The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-12-18
BALTIMORE.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER Is. 1858.

Onr readers have no doubt perceived, by our
renort Of Congressional Proceedings, that the reso-
'hr Aesed by the Committee, towards the close
IF The al session. declaring vacant the seat occu-
MED by the Hon. J. MORRISON HARRIS, was laid on
the table. on Thursday, by vote of LOG to 81.
This rs matter of course disposes of the question
Gnally,-placing Mr. WHITE in the same category
with Mr. BROOKS, whose appeal was gotten rid of
more summarily, at q much earlier period. 'fhe
c,scof Mr.. Brooks differed from that of Mr. WHITE,
in this essential particuar-that while the latter
asserted his own right to the representation of the
district Mr. Brooks conented himself with insist
inc that no valid election had taken place, and
called upon the House, as a matter of scf-respect,
and in yndcation of the first principles of repub-
lean government, to refuse to recognize, in any
way a transaction which was nothing short of a
disgrace to the people among whom it was permit
ted to take place. 1t is hardly worth while to
speculate as to which of the courses adopted by the
defeated candidates was the proper one They
have both shared the same fate. Mr. Brooks,
claimng..no advantage to himself from the mockery
of an election, through which he passed, was called
upon 10 take testimony and bring the matter be-
fore the House by proofs, if he We're contestant.
He refused, and with proper indignation-for the
controversy was no longer his, when he declined
expressly to claim TO receive any benefit from its
result and if the sanctity of the elective franchise
had been desecrated, as he had asserted, and
prila tacie established it no longer his prov
ince, but the bounden duty of the House, TO take
care of its integrity, and to shield and vindi-
cafe the freedom and purity of the elective fran
chise, as involved in the choice of its members.
Mr.. WHITE assumed the burden, which his COL
league repealed, and after the most arduous
and unceasing labor, under difficulties in
voking the utmost industry and energy
ucceeded IN placing before the House a record
inconesably authentic, of the most melancholy
DISCRIMINATION and anarchy in our city and the
adjoining district, on the day when Mr.. DAVIS
and Mr.. HARRIS claimed to have been chosen as
our Representatives. Whether Mr.. Brooks or Mr..
WHITE could have been elected, had the vote been
fair one-whether a new and quiet election
would have resulted differently, in its practical
ISSUE from the farce through which the commun-
ity passed when those gentlemen were before it,
are different questions. Upon these points, there
may be difference of opinion, honestly and fairly
entertained Mr.. Brooks did not claim that he
was eected-Mr. WHITE may have had no suf1i-
cient reason for believing that he was. But that
the degrading scenes which the testimony dis
closed TO Congress, reconcileable with any
fair or decent expression of public opinion at the
polls-that, in fact, there was any election at all
or that Mr.. Dawson Mr.. HARRIS has any right
to the seat which he occupies-any more than
Mr.. SWAMI to his place in the MAYORS Office
no fair man, who reads the report of the Com
mttee, with the testimony appended, can, within
the scope Of reason, believe. Partisanship can
convince men of almost any thing-but we cam
not persuade ourselves that it is equal to the task
of making any good citizen acquesce in the
frauds and bloodshed of the day of riot in ques-
tion as untrammeled declaration of the popular
will. The House of Representatives, nevertheless
whatever it may think-has voted otherwise,
and the citizens of Baltmore-driyen out of the
protection and insultingly denied the countenance
of their own constituted authorities-have found
as little of sympathy or support among the Rep
resentatiyes of the people Practically, new
election would have amounted to but little,
as the Session is a short one already advancing
o"f 90 ili'I1SI vi IL nave Deen
proud and memorable thing for the Legislature
of the nation, without respect TO party, to have
proclaimed its fixed hostility to fraud and yo-
lence at the ballot-box, and to have made
it understood, for all time to come,
that no man shall sit in its Seats with such stains
on himself or his constituency. But the House Of
Representatives, unfortunately, is not place o.
large ideas or lofty principles. 1t has its own
little intrigues and ambitons-its jobs and its
counter.l obs-its PRESIDENTS to make or to oppose
its offices to look after-is logs to roll What
cares ii for the Acknowledgement of the third city
in the Union? If Baltimore had been in Kansas
or Nebraska, or even in Sonora or Nicaragua, il
might have been considered. If its people had
been border-rufians freedom-shrlekers- filibus.
tcrs or even slave-traders-they might have found
advocates and a voice. As it is, they were-laid
on the table, without debate Honorable gentle.
men would not read, neither would they hear
Doubtless they had their own views of duty and
acted accordingly. Their business is to take car,
of the Mosquito King and look after Japan and thu
commerce of the Pei-hO. What have they to dc
with the preservation of republican institutions a
home,- such rifes?