The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-03-08

Duff Green, the subject of the bill before the
Legislature to incorporate the Central African
Society,"" which letter we declined publishing fol
reasons then stated. In to-days paper our readers
will find a later communication from Gen. Green
which we insert in accordance with our pledge OF
| independence opening the columns of the EIchangt
to free discussion of all questions of general in
terest
So far from retracting anything we have already
| said about this BILL the more reflection we have
given the subject, the more are we impressed with
the necessity of wholesome delay on the part of
the Legislature of Maryland
This bill is no ''new thing under the sun" The
commercial world was once shaken to its very CEN
tire by just such a scheme, hastily prepared, and
after first flash of success unparalleled i'll the his
tory of commerce, hastily abandoned. 1t is a
dangerous assumption on the part of any one man,
backed by ever so well organized a corporation to
imagine that the world of commerce and business
is a cock-boat to be manned and helmed at a mo-
ment's warning. We are taught in the older YER
sion of the lO7th Psalm, that,
'They that goe downe to the sea in ships, and
occupie by the create waters"
f'They see the workes of the Lord, and his Won
ders in the deepe
And it is with awe and reverence worthy of such
an enterprise, that we would venture to contem-
plate it in all its moral sublimity and grandeur,
involving, as it does, colonization, civilization,
commerce, manufactures, good government ana
Christianity in Africa"
The graphic pen of Macaulay has consecrated in
the public mind the genius of William the Third,
and yet this monarch's throne was made to totter
by yielding for time to the speculations of Pat
terson, the protector of the Darien scheme, des-
tined as was thought, TO turn the tide of commerce
throughout the world. We hold the personal
character of Patterson in the highest esteem His
Scotch thrift, his diplomatic TACT his honesty of
purpose deserved sympathy and better fate. The
Scottish nation flor it was before the Union en-
gagged with incredible eagerness in his designs, and
1t was this Darien scheme that drew from Scotland
and from yet more thrifty Holland, such sums of
money. The fortunes of thousands were ruined,
for the golden dream was never realized 1t arose
entirely from the fancied ability of few individ-
uas to precpitate means and measures in antici-
patton of the regular laws of commerce. We re-
gard this subject matter as beyond the possible
efforts OF any one man or any one corporation
Individuals of the French nation are already
pushing their trading posts, and occupying the
rich and beautiful country between the Falerme
and the Senegal rivers; Englishmen are beginning
to navigate with flat-bottomed steamers the Won
dertul Niger, and they have long been upon the
Gambia. There is no fear that American enterprise
Will lag behind. Individual efforts here may be
shackled by corporate privileges the effect of which
may outlive Mr.. Bowen and his associates for CEN
turtles. ''Festina lente" is maxim as sound in
commerce as it is in morals
Inc objections to this bill seem to us apparent,
granting as it proposes to do to the Central African
Society 'all the rights powers, privileges and i'm
muniteS necessary ''to carry on commerce from any
port or ports in the United States or ese,che to any
port or ports in Africa elseachere' The Direc-
tors, he they five or the Venetian FIVE hundred ~
must, 1t is true, be citizens of the United States
but the shareholders for so stupendous an enter
prise, are as likely to come from Holland England
The Hanseatlc Cities or France-where the interest
upon money on loan is so far below our rate.-as
from the United States. As public journalists we
are bound to an unreserved expression of senti-
ment upon so vital matter, the pith and point of
which, SO far as Maryland and her legislation are
concerned, is just this the people of Maryland
have been acting since 1876 on the belief that
colonization, civilization, commerce, manufac-
lures good government and Christianity in
Africa, can be best subserved by aiding and COM
fortng Liberia and Maryland in Liberia. The
movement may be slow, but in the providence of
God, ii will be sure.