The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-10-12


strongly disposed to add to those which we sub
mtted yesterday subject of the proper conduct
OF the Election which takes place to-day. With the
pest arrangements that the MAYOR can make for
the preservation of the peace and the protection
OF the elective franchise-indeed, with the best
arrangements that could be made-it is but rea-
sonable to anticipate at some Of the polls at some
time during the day. attempts to disturb the order
of the Election and to interfere with the rights
OF voters. Such things Mr.. SWAMI would have
US believe are inseparable from elections in this
city-have always attended them heretofore, and
Will continue to do so in the future. 1t is for the
very purpose of preventing such attempts from
being general and successful, as on some previous
occasions, that we have urged the adoption of
precautionary measures of the most comprehen-
sive character. 1t is precisely because to GER
tain extent, he shares our apprehensions, in this
respect that Mr.. SWAMI has issued instructions to
his police more stringent and specific than ever
before. The question to which we wish to
direct the attention of the authorities and the
public now-is, supposing such disturbances
to occur, what shall be done with those who create
or participate in them? The MAYOR has ordered
the arrest of all ''persons intoxicated -of Gall
'disorderly and riotous persons driving through
1.-THE streets in carriages'-and of the perpetrators
OF 'any acts of violence or outrage What is to
be done with such offenders, after they have been
arrested Hitherto-it has been customary for
the police to take them around the nearest corner
and then let them go-or, at lrthest to the nearest
Staton-l1ouse where friendly Magistrate was
generally in attendance, to release the prisoner on
orr hail, HI
in some cases, that the liberated ruffian has re-
turned to the polls, before the officer who arrested
him, and there resumed his previous pastime of
punching and maltreatng voters. On the present
occasion, Mr.. SWAMI has said that
IAN persons arrested for rotous dsordery conduct
will be conducted to the Station Houses to await the
city" ~ '"0
Now-if we mistake not, Mr.. SWAMI has more
than once complained in his speeches and messages
OF the failure of the Police-Magstrates to do their
duty. We know that Mr.. SWAMI claims to be q
Magistrate himself, and though we have doubted and
still do doubt the validity ofhis claim we do not see
any greater objection to its assertion to-day than
existed yesterday or the day before. He exercises
"Magsterial functions" and hold his ''Court" on
every other day in the week--as he himself has
told us, Sundays not excepted-why not, then to-
day? He has devolved upon the MARSHAL the
duty OF moving from ward to ward-of receiving
the complaints of the judges and of citizens, and Of
experimenting the execution of the orders which
ne has issued. What is to prevent Mr. SWAMI him.
self from remaining at the MAYORS office to DISPOSE
OF the prisoners whom the police may bring before
him? If the labor should prove to be too great for
ma thara ic IL 1,
his cooperation, and whose powers as Magistrate
are as ample, besides being less doubtful than his
own. If the two together cannot conveniently
get through all the work, the SHERIFF NAV an
point deputies enough to perform it with ease, and
distribute them, at pleasure, throughout the city.
The SHERIFF's deputies are Justices of the Peace
e1 o6fcio for such purposes, and the right to null
tply them is one of the high prerogatives with
which Mr.. DREAMER is entrusted Once commit
ted to Jail upon the warrant of a competent Mags-
rate dsturbers of the peace and good order of the
Election may be safely left to await the decision of
the Courts, upon writ of hQ6eas corpus next day.
as to whether they shall be bailed or not. What is
there to prevent the MAYOR, or the MAYOR and the
SHERIFF, with such functions, from providing with
absolute certainty for the protection of voters, and
the removal and safe-keeping of those who may
hinder or modest them? We make the suggestion
in all sincerity and with a cordial desire to pro-
mote by all means in our power the honest efforts
OF the authorities to discharge their duty. 1t is
not too late for the MAYOR to alter and amend his
arrangements in this respect By directing all priso-
ners to be brought before him-be can Mace II
out of the power of any individual to trouble the
police after he has once been arrested Let tho or
engagements already announced be carried out in
good faith, and some such measures adopted as we
uggested yesterday, to prevent ''undue crowdinp."
and let it be distinctly understood that they who
violate the peace, or attempt to obstruct the polls
or to interfere with the freedom of the election
will certainly be arrested and as certainly COM
mitted-to remain in confinement until the next
day-and in despite of the Criminal Court and the
present Constitution-ofth the absence of adequate
"power to punish, and of any and all other diff
hcultes which Mr.. SWAMI may conceive to lie in
the way of successful discharge of his duty-we
shall have quiet election, peaceful and free
one-as quiet, peaceful and free as any reasonable
man can desire or expect