The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-03-29

The city of Baltimore may be likened unto one
of those ''rising sons" who in point of growth
are continually outstrpping both the provision,
and consequently, the provision of parental solicit
tude. The display of stocking between cloth
and leather, peradventure, of shirt between
waistband and roundabout however, does not
so much indicate parsimony as incredulity
and want of comprehension on the part of the
head of the family. 1t takes q long time for the
idea of length and breadth, and thickness, to as
sociate itself with the body and legs of the ''boy,"
whose existence is perpetual surprise, not only
to casual Observers but to his natural guardians.
Daily experience may apprise the latter of an
enormously developed trencher-power, but in the
matter of wardrobe, mistakes seem to be inev-
liable. Broad hens and tucks even, may be pro-
vided, against anticipated shortcomings below
and the amplest margin be allowed for outlet in
the dunbar region of the unmentonables; but
when he once 'gets rum and takes to growing
up in good earnest young BEANpoLE is pretty
tain TO outstrip and bring to naught the most
sanguine and extravagant maternal estimates
lie is bound to pass through that hapless and I'M
lovely stage when q really healthful and splendid
development is rendered ridiculous by anachronc
garb and imperfect appreciation.
1t seems to us that the guardians of the city, in
the matter of a Park, propose 10 clothe their
ward-perhaps we should say acords-with an
extremely 'smaIl pattern" and labor under q
grievous msapprehension of its present and future
necessities. Surprising the next census to show
population here, of three hundred thou
sand-as it maya Park of fifty acres
will give just one-sxth of an acre to every thousand
peope--a space which they might all stand up
straight upon, or by close packing might be
buried in-but if our statistical ncghbor will make
the calculation it will find that such Park would
not be put to the uses of ''cigar shop" without
peril of fire from too contiguous pipes, We have
no doubt that members of the Council may think
fifty acre Park, q magnificent domain. Some, we
perceive, were willing 10 vote for ten acre limit,
or even less. Every one to his taste. Some
animals delight in wide pastures while others thrive
remarkably well III pens. Such aspirations as we
have ventured to express on this subject have been
subjected to ''the atrocious Charge of being
magnificent, "a charge which, we fear, we shall
never be able to retort. If to ask for q few hun
dred acres, for the common pleasure ground of a
population, which will number half million,
before the young gentleman, born yesterday, shall
cast his first legal vote, be to wander into the
dream-land of the magnifcently unattainable, we
plead guilty to the charge.
But we discern in the amendment proposed in the
Second Branch, to the MAYORS proposition, where
by the Park minimum is reduced from two hun
dred, to fifty acres-something we like still less
than one fifty acre Park and that is several fifty acre
Parks This MEANS we suppose, Point Park, and
an Old Town Park, a Federal Hill Park, and O
west end Park-and possibly Supper ten''
or exclusive Park, somewhere north of the monu-
ment. Now against all this feel specially bound
to protest. You can no more obtain the meliora-
ton and refinement of public manners and the i'm
provement of the general morals, to be reasonably
hoped only, from a common and universal partic-
ipation in the enjoyment of the objects of
beauty and pleasure, than you can derive landscape
effects and rural scenery from these miserable lots
We shall have the ''boys'' from one Park going
up against the ''boys' of another Park in battle
array, Park against Park Instead of the univer-
sal good feeling and the merging of artificial and
sectional distinctions into something like civic
brotherhood, we shall have ''envy, hatred and
g malice and all uncbartableness." No Park
will be able to get an appropriation without as
large an amount, which may by no means be re
quired being voted to the others. Some wretched
idea of speculation is at the bottom of
all this-some hope TO improve this or
that quarter and the whole significance and
purpose of City Park are lost sight of.
There is class here, we fear large one, remark
ably well represented by certain journals, who
seem never yet, to have realized the fact that they
are living in one of the great cities of the world.
Considered apart from any comparison with other
places the advance of the city of Baltimore is one
OF the most astonishing of the phenomena of enter
prise and progress. That other towns of this
country have grown still faster, or that we have
not been able to overtake those which had SO much
the start OF us is no great matter of wonder, and
certainly none of encouragement. This city has
steadily maintained its position of the third in the
UNIoN-no mean distinction, when it is remem-
bered that the only two who surpass it, rank with
the largest capitals of Europe in size and wealth.
and we have the most abundant evidence that il
will not lose this eminence. That those who
were alive when Baltimore was village should
fancy it village still, might not be surprising;
but our men of action do not date quite so far
back, and yet we sometimes almost doubt whether
their views are so elevated and comprehensive as
those OF the generation, which has passed from the
stage OF busy life. We are almost persuaded that
the men who undertook, thirty years ago, when