The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-10-17

still in ferment.
1t is reported from Richmond, that the House of
Bishops have refused to restore Bishop Onderdonk
BY a vote of q to G.
The people of Baltimore having vainly appealed
to the laws to prevent threatened outrages and
crimes, invoke them, now that these are consum-
mated to punish the guilty parties. The authori-
ties who should have afforded them protection,
have failed in this first duty, and if those who
alone can redress their wrongs shall neglect to
listen to their complaints, it assuredly becomes
them to consider how they may best maintain the
rights still left them, and secure themselves from
further injury. 1t is for the Grand Jurors of this
city to say whether they will visit with righteous
retribution the manifold violations of the laws
which characterized the last election, and will cut
off the denominations which, although within reach
of the sword of justice, permitted to exist and
to disgrace US, or whether they will meet the obi
cations which they assumed when they took the
customary oath, like men who are conscious of its
solemn import, and conscientious about the manner
of fulfilling it's requirements. Most of the officials
who are charged with the administration of our
municipal affairs, holding their various situations
as they do, for comparatively long periods, are
known by name and reputation to US all, and we
can therefore measure out to each of them the
praise or blame he may deserve. But asthe public
generally views the Grand Jury only through its Off
cal acts and at the end of its short sessions ceases
to remember the individuals who compose it, it is
eminenty proper that when weightier responsible
ties than usual devolve upon it, we should examine
If more Tho ronpoharc IF that hodv ORC
simply our felow-citizens to whom, for the time
being, high powers have been delegated and they
are as strictly accountable for the proper ex-
ercise of these as for the integrity of their
dealings in any other relations of life, and
the community may graduate the esteem or
respect in which it holds them by the worthlessness
or value of their labors. The delinquencies of
many of their predecessors are not forgotten and to
their neglect to vindicate the right and punish
iniquity the present growth of lawlessness is in
great degree attributable. Weary of seeing au-
thority so long PROSTATE, while rufianism is
triumphant, all men join now in demanding
speedy and strict enforcement of the laws That
all therefore may know to whom we are to look
for the redress to which we are entitled, we re-
publish the names of the present Grand Jurors of
the Criminal Court =
Baltus H KennaTd John Hughes John gdae Hzi 66sr
Spear, Peter NOVEL;, VIM Crane, Thos H Booze Ncho-
las Christopher, James II. Stone, Andrew j. Randolph,
Lemuel Bierbower, Matthew Smith, Daniel Perrgo VIM.
II. Ryan, Nicholas L. Wood, Thomas L. Dell, William
Cotton and David Creamer." -a-.
The oath which these gentlemen have taken,
obges them to diligently inquire, and true pre-
sentiment make, of all such matters and things
las shall be given them in charge or shall other
''acise cometo their haowzedge lest some of the
grievous offences which have disturbed the peace
and brought upon us irremediable evils should
not be t'given them in CHARGE it is well to give
them publicity in order that they NAV thus sother-
''wse come to the knowledge of those who are to
deal with them. The Act of 1853, chap. 1885,
provides that any person 'iwho shall vote in any
Election district or ward in which he does
mot reside, except when he has not resided
six months elsewhere, Cor shall at the
'same election vote in more than one election
district or ward shall vote or offer to vote in
'any name not his own, or in place of any other
person of the same name" shall suffer fine and
imprisonment; and that it shall be ''the special
duty Of the Judges of Elections to give informa-
tion to the respective States Attorneys of all in
fractions of this act when discovered by them,
''under the penalty of twenty dollars for neglect
Gin each case" Those functionaries who have so
sedulously endeavored for few years past to elim-
nate all meaning out of the laws of Maryland, and
to render the statutes as dead in letter and spirit
as are their own integrity and sense of duty, have
we believe, attempted to draw a distinction be-
tween the various elections which this Act was in
tended to cover. They allege that it has no appl-
cation to municipal election but there is no am
biguity in the broad language of the Act to sup
port this pitiful evasion, and even if there was,
the section of the Constitution preceding that
which this law was expressly intended to carry
out, shows conclusively that every election was
within the purview of the article which regulated
the elective franchise The second section of that
article in providing for the disqualification of any
person who should be guilty of bribing another to
vote for or against the candidates for certain of
fees, speaks of those created 'by the ordinances or
authority of the MAYOR and City Council of Bal
fillmore, and those created by the Constitution.
in the same way and in the same sentence, and it
is absurd to suppose when the article treated these
offices as of equal Importance in making provision
against bribery, that in the next section which
provided, in general terms, against illegal voting
1T had not in contemplation all the elections by
Which these identical Offices We're to be filed But
we do not intend to discuss at length propositions
which will not probably be seriously avowed
by the States AttorneJ We return to
the practical issues before us, and ask
the Grand Jury to give some assurance
to the people that the government under which
we seek for safety is not altogether inpotent to |
affn nd
the frauds and outrages of Wednesday last, by !
which they may be exposed, if not punished 1t
is needless to recur at present to particular cases
for they have been in all mems mouths, and have
received the widest circulation through the press
and the Grand Jury has only to diligently
Enquire" as it is sworn to do, and it will not |
fail TO find them, together with the evidence to
support them. We are willing to believe these
gentlemen to be actuated by the sincerest desire
faithfully to perform their trust If our confidence
In them has at all beer shaken it was because
~v knew them to be cognizant of the indecency,
ribaldry and imbecility which have characterized
the proceedings of the Criminal Court, and in
the face of law and facts as clear as the MONDAYS
sun, they have hesitated to indict its Judge
That they abstained one week from doing So
after he expressed from the bench the wish that
party of abandoned cutthroats on steamer had
thrown the Captain overheard, has COMPOUNDED
all good men, and fully justfes the doubt we have
intimated about their promptitude and frmness.
We speak unhesitatingly concerning these matters
for it is time that they should be freely can
vassed The community has borne with wrongs
that itcan bear with no longer, and notwithstanding
the interpretations which would deprive the laws
Of all significance and power, it has sense enough
TO know, that the law is still strong and that
justice is not wholly paralyzed. The people in
siss and properly so, upon believing that the Con-
sHtution ~ less in fault than the officials who SO
lnefficiently WELD authority under it. It is be-
cause We reel 'nat our rights and liberties are not
absolutely dependant on, or at the mercy of
Mayors, Judges or States Attorneys, that we re-
use to abandon them, and seek so earnest,v -. +
Iome honest tribunal which will patientlt t
listen to our appeal and grant us either protection
redress. ZEE .sisas q