The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-10-31

manifested since Mr.. SWAMI shifted upon his
shoulders his own soiled and dishonored robes of
office. Not one step has he thus far taken which
is calculated to justify the confidence of the most
credulous man in this community in the honesty
of his intentions or the purity of his purposes.
On the contrary, he has declined to consult or
to cooperate with the citizens he has nsulted /
unanimous public opinion in the appointments he
has already determined on; and he has apparently
relied for advice as to the government of the city
IN moment so serious, upon counseors whose
capacities and characters are equally despicable
Never before has there been such undsguised
completely between the conservators and the vio-
lators of the public peace Violence has stricken
down its victims in the very presence of the
authorities and has gone unquestioned and unpun-
ished. And now the MAYOR, the SHERIFF and the
STATES ATTORNEY, listen with contempt to the
complaints of the people, and with one accord
deny the assurances of protection they have so
justly asked. More socitous to construe the law
so as 20 nullify its provisions, than to accept
manfuly the responsibilities it so plainly imposes
on them, they misuse the powers entrusted to them
in order to accomplish party ends alone. 1t is no
secure position, and to cast about for some means
through which to preserve their rights. These
they are not yet prepared to surrender. MAYORS
may abdcate, and their plant underlings may
! forward the designs of faction, but the liberties
and lives of the people are not wholly in the keep
ing of their faithleSs servants. If the government
cannot or will not interpose between them and
wanton aggression, they may lawfully stand upon
their own defence. If it permits lawlessness to
overwhelm them in the endeavor to exercise
their legal privileges, they are bound I'M
hesitatingly to resist it. The elective fran
chse is held by the citizens to be
the most valued imminent of their free estate.
They are entitled to be secured in its unmolested
enjoyment, as fully as in that of their houses and
their lands, and they are under no obligation to
submit to be robbed of either. They have hereto
fore suffered themselves to be pacifed with drivel-
ing tales about the disorder attendant upon all
elections, and the outrages to which voters in New
York are subjected but it is sheer faulty to be
soothed forever with these excuses 1t is our bpSi-
ness to cure the evils of condition before
we reach the lower level to which our countrymen
elsewhere said, whether truly falsely it mat
tiers not to have fallen. We have seen here how
armed rufianism has held possession of the polls,
while the balot-boxes have responded to its per-
jures or have been destroyed by its fury. We are
not ignorant of the threats and violence through
which our unoffending and honest neighbors have
been disfranchised. 1t is now our duty to remedy
state of things so disgraceful, and to redeem our
lost prerogatives, if we are fit for sefgovernment
1t rests with US to do So We need no Vigilance
Committees nor secret associations, even if such
had been proposed, to achieve for US our political
regeneration. Let the men of Baltimore be but
present on Wednesday next to face those who dare
attempt to wrong them by force or fraud. Let
them ask nothing but fair and peaceful election,
but let them stand in calm and conscious strength
upon the ground where this new battle of freedom
is to befought and won, to watch vigilantly the
treachery that would betraJ them, and to resist
with becoming manhood the brutality that would
assail them