The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-11-12


Regarding an effcctual law for the registration
Of voters as altogether a privilege and benefit,
we see no reason why any portion of the people
Of the State should be deprived of its advantages.
We should as soon think of pronouncing statutes
against petit larceny, or assault and battery, an
Inconvenience and an impuaton, as of saving
that provisions intended TO guard against abuses
upon the ballot.boX, were such. 1t must be adj
mitted that every species Of crime is more COM
mon in great cities than in remote rural districts
Ii some Of the latter, the assembling of Courts
and all the machinery of justice, are mostly
formal matters, intended for contingencies of oc-
currencc so rare, that it would seem they
might almost be dispensed with altogether. Yet
what would be thought Of proposition to abo-
i,h any part of the criminal code in any
part Of our Stale? 1t would, of course,
be deemed monstrous, because no honest and
sensible man regards the provision made by
society against crime and disorder in any other
light than as protection and blessing to him
self. So far from looking upon it as iInpeach-
ing his integrity or putting him to useless incon-
vanience and expense, he chcerfully pays his taxes
serves on iuries, and incurs, without murmur
all the sacrifices which the social state imposes on
the individual. lie does not know how soon the
occasion may arise when his safety will depend on
the enforcem, Mt Of the whole body of the law, by
entire life may pass without any such occasion.
his death-hed would be unhappy if he did
not know that he was leaving his children to
the same protection upon which he had always
been accustomed 10 rely. Universal suffrage was
Il great concession to freedom. 1t was granted
with much hesitation and regarded with doubt.
il was thought that to admit ignorance and vice
upon the qualification only Of certain age, resi-
denco and complexion, to minele votes with wis
dom and virtue was running a great risk. Still
il vas done. 1t was apprehcnded that ignorance
and vice, existing in the proportions in which
they exist every where would to that extent
pollutc and lower the standard of suffrage
but it WAS never contemplated that, through
the agency of the ballot box ignorance and
vice would monopolise political power, to the
total and fOrcib,e exclusion of all the better Gle
mcnts Of society. Yet this is precisely what
has happened in this city of Baltimore again
and again, and at each recurring opportunity with
increased violence and effronery. The expert
mcnt has passed through all the forms of Undue
ton, from tjmid frauds and partial violence denied
and counved ut by the authorities, TO its trium-
plant demonstration in an avowei complete and
successful league between the Municipal government
and merccnary braves to take possession Of
the polls. Starting with the postulate that
IL
has reached the result, that brigand5 now rule
Baltimore, and if not speedily arrested, through
Baltimore they will also rule the State 1t
would occupy too much time 10 trace this
d>grace,ul history from It's beginnings. The
cause of the whole difficulty may be stated to
BE- the cheapening and degrading of the right
of suffrage. The cure beyond question is TO elevate
the right in the estimation of its posscssors and TO
guard its future exercise 1t is to restore and not
to restrict universal suffrage. 1t is to allow, and,
were it possible, 10 compel every legal voter to
vote oncc-to prevent legal voters from voting
more than once, persons not legal voters from
voting at all, and all persons whatsoever from in
tercring with the legal voters in the exercise of
their rights. registration law is not the only
remedy required, but il is one Of a series of rene
dies which the nature Of the crisis so imperlivcly
demands, that a longer delay may he fatal to the
public peace The party which now has the as
tendency in this State will have to assume the re-
sponsihiIity of longer continuance Of the
evils which ailct this city, and upon the
rigid performance Of its duty in this respect
will depend the permanence Of its power.
While we acknowledge that Election crimes, like
all other crimes, are much more likely TO be COM
mitei in great cities than outside of them, we see
no reason why laws to prohibit Election crimes
should be confined ogrel cities any more than that
the laws restraining other offences of not half so
much moment, should he so confined. The pre-
sent need 70: Il registration law may be greatest in
Baltimore. Crime against the elective franchise
has eliminated here: still it is not confined TO
Baltimore even now, but exists in greater or less
intensity in every part of the State. No one could
have forcto!d what has happened to us, yet with
the knowledge Of what has happened here it is
easy 10 see that every guard which be thrown
around the ballot. is required every where. Sup
pose a registration law applied to Baltimore alone,
that fact Will invite the engineers Of election
frauds who have heretofore found their field of OPP
rrations here, to turn their attention to the rural
districts, and with their ingenuity and reckless
ness it is impossible TO say that they will not be
successful. Tho mere strengthening of Baltimore
will expose the contiguous country, as it will dis
engage from active operations our formidable
acoanir,ls who may then he hurled against its
unprotected polls with undivided force. But we
claim no monopoly of the privilege of q pure
hallof-hoX for Baltimore. We ask that every
part OF Maryland shall lc equally protected and
blessed. The low argument that additional inconvc-
nicnce and expense, will be imposed by the proper
asccrtainment of 4 voters rights in advance of the
election strikes rs too contemplate for notice ::
still rs blessings are apt TO be valued in pro-
portion 10 their cost, even should registration
prove somewhat jnconvenent and involve few
cents which might otherwise be appropriated for
~hislev or tobacco, the effect will he wholly salu-
arr At this time in England all deeds Of land are
kept by each proprietor in his own strong box,
there is no ot1icc in which they can lie recorded
aud preserved, and the loss of these parchment
munimeats, by jheft or fire, may he fatal TO a
landowners title. Here we have provided 'reg-
'isiry law" by which, at Il small expense, and at
may place his right TO his property beyond any
ordinary contingency, and become assured against
accident or fraud. What would be thought
Of those who would oppose such system on the
ground Of its trouble or expense? Let US be per-
suaded that unless some cfiectual and thorough
provision, by registry Of voters, by adequate po-
lice and still further by careful and thoughtful
exercise Of the right Of suffrage after it has been
thus secured to its legal proprietors-be made at
once, the day is not far distant when the rights
Of property, which we pride ourselves upon hav-
inc So we'll guarded, will be tramplcd upon with
as little ceremony as the elective franchise.
1t is in the nature Of things that captured
city should be pundered; and we are not surprised,
therefore, at the introduction of a bill in the
Council providing for the payment Of extra COM
,,nncaticO In tho Ia Tu1raS Of Fnctioo tLnir