The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-12-10
BALTIMORE.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10. 1853.

To ovrect Republican PRESIDENT, in his An
,roI MESSAGE TO his 'fellowcitizens of the Senate
ssand House of Representatives, to conhne him
self within the moderate not to say modest limits
Of q ROYAL Speech, are willing to admit, would
be in the highest degree unreasonable and absurd;
vet. we cannot but hope that we may be pardoned
the expression of regret, that Mr.. BUCHANAN
should have been betrayed into degree of world
ness and prolixity which, while it may not deter
from the perusa Of his Message, certainly renders
the task anything but inviting. Everything that is
said in the Message, which was worth saying at
all, might have been said, and, probably, quite as
well said, in one half the number of words
Some things there are, that, perhaps, it would
have been better to have omitted altogether. This
is particularly the case, think, with respect TO
what is said about the territory Of Kansas. To
that subject two of the ten columns of the Wash
ington Union, which are occupied by the Message
-one-6fth, in other words, of its entire length
are most needessly and superfuously devoted.
Now-the Kansas question is one Of the dead
issues of the past We had fondy hoped that it
was buried likewise. Certany,-we had no rea-
son to expect its elimination and resurrection in
the PRESIDENTS Message. No useful or practical
purpose could possibly be subserved thereby
Nothing at this time, could be gained, by the
renewal of discussion which led to no good in
its dav, and whose revival could result in no profit
now. Nor does it seem to have been with any use
ful design, that the subject is thus obtruded anew
upon the attention of the public, by the PREsI-
DENT. The only practical suggestion, TO which its
consideration gives rise,-is,-that no Territory of
the UNITED STATES shall hereafter be admitted into
the UNION as State, until It's population shall at
least equal the number required to entitle it to q
Representative in Congress. This recommends
ton. which in itself is sufficiently wise and Judi
cous might certainly have been quite as appro-
priately introduced in some other and totally
different connection. At all events, it borrows
no additional force from association with the
history of Kansas, nor is it made at all more
palatabe to the great mass Of our countrymen, by
the suggestion that in all future cases of terri
torial legislation, the pursued with
respect to Kansas, shall be adopted and fol-
lowed as a precedent. 1t is not merely, how
ever because it is gratutous and unneces-
sary, that we take the liberty Of excepting
10 the PRESIDENTS elaborate review of the Kansas
troubles and his laboured vindication of his own
policy in relation thereto. 1t is because, we
think that at this time any reference to the sub
iect at all is iniudcious and unwise. general
disposition has of late been manifested throughout
the country, to let by-gones be by-gones, and TO
bury equally out of sight and mind, all the
exciting questions of the past twelve months.
How much of this cOnciliatory spirit is real, and
how much is fegned-how much is attributable
to genuine patriotism, and how much to motives
purely sordid and mercenary, it is of course, out
of our province to determine. One thing, how
ever is certain-and that is-that the rabid pro-
slavery men of the South have lately been I'M
pressed as they never have been before, with the
necessity, so ably and so clearly demonstrated by
Senator HAMMOND, of having faithful friends and
allies at the North, and that the Republicans,
equally covetous of success in the Presidential
Election of 1861 are not less DESTROYS of gaining
supporters and sympathizers in the South.
Consequently, both factions of extremists
are now seeking to rid themselves Of
every offensive badge of sectionalism, and
to assume the semblance, however much they
may lack the reality, of National Parties. Mean
while--the Democratic Party, so lately divided
traton, is cndeayoriDg to close instead of widen
ing, the breach thus created-by ignoring all past
political differences, and proclaimng a general
amnesty for all past political otlenses. At such
time, therefore, and under such circumstances, we
conceive that any probing afresh of old wounds
any raking together of old embers Of strife
and discussion is particularly to be de-
precatcd and dcplored. Yet this 10 precisely
what has been done by Mr.. BUCHANAN, and
apparently with other motive than that
of proclaimng to the country-what, with all
due Difference venture to submit, the coun-
try was in nowise solictous to learn-that Gin the
''whole course of long pablo life, he (AIr. BU-
''cHANAN) never performed any official act which,
Tin the retrospect, has afforded him (Mr b.
'cHANAN) more heartfelt satisfaction" than
the endorsement of the Lecompton Constitu-
ton. Surely, if the PRESIDENT finds it neces-
sary to say so much in defense of his policy,
in respect to Kansas, it would be superfluous
to conjecture, how many Senators and Representa-
tives who opposed that policy, will 'feel it their
duty" before the session is over-''a duty which
''they owe to themselves and their constituents
to proclaim to the world the intense satisfaction
which they experience, in the daily contemplation
of their own votes and speeches upon the other
side of that momentous question. We regret sin
cerely, that statesman usually so cautious and
reserved, should have committed, as we think the
serious mistake of profiering the gage of battle,
where it was so perfectly obvious that none either
ought or need to have been rendered. In that por-
ton of the Message, upon which we have been
commenting, Mr.. BUCHANAN has furnished the op-
ponents of his Administration, with text, which
otherwise they might have wanted. That they
will not be slow 10 avail themselves of the handle
thus afforded, hespecch of Senator HALE delivered
Immediately upon the reception of the Message,
gives us the best possible reason for believing.
We can only regard, therefore, the introduction of
this unfortunate topic in the Message, as another
illustration of that proverbial obstinacy for which
the PRESIDENT is said to be distinguished, and as
showing the peculiar tenacity, with which he
clings even to the feminine prerogatve of 'the last
"word." Whether the Republicans will suffer
him to remain in the undisturbed enjoyment of
that privilege, only the record of the session will
be able TO show.