The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-03-31

Had Mr.. SWAMI professed to be at all in doubt
as to the true state of public opinion with respect
to the Park-tax which, in accordance with his
suggestion, the Councils have engrafted upon the
system of Street Railways in this city, we should
have been able, at least, TO comprehend why he
preferred that his recommendations on the subject
should be submitted to the test of popular vote.
But that he should deem any reference of the ques
ton to the people necessary when, as he himself
assures us, "nothing has transpred to change his
'opinion'' that he was representing in the matter
'the wishes of a large majority of the people," is
heghth and breadth of absurdity for which not
even previous eccentricities of His Honor, in con-
necton with the same subject, had sufficiently
prepared us. Nor is our amazement at this latest
and most striking manifestation of the extraordi-
nary logical acuteness of the MAYOR at all dmin-
ished by a consideration of the reason which he
assigns for making the suggestion. 81 am entirely
'wilng,' he says to the Council ITO transfer the
responsibility in reference to the features OF the bill
Suggested by me, from your honorable body
ITO the people themselves" Very kind and con-
siderate in His Honor, to be sure-to be "wng'
TO do any thing of the Sort but what business mas
he, we should like to know, thus to volunteer to
transfer legislative Responsibility from the
Councils, to whose Honorable body" it right
fully belongs--to the people, to whom it does not
belong? By the City Charter the MAYOR and
Council are invested, for certain local purposes
which are named, with certain legislative powers.
which are limited. From this Charter, if at all,
must the authority TO pass such an ordinance
as the one under consideration, be derived. Out
side of the Charter, and of the means which it pre-
scribes for the legitimate exercise of the privi-
leges it conferS, the people of Baltimore have
neither rights nor responsibilities at all differing
from those of the rest of the people of the State.
direct vote of the people, therefore, upon any
measure of municipal legislation, not specially di-
rected by an Act of Assembly 10 be submitted to
their suffrages, would be simply nulIity. The
only possible value which such a proceeding
could have, would be, that supposing the popular
sense to be correctly ascertaned thereby the
MAYOR and City Council would be placed in pos
session of an indication of the popular will which
they would be at perfect liberty, if they so pleased
the next day, to disregard by passing the very Or
dinance which the people, it may be- had by their
votes unanimously rejected. 1t may, indeed, well
be asked-what is the use of a City Council I'M
less it be to assume the responsibility of decid-
ing just such questions as that which the MAYOR
desires to have referred to the people? Or where
in consists the superiority of Representative Gov
eminent over a pure democracy, except it
be in the greater fitness, as is supposed, for all
purposes of wise deliberation and intelligent de-
csion of small body of chosen legislators, as con-
trasted with town meeting mob. Viewed,
therefore, in any other light than as candid con-
fession, the part of His Honor, of his inca
paciy for the discharge of of the simplest and
most obvious duties of his office, Of his entire
readiness, at all times to shirk its responsibilities
the suggestion which Mr.. SWAMI has made to the
Council to submit his recommendation to q vote Of
the people, is the veriest demagoguery and clap
trap. Except as illustrating the weakness of the
MAYOR or his want of moral courage
or both it amounts TO nothing-means nothing
proves nothing. Nor is it even probable, that
such a vote as he proposes, would do much more.
That it would be at all likely to indicate the true
sense of the people upon the subject, is as far
from all human probability, as the suggestion
that Mr.. SWAMI was elected last October by a
legal majority, would be from the actual fact.
To whose suffrages does His Honor mean to sub
nit the question? To those of the people at
large-the legal voters of the city? He surely
forgets that, with the exception of his own inn
mediate personal and political adherents, the peo-
pie of Baltimore have no votes. The question,
practically, would be submitted TO the decision of
the very ruffans who have already evinced their
readiness to sustain any measure having His Hon
or's sanction, by forcbly driving from Monument
Square a peaceful gathering of those opposed to
his course upon the identical question which is
proposed to be submitted. Does anybody believe
that men who have not been permitted even to
express, in preamble and resolutions, their dis
appreciation of the policy of the MAYOR, will be
allowed to deposit their votes in opposition to that
policy at the municipal election next autumn ?'
Are not rather His Honor's recommendations per-
ecty certain of receiving at that election and at
the same hands, an endorsement to the fnu "a
triumphant and satisfactory as that which
was given to his whole previous administration
on the 18th of October? Yet we do not wish 70
seem ungratefnl. We are willing to be thankful
even for the smallest favors. As citizens of Bati-
more, we therefore humbly thank His Honor for
being 'swilling' to receive our votes upon the
subject of Park-tax and Five-cent fare, and
only hope that the exercise of the privilege will
not prove as dangerous to life and limb, as that
of our legal rghts-n respect TO more important