under
tenfold obligation to protect the rights so deliber-
ately conspired against and threatened-even if he
sacrificed his own life in the effort? The matter
is too clear to be discussed. The story tells itself
But even this is not ALL On Wednesday night
when the mass of the American Partv-to its
honor be it said-shrank from the humiliation
of congratulating Mr.. SWAMI on such a triumph
he addressed, from his own door, some two or
three hundred rulians who shameless enough
to fire their muskes and eevolvers before it. in his
honor. 1t was principally HE respectable associa-
ton of cred Necks," as we learn, who enjoyed
Mr.. SWANS hospitality on that night and gave
him the fraterna embrace. The Selection" had
then been held. lie knew, then at least, that
the "chequered tickets had been used and
had done their work-that the large l.sMioritv
of his feIluw-ciizens had been oppressed
and DISTINGUISHED and that fraud and vio-
lence," riot and murder, had proaned the most
sacred function and ceremonial of free govern
ment, by his default-to say nothing more And
yet-with this full knowledge-instead of the
strong 'terms Of disapprobaton'' which The
American attributes to him, as of the night before
he had only glorifcation and thanks for the out
laws before him. He was not ashamed to con-
graduate them upon victory so won as 'vn-
dication' of himself and them, and of his prn-
ciples and theirs Even the hunted stag-he
said-would turn on its pursuer, and they (tle
stricken deer y had turned at last on their perse-
cutors
After this, let us hear no more about "disap-
probation" and about Mr.. SwANN's being ''wholv
unaware" of anything which gave him the
fraudulent and illegal triumph" whose soiled
and gnominious laurels he is content to wear. To
have neglected his duty, and to have been igno-
rant of what it was his obligation to know, were
bad enough. To have publicly glored in the
results of such delinquency, and not to be above
taking advantage of them, puts him beyond the
pale of decent excuse or honorable apology.