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

does not always pass in this world unrewarded. |
and that the ingenuity of these talented young |
men was properly appreciated and duly honored !
How genius like theirs might best be honored. how
ever, it seems to have taken two to discover. Mr..
BIssELL noticed the uniform, and complimented
the wearers but the practical mind of BEcKwIrH
suggested the idea of placing them in the front
OF the procession. 1t is but Just to Mr. BIssELL
to say that he acted with the greatest promptness
IN adopting the suggestion. He placed the young
men at the head of the column, and, as if TO
make amends for his own remissness in not doing
so at first he gave to one of them "a fine swing
ling torch'-his own private and peculiar TORCH |
be it observed-one (Which he had had made for |
''his own use" Certainly BIssELL could have
done no more. But the triumph of FRANCIS and
BLAIR did not stop there. at was the subject
'of very general remark that the capes were a
''grand idea, and the next day it was proposed
among the young men to get up a company of
fifty, and to adopt as uniform, glazed capes
land caps and 10 carry torches like the one
''made for Mr.. BIssELL.n See the activity and
quickness of the New England brain No sooner
was the cape seen than it was appreciated. 1t
was voted 'grand Idea" The Idea spread,
and like the apron of the Blacksmith GAvAH,
which became the national standard of Persia,
the cape has become the emblem of great Party.
The Connecticut election was won by means of
those capes. The Tribune expects to carry the
UNION next fall by the same means-just as the
country was carried in 1910 by means of cider
barrels and log-cabins. The introduction of the
oapa ic MI n in tl,a nf
the country; it promises a pleasing addition to
the list of stock phrases, wherewith newspapers
and stump-speakers wont to stimulate the
enthusiasm of the people, and call their cohorts to
battle Excited orators will no longer appeal to
their hearers to ''bucke on their armpr, but their
"capes' under which, instead Of "banners, the
Republicans will be invited to march to easy victory
But we are outrunning our story. The company
was formed. Mr.. S. B. IVES and Mr. Fl. P. HITCH
COCK called meeting for the purpose The meet
ing held, states The Tribune with scrupulous
particularly, ''in the room of Mr.. ALLEN FRANCIS,
cover the City Bank J. S. CHALKER ESQ.,, was
chosen Captain. The name FtWide-Awake'' was
suggested by paragraph in The Daily Courant,
of March g. written by the assistant editor, Mr..
VIM. P. FULLER. Mr.. II. P. HITcHCoCK proposed
its adoption. The company seconded the idea, it
being, in the expressive vernacular of The Tribune
Just the name of all Others After the organi-
cation, the company went on increasing. By the
18th of March, we read, it numbered one hundred
members, and, soon afterwards, four hundred
From Hartford, the grand Idea spread with cleo
trio speed into the surrounding towns, In
Waterbury, New Haven, New Britain, and other
Co,
town had its club and every Republican his cape
The capes are now made, not of cambria, but of
enamelled cloth. AS grand Ideas, like great oaks
seldom arrive at maturity at once but are devel-
oped and perfected only by degrees we are not sur
prised to learn that 'the Waterbury company
'have improved upon the Hartford company in
their uniform" ''They have their capes trim
''med with facing of white cloth or leather
(Which relieves the solid black of the enameled
''cloth, and gives the dress lighter and more
military appearance Their torches also are got
up in little better style The effect of the
new organization and of the capes upon the
nerves of the "Shams' upon "the ranks of the
SEYMOUR men and finally upon the state of
the poll on the day of election, we have already
given in the language of The Tribune What
more that journal says in praise of the beauty and
deficiency of the "Wide-awazesl we have not
TO repeat. As it is the latest wrinkle in the
way of things political that we have met with
we have thought proper TO say thus much upon the
subject for the information of our readers Be-
sides, there is telling what effect a movement of
this sort may have upon the dress, as well as the
destinies of the Republic. After the cape has been
adopted as party badge by the Republicans, we
hardly suppose that it will continue to be worn as
an article of dress at the South. Like the hat
which is called Ca0our, in the despotic countries
of Europe, the cape will become an object of sus-
pcion. Men have been arrested in Venice on
account of particular cut of the beard, and
women have been imprisoned in Naples and
Rome for wearing q forbidden combination of
colors, or carrying bouquet of red and white
cameas, with green leaves. Why after this
may not Yankee be tarred and feathered in Ala
L~--> Co. --e~r;-s5 r,n InunrnneS mantln2 At the
North, the thing is even more serious, for, unless
the Democratic Party can find some means Of
counteractng the effect of these terrible capes lit
is already beaten, and Republican President will
be the next to hang up his cape in the White
House.