The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-05-09

Zone peculiar feature in the Connecticut cam
'paign, says the New York Tribune, twas the
formation of 'Wide-awake' Clubs" To the or
ganizaon Of these Clubs it tells u.s. the success of
the Republican Party in that State was mainly at
ributable ''The Shams''-i e. the Democrats
we suppose-were terribly ANNOYED by the Wide
awake movement Before the election their
papers were 'fed with abuse and vile SANDERS
about the Clubs, from which it was evident that
the movement was carrying CONSERVATION into
''the ranks of the SEYMOUR men, These, The
Tribune tells us "could endure anything and eve
''rything which the enthusiasm of the Republicans
prompted them to do, except the getting up of
the 'Wlde-awakes This they could not stand.
THAT form of enthusiasm was absolutely aconi-
'Zng to them In their anguish, The Tribune
beard them eXclaim, like MACBETH when confront
ed by the blood-boltered BANQUo' Take any
shape but that They were beaten-tbe
State went Republican; the Wide-awakes did the
business. No wonder that The Tribune wakes
eloquent and jubiant in praise of the Wide-awakes
that it devOes nearly column of its valuable
space to history of their organizaton-that it is
at pains to rescue from oblivion every circum-
stance attending their origin--that it confidently
anticipates and strongly recommends the forma
ton of similar Clubs everywhere throughout the
country during the coming Presidential canvass.
The origin of the ''Wide-awakes, - according to
The Tribune, was as follows-at least says that
Journal-''as nearly as we can trace it, GIN the
'torch-light procession which escorted CAssIUs NJ.
CLAY to his quarters after his speech in Hartford
oh the evening OF February 27, and which
ni"rcueu through the streets after that duty,
were TWO young men named D. c. FRANCIS and
n = nLAlR, VINO wore black cambria capes to
'pro'ecl themselves from the oil which exneriance
chad taught them would occasionally drin from
1.-THE torches. Let us interrupt for n moment
and for moment only, the thread of this grave
historical narrative to note the bappv chsnca
which has preserved from that oblivion which 70
often the fate of the originators Of GREAT doos
the pioneers OF important movements the naoos
of these two young men. FRANCIS and BrA1pI Tho
sagacity which led them to the adoption of cam
brio capes for the protection of their clothes 10
only inferior to the profundity of the reaec-
ton and possible cost of the. experience
which preceded the discovery that coil
s@would occasionally drip from torches r.
has been well said, that there is no know
ledge SO valuable as that which is purcba-
sed in the school of experience. Had not
these young men on some previous occasion had
their coats spotted with lamp-oil, they would
never, probably, have bethought them of the
cambria capes and Mr.. BUcKNGHAM might not
now be Governor of Connecticut "Mr. G.. P
''BIssELL, the Marshal of the Procession noticed
''the uniform, and complmented them upon it.
sand al the suggestion of Mr.. II. c. BEcKwTTH
che had them put at the head of the procession,
stand gave one of them fine swinging torch,
(which he (Mr. BIssELL) had had made for his
Town use.' 1t is gratifying to see that merit