The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-06-11
BALTIMORE.
FRIDAY, JUNE II, 1853.

In our record to-day, of the Court Proceedings
of yesterday we publish full report of what the
Patriot of last evening" terms an episode in the
Criminal Court" 1t embraces q speech from
Mirror WHITNEY, Esquire, the States Attorney
for Baltimore city, in reply to certain structures
upon his official conduct, which have lately ap-
peared in this Journal together with character
istic rejoinder from Judge STUMP We have given
Mr.. WHITNEY the benefit of his discourse in full
partly, because it is but just that he should be
allowed hearing before the same respectable tr-
bnnal, to which our previous comments have in
PRODUCED him; and partly, we confess, because we
are not unwilling that he should have the fullest
opportunity TO illustrate his own character. If
therefore, our readers should be disposed to find
fault with us, for admitting into our columns, the
coarse and indecent philippe in question, we beg
that they will regard it but one step further in
the prosecution of determined purpose, to ex-
pose official unftness and dereliction.
With the personal illusions of the STATES Ar
ToRNEy TO the Editors and Proprietors of the
Exchange, we have too much respect for our read
ers, to concern ourselves here. They were in
tended for the rostrum from which they were
lohbies and the '1ock-up," to whose taste and
sympathy they were addressed. That Mr. WHIT
NEY was really ignorant of the names of the Pro-
prietors and Editors of this Journal is of course
untrue. That he had the slightest inclination to
find them out, if he did not know them. is equally
and obviously false. That he had no true sense as
a gentleman, of what is involved in charges such
as we have preferred against him, and no desire
TO vindicate himself therefrom, save by the easy
method he has taken, of vulgar flourish to the
grOundlings Of the Criminal Court, the style and
sentiments of his speech demonstrate. We leave
him alone, therefore, with his effort-we could
leave him in no worse company.
We should have labored to very little purpose
during our short editorial acquaintance with the
public, did we suppose it possible for any of our
readers TO believe that in occasional structures
upon public offenders we have been actuated by
any personal feeling. That such is the case in the
particular instance Of the STATES ATTORNEY, no.
body, but himself will imagine. We have COM
mented on the cases as they arose. and whether
it was Mr.. LEVY, Mr.. WHITNEY or BoNY LEE,
We have been equally without "spleen," and
certainly without jealousy" We can conceive
OF no character position less capable of exciting
either feeling, than that of Mr.. WHITNEY We
have conscientously avoided arraigning any man
before the public without stating fully, at the
time, the facts upon which we rested our charges.
Upon these facts we have openly and freely ex-
pressed our opinion, as became independent Jour
nalsts Time after time, we have aroused pub
lie attention to the ameness and disgraceul inef-
ficcncy of the whole administration of criminal
justice in our midst. We have sought to fix upon
public denquents the responsibility to which they
should be held for the crime and outrage, which
run riot in our streets, and ieer at the law
in orr courts We have done so, not merely be-
cause our own interests are stakcd, and our own
lot cast in this community but because we have
asked the support of our fellow citizens as an indie
pendent press, and we Scorn TO take the wages, !
without cndeavoring manfnlly to do the work, of
our calling. We mean, TO the best of our humble |
ability TO continue the task we have begun We
have substantial evidence that our efforts have met
the sympathy, and have deserved the appreciation
of good men, and we do not intend to fall away
from their confidence. We have heretofore pointed
public Indignation to Mr.. WHITNEYs dereliction
of duty, and we shall do so again, whenever he
gives us reason. We will not descend to his
arena, but we will, nevertheless, see that he does
not abuse his trust He may have determined to
take no further notice of us, but we promise him
mat his determination shall not be reciprocated |
We shall take much further notice of him.
Judge STUMP has himself saved us the necessity
OF abiding at any length to the part which he
bore IN the ''episode." His Honor frankly con-
fesSc'l, in regard to the matter in hand, what is
generally true in respect to his official proceedings,
that che 'sas entirely ignorant of the subject"