The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-05-12


ed to the colOred and consigned to the doom of
pirates, Which should hare been speedily executed"
1t thus appears that not content with commencing
them for what they have done, he takes them ser-
ously to task for having left undone more i'm
portant work for which precious opportunity was
presented. But having committed the grave error
OF falling to murder men who were engaged in
serving legal process or making lawful arrest
the Oberlin gentlemen must atone for their neglect
by submitting to postponement of the day when
new revolution is to be inaugurated, of which
they are to be remembered hereafter as the crowned
heroes or martyred saints That the time is ap
preaching when they may still have a chance to
signalize themselves amid the dread issues of a
civil war; or to achieve the notoriety for which
they yearn, Mr.. GIDDNGs does not doubt, and in
this wise he advises propheses concerning things
to come.
GAS to the future other for the prison
srs than patiently to await events. Their counsel will
apply to the Supreme Court of State for hdbedS
pS whenever sentence shall be pronounced upon of
their number.
81 have great confidence in the Judges composing that
court But should they prove unequal the OCCASION
will then be fully made up and the appeal must then
be taken that highest earthly tribunals the source of
all political power The people finding this government
u have become destructive Of the iiueS the liberties and
the happiness Of ats citizens cH alter abolish IT. and
organize ats polcer in such form to them hall
most likely to effect their safety and happiness
Unlike most prophets, Mr.. GIDDINGs is not with
out honor in his own country fact, we regret
to say, referabe solely to the narrowness and I'M
compromising dogmatism of his political creed. 1t
is not on account of his importance but because
he is surrounded by no inconsderable body of ao-
pauding hearers, that we feel called upon to
alude to the error of his ways. Knowing that he
starts out with fundamental truth, many honest
minds are unwariy induced to follow him even
unto the end. The ignorant are led, because they
cannot note the slight DETECTION from the right
line which is taking them astray; and the fanati-
cal accompany him, for it is their nature to cling
to an abstraction until they and it are crushed
between the realities of life. They forget that
human affairs, multiform and mutable as they are,
never did and never will conform to the dictates
Of an absolute and unbending logic-that the
system of reasoning applicable to a mathematical
demonstration is thing, and that by which
mankind is to be judged and governed is another
and wholly different thing. And forgetting or
ignoring all this, they rush blindly on, and wan
W. iSDN'NNt'y
The people who think, with Mr.. GIDDINGs, that
the citizens have right TO alter or abolish gov
eminent when it has become destructive of their
lives, their liberties, and their happiness, are so
far clearly in the right; and they only reiterate
the principle on which our Republic was estab-
lshcd, and which it is prepared to vindcate to-day
But the conclusions deduced from these prem
ises by the abolitionists and Others are not only
illegitimate and irrational, but are as worthless
as they are untrue, for all political purposes, be-
cause of the absurd results to which they would
manifestly lead If tested in practical operation
for but moment, they would infallibly refute
themselves, for they are as necessarily subversive
Of all government, as are the modern Free Love
notions of decency and morals. Grant the right
of men and nations to overthrow despotism, or
to remodel society, whenever the prevailing sent-
ment of those whose destinies are to he affected
so wills it, and does it follow that ind-
viduals, sects, or parties, shall do the same
by violence at their own good pleasure? Ifeach
of these is not only TO decide when society has
erred, but to determine when resistance to its
established usages is proper-f each is not only TO
critcise the laws of the land but TO refuse allie
glance to them whenever in its Judgment they are
impolitic or sinful, then is any system of legsla-
ton to be devised on earth merely mockery and
a snare. We cannot imprison the bigamist nor
hang the murderer, nor transport the robber but
there will always be found some tender consciences
ready to denounce action. There will always be
crazy brains enough TO frame excuses for the wild
est deeds, and many sensitive souls will discover
wa in q iuba law for
demning any decree of those tribunals to which
the mass Of men, for their own well-beng are will
ing to submit. Instances have occurred and will
occur again in the worlds history, where the MI
nority has taken arms against a host of opponents
and stood justified before posterity. But such
cases are the rare exceptions that do not nvalidate
the rule which calls upon the few to abstain from
violent resistance TO the will of the many, and
commands the citizen to refrain from treason
against his country because he disapproves of the
laws it has ordained. Fair discussion and free
suffrage are the only weapons for the honest
American whose political theories are at variance
with those of the greater portion of his country
men. If they will not content themselves with
these, then the Missionaries and extremists must
learn, or be taught to compromise with, the evils
they cannot cure. Other people have to do the
same thing daily, disagreeable though it may be.
We only live peacefully together as neighbors, or
continue to exist as nation, by reason of those
mutual sacrifices whereby we surrender somewhat
of our individual opinions, of our natural liberties,
and of ourinborn desires. Among the many vexed
questions which we have been forced to treat after
this fashion, is that of slavery, which we can now
settle only by agreeing to leave it quietly in
allegiance.
In one section of our country its existence is
objected to on principle, by those who are tram
melled by none of the burthens which its coninu-
ance may impose, or the insuperabe difficulties
which would attend or succeed its abolition. In the
other, we find it firmly established institution
planted by other hands, rooted by the lapse of
time, and entwining its million ibres through the
whole framework, domestic and POLITICAL of a
mighty people. 1t not thing to be swept
away by the anahemas of Zealots, or to be squared
down to the guage Of every puny politician who
could babble about the rights of man. So our
fathers left it for us to deal with, and we, mayhap
IN our turn must be content to leave it to our
children. 1t submits TO us problem that time,
and patience, and honest endeavor, alone can HELM
us to solve. But some men would thrust it on us
in the more portentous shape of that riddle which
the SPHINX propounded TO the passers-by whom it
devoured when they could not answer it. Mr.
GIDDNGs is one of this foolish class, but we for
bear TO push our inquiries into the uncertain future
towards which he is looking, until we have further
assurance that the country is about to rise in revo
luton at his bidding
We take pleasure in calling the attention of our
readers to the course of Lectures on the sEary
History of Maryland" by GEO. L. l.. DAVIS, ESQ.,,
the first of which will be delivered this evening at
the Rooms of the Historical Society. Mr. DAVIS,
by patipnt and ;ndafo