The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-10-22


but small portion of the names of the citizens at
whose request Mr.. HARRISON has reluctantly con-
sented to be placed before the public az ID I'D ~
s@----a----=.- -',...
In presenting yesterday morning an accurate
though abbreviated report of thespeech of the Hon.
HENRY WINTER DAVIS, to the Americans of the
18th ward, we think we have rendered an 'ac-
ceptable public service Till now there may
have been some who were willing to distinguish
between that gentleman and his party, and even
to believe that in presenting him third time, as
its candidate, it offered some expiration for por-
ton of its msdeeds. With reputation for abil-
ity, certainly not so well founded, as extensive,
and personal character which, if not distn-
guished by acts of public or private virtue was
at least sullied by no apparent stain the nominee
of the clubs might have held aloof from open CO.
operation with them, and passed among char
liable men as rather the victim of circllmstan-
ces he could not control, than one of the leaders
of the organized revolt against public decency and
honest living Although we never could consider
Mr.. DAVIS acceptance of a candidates position,
conferred as his was, other than fatal surren-
der of the selfrespect which should characterize
an honorable man, we rejoice that he has himself
assumed the task of disspatng all delusions as to
the position which he deserves to hold and of de-
monstrating thatno matter who may have mistaken
him, that weakness was not in any degree shared
by his club-constituents. We were not without
some expectation that the correctness of our report
might lave been questioned, and that Mr. DAVIS
would have deemed it expedient as on former
to rIo,, hat In boJ
uttered the day before. The afternoon organ,
however, only quarrels with the meagreness of our
report of the speech, which, with characteristic
imbecility, it chuckles over as t'pouring hot shot
"into the enemy" and from which it quotes with
real and natural zest some of the most offensive
portions. With this positive and negative evil
dence of lis substantial correctness, our
comment upon it need not assume in any degree a
hypothetical FORM and therefore propose to SUBJ
nit few plain remarks upon it in very plain
way. Its repetitions of misrepresentation which
by their frequency have grown familiar to this
community, and perhaps, so much so to their
author, as not in his mind to be readily distin-
guished from the truth, we pass entirely over.
They are points in which there will: be wide
difference between Mr.. DAVIS and the honest his
torian who shall hereafter write of them We
intend now only to speak of the open and lunmis-
takeabe utilization his part with club-ruffianism
evinced as well by the excuses offered for the yio
lence perpetrated at the late elections as the in
ducements held out for increased abuses at that
which is approaching and on which his future no.
sition depends. Mr.. DAVIS invokes attention to the
dangerous designs of the Reformers in the follow
ing language:
81 call your attention again of their resolutions.
are resolved that all who seek to modest interfere
with voters shall be visited with the heaviest penalty of
the law That is the purpose of the Reform
~ rs secret organization to prosecute who violate
election the Sheriff shall have power to keep them CON
lined during that day II they in electng the
Sheriff. that Is the they will make of him RI they
succeed at this time, them next day of election when
the tu play of freemens spirits aaght not to be
troed by any harsh application OF law nor individuaI
conduct be closely Inspected that day thew mean to
cothe the Sheriff with extraordinary and Illegal power
leased during the day of election" l5L ll 81 ~
For such heinous intentions on the part
OF the Reformers Mr.. DAVIS o. has no lam
guage too harsh and insulting. What he means
by the "iull play of freemen's spirits we NAV
gather from what he subsequently says of the events
of that day.
Some men may have got stuck with pins, there NAV
have been little fighting and few black eyes agoine
probable that we shall have fair Grand Jury and fair
Petit jury but il they succeed in elecpg the Sheriff we
will have neither the one nor the other am ridcnlng
the preposterous howl that is made over so small
matter" -i.f 81 :. =. =
This is an evident alusion to the gentlemen who
have made their statements to the public and who
were respectable names here, before profg,.s fats
Mr.. DAVIS did US the honor to bring
rods ipta
of these stood at the 10th ward polls without
hinching or even losing temper, while TWENTY
three stabs were inflicted on his person by scoun-
drels with avis and needles, and yet the Hon.
H. WINTER DAVIS, in the presence of rufians like
these, dares to characterize the simple and man.
ly statement of this brave gentleman as stpre-
"posterous howl over small matter" From
such remarks on his part, can we draw any other
inference than that be wished his hearers to con-
tinue to practice the same outrages at the next
election? And is there any doubt that they will
take him at his word? 'r. ~
In Language which we shall not initiate, Mr.. DA-
Wis repels charge which he declares is whispered
but which nobody attempts to make openly /: al, +.
whether is the charge Of corruption against Henry
Clay and Daniel Webster, Of Abolitionsm against
Y u
ing continuous yep.' 5ai .-.-aaH..- ---1 -
Nothing perhaps, but his peculiar modesty, pre-
vented Mr.. DAVIS from appropriating the Gun
"blushing yelp'' entirely to himself His sharing
it with Henry CLAY and DANIEL WEBSTER, is a
concession to good taste which will be duly appre-
clated His sensitiveneSs to what he pronounces a
SANDER not breathed aloud, might have at least
taught him not to launch from the hastings and
without the smallest qualification such an assertion
as this r- .rai4r..i .as-s.7 iisdt 1..r
Mr D. said we all know that about year ago we had
Vigilance Committee, disguised under the CITY Reform
Association but they melted away during the winter for
1t was very warm one. One man published an article
in The american, another in The Erchdnoe saving
Why don't we get up meetingf Thinks ITO mysAf
what has become of the Vigilance Committee But nm
der the cold winter their patriotism become frozen
up" h.Eo -s. e..s '...f-. t.II- 80 - O
Upon this point we cannot be mistaken in saw
ing, that Mr.. DAVIS perfectly well knows the
names of most of the gentlemen who originated
that movement. He knows, as well, that
they entertained no purpose they did not avow;
and avowed no purpose they did not entertain.
1t is, therefore, clearly impossible that he could
have believed statement which it appears he did
not hesitate to make i@sit
-. ASA 5s.7t lF