The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-12-17

We published in an extra on Saturday. and
give to our readers to-day, in another column, the
Recommendation of the President of the UNITED
STATES to the people thereof to observe the 4th
day of January next as a day of general Humilia-
tion Fasting ana Prayer. No man, with either
head or heart, who has a sense of the caamities
which are impending over US, and of the desperate
and parricidal wickedness and folly which seem
to struggle for the bad privilege of launching
them upon US, can gaze, without shrinking
dread into the depths of our ingratitude to that
Almighty goodness, under the ceaseess smile OF
whose bounty and blessing we have hitherto
walked, joyous and united people. Peace and
Plenty; Health and Happiness; knowledge Lib
erty, and Power-all things for which men
kneel to God-have fallen as prodigally on
us as the early and the latter rain. Our tenn
ing soil has clothed and fed the nations, and the
precious ore beneath it has bound them TO us with
links of gold. To the poor and the down-trodden
of the world we have been an asylum, and have
given competence and freedom; and our example
has broken or lightened the chains of the op-
pressed, the wide earth over There is not mis-.
sion of love and usefulness to others, ENROLLING
and elevating humanity, which it has not been our
privilege as nation TO press onward-net gift
in the wide circle of Divine beneicence which il
has not been permitted US to gather for ourselves
And this has been our lot, in spite of ourselves,
often, and beyond our EXTREMIST hopes and merits
always. Over difficulties and through periIs upon
which wisdom and virtue could not save the re-
pubhcs History from stranding, we have bound
ed with triumphant PROV, and the star of Heavens
guidance has ever frightened before us when
darkness seemed thickest and shipwreck most near
An invisible shield has been perpetually interposed
for US between our misdeeds and their natural re.
tflouton, and hand, unseen bnt Omnipotent
mas almost oosened for our sake, the eternal chain
which drags sorrow after sin-effect after cause
If ever the breath ola nation were daily thanks
giving, that breath should have been ours IF ever
sackoloth and ashes and repentant prayers were
needed, TO avert the wrath which follows the deli.
berate and wanton mockcry of Gods goodness,
mat need is upon US now. In the very mid
harvest OF his blessings; in the warmest sunshine
OF peace prosperity and hope; happy at home, but
for our unwlingness to be so and respected abroad
but for the folly which destroys respect: with a
name and glory which only ourselves can
sully, and strength unconquerable save only by
ourselves ALSO we are about to fling these precious
gifts OF Provldence-our own treasure and the her.
itage of cur chidrcn-into the abyss of civil and
fraernal discord. Well, indeed, we repeat, NAV
the nation kiss the dust before its affairs in expia-
ton-if expiation there can be-of an iniouitv so
foul and wanton.
But while we thus recognize the Nervousness of
our national ingratitude, and would reverently
hope for some favorable answer to the public sup
plcatlons, we cannot avert our minds from the
conviction, that it were better to seal the doors of
our temples, than to open them, upon so solemn
an occasion, in the spirit which has desecrated so
many of them heretofore. From many an altar
dedicated to the religion of goodwill and peace
there has been going FORTH for years past, the con-
Stunning fire, which is now closing around us.
From pulpits, decked with the symbols of Chris
tianity, have issued, more despitefulIy than
from all other sources, the barbed and poisoned
words which are now ranking in the
hearts of so many of our brethren. There are hun
dreds of Christian shrines upon which the
most welcome offerings are the sins of the ''save-
breeder and the "man-stealer,n and before
which the wrongs of the slave and his avenging
are made the sum of the Law, the Prophets and
the Gospel. We fear, too, that there are other
quarters in which the prayer is too often for retr-
button, instead of peace, conversion and forgive
ness. Unhappily, when men knee with pur
pose IN their hearts, the result of their
prayers is most generally to confirm it.
The conquerOr rushes from his TIE Deuu
to seek new victories, MS devoutly as the van
pushed rises from his miserere to dispute them.
Unless, therefore-startled by sense of their own
Wickedness and its approaching consequences
the men who have excited and yet stimulate the
conflict which is to rend the Republic asunder,
can bring to the footstool which they seek in
prayer, some change of heart and purpose
Weakening consciousness of wrong committed and
atonement due-better let the prayer be unsaid
ana the affairs escape its PROCLAMATION If the
thought of this grand and glorious Union
discovered and disgraced-of human freedom
exiled from its nobest dweing-religion, arts
power, industry and happiness all smitten as by
pestilence-if such thought cannot drive out the
devils of vindiciveness and vanity, sefrighteous-
ness and hate, which now possess them merely
1t were worse than mockery for them to affect
the sham of gef-humaton before their Maker
We trust that the spirit which BELTS the solemn
time will come TO them and TO US all, and that the
voices which go up together may once more
breathe that harmony which has never ceased to
win us blessings.
80 much for Mr.. BUCHANAN's "Recommenda-
"uon." The country, in its turn, has something
to recommend to him and all others in authority
1t is well-eminently well, as we, have said-for
people to PROSTATE themselves before the Deitv
whom they have offended and it especially be-
comes the CHIEF MAGISTRATE of such people to
invite them to join him in so doing. But the
rulers to whom this Republic has entrusted its
destinies have something to do besides In their
hands, under Providence, are the issues even vet.
Of the struggle whose din is already in our ears.
If they will set themselves honestly and bravely
to their work if they will rise above the msera-
BILE ambition and paltry and timid and demagogi-
cal seEseeking, which, down to this moment,
have made their dealings with the crisis of the
nation by-word of contempt and shame-it is
yet IN their power to make the day of humiliation
day OF thanksgiving as well. Even at This late
moment of hurried and partial disruption there
IS no peril which may not be averted-no bastv
step which may not be retraced-if genuine and
manly craftsmanship, invoking and responded to
by the spirit of concession and con,nron,;so
brotherhood and patriotism, will only snatch the
quivering and deserted helm. In the name Of
everything that is sacred, the nation calls
upon its President and his counsellors-upon its
Senators and Representatives-to let their souls if
they have souls in them, rise up to the level of
their country's need and their own obligations.
Upon them is the responsibility with them are the
means and the opportunity: upon them will be the
glory or the execration. IF the Union of these
States should go down in the present strife-need-
iessiy 90 down, or wantonly be- stricken down
the pen OF History will lack words 10 stigmatize
the wretcbed imbecility of the men, calling them.
selves its rulers and statesmen who could or would
think of nothing to save it, but wordy. selfrefu-
ting message, and stale and vulgar wrangle.
The President and his Cabinet cannot escape from
this-Congress cannot be rescued from it-by CALI
ing the people to standardization and prayer. Let
them first render to God, themselves that noblest
homage, duty faithfully discharged Let them
strain every human means at their CONTROLLED
them task every energy of their own hearts and