The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-09-17

Unwilling as we are to discuss in our columns
any matter personal to ourselves, we cannot avoid
doing so when it offers an apt illustration of the
loose and partial manner in which the laws are
here enforced, and public justice administered. As
our readers are aware, one of the proprietors of
this journal has been indicted in the Criminal
Court for an assault upon certain PAUL PLACIDE,
with intent 10 kill We do not propose to say
anything calculated 10 influence individual opin-
ons or to forestall the judgment of the proper tri
bunals upon the merits of this case; should we
have alluded farther to the Court in which it has
originated, had it not been withdrawn from o. ill.,
risdction within which we have long since ceased
to look for the fair and even-handed dspensation
of Justice. But the proceedings in the case in
question contrast so glaringly with those taken in
one, to which we were parties, more than year
ago, that it is fit to direct attention to them that
all men may Judge of the integrity with which
Mr.. WHITNEY discharges the duties of his place.
The present Grand Jury commenced its labors on
Tuesday last. On the day following they returned
presentment and on Thursday morning O true
bill for the offence above stated
We do not complain of the promptitude with
which the Grand Jury acted, nor do we object
that their notice has been so Immediately drawn to
this case, while even the murders awaiting their
investigation were deferred. But as we have
said another occurrence heretofore the subject
of examination in this same Court, wherein the
action of the States Attorney was such as 10 JUS
tify fully the far from favorable estimate with
which we regard him. year ago last August,
our Office was invaded by ToBE MADISON, GEORGE
CoULsoN and PAUL PLACIDE, who destroyed the
furniture, assaulted the clerks, and stranger who
was accidentally present, and were only prevented
from committing murder by the Intervention of
the police, who seized the weapons in the hands OF
one or more of them. The parties were held by
Justice MEARIs, but only for further hearing, on
the charge of assaulting our clerks with deadly
weapons, whereupon, lest they should wholly es-
cape punishment, they were, on our application,
arrested on bench warrants, and Mr.. JOHN HINES
LY accepted as security for their appearance Day
after day and week by week went by, and as
no indictment seemed likely to be found, we
procured the necessary order and sent the wit
nesses ourselves before the Grand Jury. The in
dictments were then duly found and from that
uouI until llOW Tue CASTS nave renamed untred,
For more than twelve months we have patiently
expected to see justice DONE and for thus long has
it been delayed. The impunty with which the
outrage was perpetrated-on public thoroughfare
and in open day, has been productive of bitter
fruits. One of the parties is now in Jail for muir
der, another has since wantonly assaulted
one of our reporters, and the third has been
the cause of the late difficulty that we have
been so speedily called on to answer for.
That he was a delegate to the Conven-
ton which re-nominated the States Attor
ney, whom he supported by his vote and in
fuence, is sufficiently suggestive of the reason why
that official has, in two parallel cases, pursued two
different courses.
Here is single array of facts strong enough
to bear down all the figures, platitudes and pa
thos with which Mr.. WHITNEY would demonstrate
to the people that he is worthy of the office he
holds. And that it is not the only instance which
can be brought to prove him guilty of something
more than mere neglect of duty, will yet be made
manifest to those for whose suffrages he is can
didate