The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-03-20
BALTIMORE.
SATURDAY, MARCH 20, 1853.

- 1OnOrS change manners, ana the chauSc Is
not always an Improvement At least, we do not
find that men become more civil or better-behaved
in proportion as they advanced by popular
favor to posts of trust and power. On the contra
ry we are half inclined 10 believe that the usual
effect of official distinction upon the manners and
morals of our public men is equally coruptive of
both. This process of deterioration is particularly
rapid in the case of our legislative assemblies
whose members seem gradually to lose all respect
either for public opinion or public decency, until
by insensble degrees the last vesge of the gentle
man is wholly extinguished in the unmitigaed
blackguardism of the Congressman.
few weeks SINCE n protracted and puere
struggle between opposing factions in the House of
Representatives was brought to a diseraceful ter
mlnatlon by general melee among honorable
members, III which blows were given and ex-
changed with all the eagerness and heartiness of
the prlze-hghter or the street-rowdv. On Satur-
day, the dulness and monotony of night debate
IN the Senate of the United States was agreeably
enlivened by an interchange of vulgar insults and
low-bred personalities between two Conscript
Fathers of the Republic for which their subsequent
apologies cannot offer the slightest atonement
The wound inflicted upon the honor of Senator
CAMERON may be healed by the assurance on the
part of Senator GREEN that, in calling him "a liar -
he meant not the slightest personal disrespect to
the distinguished Senator, and the breach in Sena-
ator GREENS selfrespect may be repaired by
similar explanation on the part of Senator CAME
RON that the insulting language used by him was
intended only in a 'Pickwickian" sense But the
dishonor inflicted upon the good name of the
Senate, and the fair fame of the Republic can not
be removed by these soothing applications of ex-
PLANTATION and apology. An evil example has been
set which, it seems, other legislative bodies have not
been slow to follow A telegram from Albany,
published in yesterdays paper informs us that in
the New York Assembly, on Thursday, an inge-
NOUS application Of the arguenttn, ad homi,ena was
resorted to in controversy between Messrs CHAT
FIELD and DELANEY "by the former seizing the
latter by the throat, and choking him until he
became black in the face
In the legislative bodies of the South and West
such scenes are of still more frequent occurrence
and rarely give rise TO any particular comment
Now this state Of manners verges altogether too
closely on barbarism to be tolerated in a civilized
community and is calculated to bring into con-
tempt the character of our legislators and our
legislation, at home and abroad About minor
offences against decorum such as attract the aten-
ton and provoke the satire of foreign tourists,
we do not now propose to speak Much of the
vulgarity and gducherie which marks the deport-
ment OF our public men arises from pure ignorance
on their part of the conventional rules of good
breeding; the early training and previous habits
honorable ha,
innocent of that culture and refinement which
is borrowed from association and intercourse with
gentlemen. Much allowance too must be made
for these minor infrngements of the rules of deco
rum on account of the unpromising material out
OF which many of our legislators are fashioned.
There is certain animal whose auticular append-
age can by no device or art Of man be fashioned
into the similitude of silk purse and there are
Unborn Doors whom no advantages of position or
education, nor all the appliances of the tailor and
the boot-maker can transform into gentlemen.
There is an inbred nobility of nature which some
men possess and others do not Reading and
writing" as honest Dogberry says, ''come by ma
ture, but to be gentleman is the Gift of God.
Neither do we propose at present to refer to those
darker and graver charges which affect the inteo-
rlty and honesty of our lawgivers; we speak only
OF what Is upon the surface not of that which lies
below. That foul corruptons lurk in and about
the halls and lobbies of the National Capitol, the
exposures made at the late session of Congress and
the Investigations which are in progress at the
present leave unfortunately no room to doubt.
Our present structures, however are directed at the
more open fragrant and public violations of the
common decencies and courtesies of life of which
almost every days proceedings now afford some
painful illustration. We refer to that I'M
bridled licence of speech which leads to
the habitual use of vituperation and abuse as
legitimate weapons of controversy--which accepts
coarse and offensive epithes as suitable substitutes
for arguments; which has impaired 10 honorable
members of the two Houses of Congress. Glib IA
cility in the use of Billingsgate, which would do
honor to the most accomplished graduate of the
Fish Market, and which has caused the very pleas
anries of debate to lose every semblance of the wit
of gentlemen, and assume the tone and character
of vulgar 'chaf,' such is indulged in by London
Cables
We refer, above all and beyond ALL to that fire.
quent and unchecked display of the brutal propen-
sites of the shoulder-hitter, the bully and the
bravo, which is a burning shame and blot upon
the character of our congressman If the dignity
of the Senate is to be compromised by free tolera
ton of the language and manners of the bar room
and the race course, and the floor of the House to
be converted into ring where may be enacted
scenes only less lively and exciting than those of
Donnybrook fair, need not be surprised at find
ing, following in the safe line of Congressional
precedent" New. York Assemblymen choking
each other 'untl they are black in the face"
Neither must we be so thin-skinned and sensitive
as to be offended at the very natural remarks of
foreigners, accustomed to less simple and more
artificial code of manners, the habitual disregard
of which by our public men ought to abate some
what of that over-weening national vanity which
makes us insensible to the many glarng defects in
our political and social system.
Formerly, there used to be schools where the ee-
ments of good English education advertised to
be taught, were reading, writing, arithmetic and
department. We can only regret that so impor-
tant branch as the last named, should have been
so much neglected in the education of our public
men, and particularly of those who are honored
with seats in our National and State halls of leps-
lation.
We aresagain called upon to make constitu- |
ton, having worn out the one last manufactured |