The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-09-08
BALTIMORE.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER s, 1859.

II is sincerely to be hoped that the Town Meet
ing, to be held in Monument Square this after
noon. will be encouraged and sustained by the
presence of all those citizens who really have at
heart the welfare of our city. We feel assured
that very few can seriously consider the call of
the Committee, and doubt any longer about its
proprety, or hesitate as to the course it is their
own duty to pursue. No matter to what party
they may belong, they cannot escape the copvic-
ton that for years past lawessness has been gath
ering strength and boldness, while authority has
relaxed its rule, and grown more inefficient day
by day. There was time when pistol shot in
our streets startled whole neighborhood, when
an ARRAY, in which blood was spilled, was remem-
bered for more than four and twenty hours-when
the allegation of bribery and corruption among
our legislators was thought important enough TO
be discussed by the whole press--when the release
of criminals, on straw bail, or on the security Of
their confederates aroused the indignation of the
community, and when the seizure of the ballot
box, in some one ward, excited more than MUIR
murs of disapprobation. Now the elective
franchise confesscdly, exists in name only;
magistrates may be found in every quarter of
the town, and even in the station houses,
who are the allies of cut-throats, 10 whom
they render friendly service indictment after in
dictment has been found, and thrown aside, and
forgotten, in our Court rufians are bailed by the
dozen, by one man, whose trade it has become to
procure the discharge of felons or they find Sc
curity from the public officers themselves; and
outlaws, whose names and faces are as familiar as
those of our worthiest citizens and of whose lives
no record will exist in future, save the criminal
doc9ets, swagger through our Streets levy black
mail, dictate to decent people, intimidate wit
nesses, and violate the laws again and again with
impunity. In other words the scoundrelism Of
the town has gradually, but completely gotten the
upper hand.
Ifthese things are so we cannot conceive of the
effrontery that would defend them on party
grounds. That they are true, nine men out of ten
in this community well know. The meeting
which assemblies this afternoon is to take counsel
about this 'deplorable condition. of our city 1t
does not propose to infringe existing laws can
it alter or amend the institutions which we all adj
NIT TO be defective. But it will have moral force
that will go far towards working out the reforma-
and patriotism have not yet departed from among
us. 1t will reassure those who are most despond-
ent about the future and it will offer an opportu-
nifty to all who desire to assist in re-estabshing
order and good government, to meet on common
ground We trust that men will foreeo all party
ties for once, and disregard alike the falsehoods,
the sneers, and the covert threats of the party
press. They have right to labor in the way pro-
posed for our regeneration. Let no man believe
this movement 10 be Vigilance Committee, for
the charge is wholly untrue Let him have no
fears about the ''indignation' which may be
aroused, or the disturbances" which the partizan
papers suggest when hoping that they may not
occur. Let the humbest and the loftest among
us cooperate together for the public good, not
remembering otherwise than in utter scorn, the
miserable efforts to SOW the seeds of dissension by
reflections on the 'broad-cloth coats'' and ''silk
stockings" of the committee which originated
this meeting Let none be deferred by bullies, nor
msled by the appeals of demagogues, from exer-
cisng to-day the nobest privilege of his citizen
ship. AS we believe the movement to be an hon
est one we hope it may be manfuly supported, and
so wisely directed as to carry out triumphantly its
audable and patriotic purposes.