Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-10-22

| Friday MOhNlNN, OCiOhEft II S$'
THE REIGN OF TERROR" IN BALTIMORE
| We happened to be present in Philadelphia during
the occurrence of the late State elections, where We
witnessed a scene which thoroughly .ebuked The
prelension of those woud-be political sages who e1
press grave doubts as to the suficiency Of Demo
cratic institutions for the preservation of good order
in large cities agitated by excited political con
tests. We perceived no violence, no disorder-no
even the congregation OF unusual crowds Indeed, a
stranger might have passed the whole day In the
streets without knowing that election day lad ar
rived. We were doubIy grstifed at this state o
things-gratifed for the sake of a practical demon
sration of the entire compatibility Of good order and
dscency with the most unrestrained exercise OF the
privileges of freemen-gratfed for the sake ci
kindly remembrances of ''sng syne," when years o
residence in the Quaker City made it's we'll washed
pavement, almost as familiar as our native soil.
That this pleasurable exhibition Ia due, in great
measure, to the eminently conservative and intei-
gent character of the population OF Philadelphia, can
not be denied. But the remembrance OF the disgrace
full riots which occurred years ego, among tie
Native Americans" and the foreign population OF
that the Of the peopls there, elsewhere, are
lisbls to eXcesses, unless restrained by the wisdom
Of municipal rulers who moi afraid to encounter
the responsibility OF efficient police management
Not only is the city we'll supplied with stawart con-
stables, whose badges Of Office offer ssu,ary warn
ing to brawlers and ruff ans but the polls are opened
in some two hundred voting precincts. Thus there
is no throng around the polls-and if peaceful voter
is driven from one precinct by menace or violence,
he easily seek another it being impossible TO or.
ganise bands of rowdies strong enough to command
so large number of positions IDdeed, the trade Of
these dsturbers of the peace is thus rendered alto
gether pro6tless, iusomuch that the employment Of
such mercenaries becomes Of no ava, even when re-
sorted to. This cheap and cay preventive recon.
mends itself to universal adoption In ali our large
cities.
1t is with shame aud regret that we are obliged TO
contrast this combination of executive Efficiency le-
gslave competency and popular subordinaton to
the responsibilities of freemen, with the disgraceful
state of affairs which still exists n the city of Balti
more. AT the very time wher the people and the
authorities of Philadelphia united 10 secure to every
legal voter the free aud quiet exercise of bis elective
q
in Baltimore felt obliged 10 retire from the contest,
merely because his competitor who happened to hold
the executive Office for the time being, Sustained
oy the mensoes of mob which threatened the life
and property of voters among It's political opponenta
merely because the members OF political organiza.
ton, which had s origin in the fraud and conspiracy
Of civil prescription and religious intolerance, pre-
acribed by test oath, administered in the darkness
Of secret society, and binding its vo.sries 10 the
daily practice of wlfu falsehood because thees
evinced disposition to maintain by rufiianism the
political power and patronage which they obtained by
intrigue. We protea that this state of things is al
most equally disgracdul to all classea of the comnu-
nifty to the injured purity as we'll as to the scoundres
who have dared to invade their peace. We have
never felt the least sympathy for the dainty astdi-
ousness OF that class of city inhabitants who
shrink from the performance Of their patriotic dutiee
from fear Of contact with the Ignorance the preju-
dces, the coar-s vugaty the uncleanness, If you
please, of less favored people, who are nevertheless
their fellow citizens; with whom it ia their duty to
miDgle 10 the assertion and performance OF common
political rights and Obligations. 1t ia but right and
natural that men Of su,erior cultivation and refine
nection with their equas in these respects The dem
agogue who stigmatze.this rs "aistocracy" pervers
the employment Of the term. But when men pre-
sumo upon the crest, :: these superorities TO hold
aoof from the commn exercise of political duties,
they do become aristosrats in sentiment and intent;
they are justly amerable 10 censure they hold po.
siton only less culpsble than that involved in an
open attempt to obtain for themselves rs separate
csste, exclusive political privileges and immunlties.
Every citizen owes 1t to tbs community to employ
the whole weight of his vosand legitimate influence
10 the service OF the State. And the palm of honor,
due 10 the faithful performance of political obiigs-
ton, can be won only by en,ountering, 10 some e1
tent at least, the dust of the political arena. ANY
other rule of action tends to The hot house growth OF
a plant which refuses 10 founsh beneath our repub-
can sky. We have witnessed the full development OF
this weed called aristocracy on soils where history
has rendered it almost Indigenous. We oan bear
witness to democratic RAIDERS that it is at best,
a sicky shrub 1t is worse 1t saps the vigor OF
manhood and posons The v,ry fountain Of national
prosperity. And while the fasidous nicely which
withholds some men from the pols, is thus repre-
hensible, the fear of personal violence, which re-
sUdLe otueIe, 10 utloiIy uehPooues Abo oue nol'o
ia arstocrac pretensoni heother is sheer cowardice
nothing less.
The city of baltimore is, q this moment, ruled by
q minority composed Of its worst citizens. To sup
pose otherwise, would be to believe that majority
of the people, knowingly ard wifully, continue in
office man who. BY neglect, incapaci'y, or con-
nivance, permits the iresdom Of elections and the
security Of life and property to be repeatedly and
1agranty violated. To believe this involves The
absurdity of supposing, that large and enlightened
community Of this free country, are utterly sunk
10 moral degradation to be incapable Of sefg govern.
ment The TACT, then, is patent. Baltimore is ruled
by a corrupt and violent minority. Such being the
case, it is as much the duty of every good citizen to
lend all biz efforts to remedy az 1t would be to repel
foreign invasion. Active eff rt is required Let each
man of intelligence, of learning, of wealth, employ
all the influence at his command. Let each mix
freely with his fellow-citisens- with that
class whose deficiencies of education render them
liable to become the dupes of immoral demagogues.
Let all combine to obtain proper police regulations,
BY which to defend the freedom Of the next popular
election land il the work is still unfinished, when
election day approaches, let all unite to demand pro-
Maryland We entertain no doubt, that had the late
Governor of the State properly employed the arms
80 promptly forwarded twelve months since, by the
Executive Of Virginia, Baltimore would not again
have seen her best citizens driven from the polls by
q licentious mob.
If the Governor shall fall to perform his duty,
there rests no alternative for the good citizens Of
Baltimore. They have but one course to pursue. As
many as can do 30, must band together, completely
armed, shoot down without hesitation every ruflsn
who obstructs their progress to the polls, and then
place guard in each precinct, to protect unarmsd
voters from violence Stern duty requires nothing
less at the hands of free people. The ineffcency
of constituted authorities must not be permitted to
deprive whole community Of the rights of individual
franchise and the eafsy OF life and property. II the
people are left utterly unprotected in these, they must