The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-02-16
BALTIMORE.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1859.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY l6, 1859.
Men, like GEORGE PEABODY are much more rare
than McDoNoGHs or SHEPPARDs. The will to give
largely, is seldom combined with the ability to ac
quire largely. dying miser who in his lifetime
stinted his cat and starved his housemaid, and
was utterly deaf to all appeals to kindred,
charity, pity, luxury, or comfort, often aston
ishes the world and even buys its admration by
some magnificent disposition of the property
which he can grasp no longer. We learn to look
with comparative complacency, on the processes
by which such accumuatons have been made;
and the extortion usury and grinding oppression
the meanness in dress, diet and equipage, which
ensured the contempt and hatred of contemporaries
are regarded by posterity, at the worst, as little
eccentrcities, if not the essential means by which
a great mind, actuated and filled by great pur-
pose, was enabled to carry it out. We do not pro-
pose to inquire, at all curousy, into the motives of
such men. The spirit of living givers, seems to us
most NOBLE most liberal, most genial 1t is more
in accordance with the carpe diem philosophy
which, whether its object be pleasure or fame
wishes to enjoy it here below, and is certainly the
spirit which makes men most loved and most
useful, while living, if not longest remembered
when dead.
The merchant, who lavishes his wealth on cost
ly architecture, is benefactor although he may
entail his houses in default of heirs upon his cook
He has given beauty to be shared by all, and has
raised the standard of taste in whole community
The Washington Building, by Mr.. WALKER is, in
no degree, better more convenient warehouse,
because its front is enobled by splendid work of
art A picture of WASHINGTON, in CANDY |
colors, by sgn-painter, would proba-
bly, have proved more taking business
sign for a clearinghouse than the calm,
cold statue of Carrara marble, whose su-
blime superiority might rather repel, than |
attract the votaries of fashion We believe |
it was refined taste, and real public spirit,
which led Mr.. WALKER to adorn, not his own
warehouse only, but the city of Baltimore, in so
splendid a manner. We can hardly suppose, that
he regarded it in the light of an investment. We
cannot see how he is to make 'Bank interest," out
of Bartholomew WASHINGTON. If he does, it
will be by the indirect operation of causes, which
must rebound to his neighbours benefit, as much
as his own. The "bulding' is but the pedestal
of great monument of Art. Its presence fills
the street and eevates the town. Gazing upon it,
mems minds dwell not on ready-made clothing;
and Mr.. WALKER is felt, rather to belong to the
statue, than the statue to him.
1t is undoubtedly true, that every thing which
adds to the reputation, beauty, and pleasure of
city, tends directly to increase its wealth. The in
fuences thus exerted cannot be divided into shares
to be managed by directors, and sold in Second
street. Those who invest in them, must not ex-
pect quarterly dividends; but they are, neverthe
less, perfectly real, if not absolutely tangible in
vestments. In the struggle for trade, business
men are frequently called upon, by wise estimate
of their own true interests, to make such invest
ments. None of the Railroads, leading into Bal
timore pay interest upon their cost; but, what
would be without them 1t is the way in
which such questions, as these, present themselves
TO the public mind, and the action resulting there
from, which enable the world to Judge of the
spirit of any community. When its citizens not
only spend their means freely, in adjoining and
rendering attractive, those small portions
Of it, for which they hold deeds-but COM
bine literally and promptly to share among them
selves, the certain loss, if you please of enterpri
ses deemed essential TO its prosperity in business,
or its charms home, we call that a truly en-
terprising city, and safely predict for it a
splendid career On the contrary, when its mer-
chants and capitalists will invest in nothing but
Bonds and Mortgages, prefering the certain small
per centage to the more liberal, though less appa
rent return, we may safely pronounce it at a stand
still, if not actually decning-or perhaps its ex-
isence may be compared to that of the animals of
the earlier geological periods-capable of attaining
vast sze but of low organization and imperfect de-
velopment.
Such, we infer is the estimate formed of Balti-
more by our principal morning contemporaries, each
of which had an article yesterday on the 'Acade-
my-ot-Musc'' project of Mr.. Manager FORD. The
american declares that the splendid Opera Houses
of Boston, New York and Philadelphia, have all
proved failures, and that the magnificent one in
process of erection in Cincinnati, will not pay
taxes insurance and repairs. The failure of the
Academy of Music in New York. however, did not
prevent Boston and Philadelphia from building
Others still SUPERIOR and the failure of them
all, has not been able to dampen the energy
of Cincinnati, connected in the general ina
gination, rather with the songs of pigs, than
the music of the Opera. But it is well to caution
Baltimore on these points. Our extreme tendency
to public improvement, regardless of expense, GER
tainy requires to be checked by holding up the sad
example of rival cities. Take care, or you will be
taken in Don't build among the ''hills about
the Monument You'll get no audience
but Upper-tendom there. You'll have to get
a lot on Baltimore street, between Charles and
Gay. That you can not afford 1t wouldn't
pay! You are but ''dish of skinned milk, not
to be moved to honorable enterprise" You
had better stick to the "Holliday street" 1t is
old place-a small place. You spent $50, 900 on
it, about four years ago, but it is still wholly in
convenient and unsuitable. 1t has three tiers,
and the seats are awfully crowded, and it holds
so few, that admission prices must be doubled.
Wherefore, let US do something In the first
place, let US sink the old name and call it the
Academy of Music" Let US increase its accom-
modations, by taking out one tier and charging
its seats to a crinoline standard of expansion.
Let us both ''alter things and ''change their
"names." So shall Baltimore have an Academy
"of Music" like the rest-and Manager FORD
paying Theatre If all this is not financial
and other folly we know not the ring of her
bells. We have a sincere respect for the
Manager who has fought so bravely for Dramatic
improvement among US; and it is because we
would not have his tortures prolonged in Holiday
street experiments, that we feel bound to oppose
his project. We think the Drama has reached
that point in its night among us which, by its
deeper darkness indicates the approach of day.
No two hundred and fifty thousand people
speaking SHAKsPEARE's language, will remain long
without Theatre. We are not thinking excu-
svely of music. We need new house for general
purposes. OF course, music alone will not pay
Nobody expects that. But we venture the asser-
ton, that the only dramatic enterprise which will
approach the paying point will be one which
shall make the ampest preparation, and offer the
strongest possible inducements for general at
tendance We are firmly persuaded, that by no
process short of magic, can the Holiday Street
Theatre be made to hold paying audence-even
if could be nightly coaxed into it, which is
equally impossible. Its restoration is one of those
expedients which only protract an incurabe dis
ease-a substitute which may retard the erection
Of theatre whose place it cannot supply. We truly
regret to see so low stand taken by our press
on this pont-the sad want of self-respect and
enterprise it attributes to Baltimore. Let us aim
high, if even our bolt fall short; and not, by in