The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-01-19

would cease talking for littlewhile, and in such
intervals of leisure as domestic duties yield read
the annals of America and France, they may, per-
haps, become better qualified to lend hand at pull
ing down Monarchs and reforming States What
vast difference was there between the two
most magnificent political commissions of modern
times. Our forefathers felt and saw the evils
of the system under which they lived, and
having calmly considered them from every point,
they were enabled to state with apt precision their
nature, and the remedy which they demanded
Neither misled by vague image of Liberty, nor
intoxicated by empty deelamations against tyrants,
they steadily kept in view the legitimate prize
they aimed at and as resolutely marched through
danger to attain it. There was little waste of
words in that stern trial. and practical truths were
not permitted to lose themselves amid throng of
shadowy distractions.
The French Revolution, whatever great results
may have attended or sprung from it, presented a
different aspect to the world. If it was a less
stately procession, it was more striking one, and
the irregularity, the energy and the daring of its
progress, Offered the charm of high excitement even
to those whom it startled If the actors in it per-
formed great things, they did manifold little ones
in the same moment. 1t was as if the Jester of
Charlemagne in cap and bells rode through
the blood of battle beside his masters war
horse. An Assembly was seen struggling
for civil rights, and wasting precious hours
in discussing mans privileges in state
of nature-laboring to amend the laws and
pausing to receive body of masqueraders, styling
itself the Embassy of the Human Race" and
headed by ANACHARsIs CLooTz as orator to all
humanity. Statesmen and demagogues-philoso-
pliers and fools, wrangled together about pnre
truth and ancient patriotism, and adjourned for a
theatrical pageant around the altar of the country
or to enshrine with festal ceremonies their I'M
known Gods. Valiant deeds and bloody crimes
are recorded in the same pages with rhapsodical
theories and puere resolutions How it ended,
we all know, except, perhaps, the dreamers VINO
pirate about the Solidarity of the Nations" The
fashion, as set by France, has been the one fol-
lowed by the revoutionsts of later days, who
have hopelessly failed to achieve any good for
themselves, while distracted by thousand CHI
merical projects for the benefit of all mankind
These New York gatherings are composed of the
same vapouring reformers who have often before
moved society, but without advancing it single
step in the path of rational progress. Europe is
not to be regenerated through marches and coun-
ter-marches in the Bowery, nor by the complaints
of the eXies in New York; because these together
with their propositions for future action are alike
indefinite and therefore of little force.
Freedom is an inestimable blessing, and these
men few years ago had their chance at 'Liber-
''ty, Equality and Fraternity" all three, and they
msused it, and lost it. They are still as ready
as ever to upset the thrones of the old world but
we confess we have heard nothing from them to
assure us that, if successful tomorrow, they
would do more than pitch gaudy tents upon the
ruins of the old strongholds they might demolish.
We are a practical people, and desire 10 see
those who ask our assistance advancing towards
some specific purpose, and giving some evidence
of ability to attain and turn it to account before
we become enthusiastic. The rest of the world is
too big for us to fight, merely because we are in
cited thereto by the furious phrases of the refu-
gees among us. We ought not to be lightly moved
to so serious an undertaking, and would therefore,
resist even the tremendous solicitations of Mrs
JESSIE MERTON WHITE MARIO. Whatever money
she may collect she is welcome to, and we would
advise those of our citizens to invest, who have
before this so handsomely speculated in the Cuban
scrip of LOPEZ, and the Hungarian bonds of
KossUTH.