Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-09-13
Raltimore City Affairs.

A meeting of the citizens of Baltimore was
held on Thursday afternoon last, in Monument
SQUARE. to consult in reference to the disturb
snces which have characterized that city LOT
several years past. While writing these lines
we have no information of the proceedings, ou'
from the large number and high character OF the
business men of the city who united in the cali
for the meeting, we have no doubt that us
action was conservative and judicious. IL was
only proposed, we believe, to nominate ticket
of thoroughly reliable men for the ensuing e.
lection, and bring the moral influence OF the
community to bear for the suppression OF the
rowdyism and lawlessness which have infested
the CITY. We heartily wish success to every
honest effort, in Baltimore or elsewhere, having
the maintenance of law and order 10 view.
The cause of most of the evils complained OF
in Baltimore and other large cities, we are salts
fed, is the introduction of party politics in the
local elections. Strenuous efforts have been
made to throw the whole blame of these evils
upon one of the political parties, but we DO not
believe that it can be done. Both parties are
equally responsible, and the true policy OF the
citizens, those who love peace and good order
in other words, their own best interests-voetter
thar. .partizau triumphs, is to rescue the city
from the hands of the politicians. Any party
! in community like Baltimore must beindebtec
for success to great variety of peopie--good
bad and Indifferent. Many of those who have
helped to achieve success look to the spoils Of
office for compensation, and the least reputable
and fit for public Office the individual is, the
more clsmorous he will be for his pay. Thus
the management of city affairs, in part at least
gets into the hands of unsuitable persons, and
whole party becomes interested in justifying
palliating or concealing the misconduct of theil
political allies. 1t is, moreover, not in human
nature for policemen and other officers of justice
to discharge their duties properly against persons
of their own party, to whom they are indebted
more or less directly for the means of living
| At the same time business men are often charge
able with fault in failing to vote at elections, ap(
thus leaving local affairs in the hands Of those
least competent to control them. 1t seems TO III
that the hundreds of citizens who called thu
public meeting in Baltimore might have prevent
ed the evils of which they complain, if inditfer
ence or fastidiousness had not kept them ava!
from the polls.
The same evil is experienced more or less il
the Federal and all the State Goyernments, bu
in city it is concentrated and intensified unit
the community is aroused to throw off tn
shackles and redress their grievances Polit
icsl parties are said to be necessary evils unde
our system of government; we presume it is SO
but let us have as little of the evil as possible
and not allow it to invade our firesdes and dis
turb US in the quiet pursuits of daily life.
The proceedings of the meeting, received at
ter the above was put in type, will be foun
briefly noticed elsewhere in this paper