The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-09-29

Ever since the nomination of Mr.. Brown as the
Reform candidate for the Mayoralty, his opponents
have been endeavoring to array against him the
prejudces of every class, clique and party in this
community. His probity of character, and his capa
city to discharge the duties of the Office they have
not ventured to deny; but they have diligently re-
viewed the tenor of his past life in the hope of find
ing that he has thought or done something that
was, if not improper, at least unpopular. To this
end, his professional acts have been scrunZed
and his political opinions canvassed with a hos
tilty and zeal that could not have failed to bring
to light every trivial incident of his career if any
such existed which was likely to impair the conf
dence of the public in his integrity and Judgment.
All these efforts of his enemies have been utterly
barren of results. They have, therefore, under
taken to invent what they could not discover, and
they have unscrupulously sought to injure him by
imputing TO him opinions he never held, and max
ing him responsible for facts which they them
selves have fabricated. He is, according to the
authors of these reports, opposed TO every project
that the mass of our citizens approve, and is dis
posed to entertain principles which obnoxious
TO ninc-tenths of the people So long these state
mens were whispered upon the street or dis
cussed in the barroOms 1t scarcely worth while
to contradict them, as it might be safely assumed
that sensible men would simply class them with
the ISLANDERS which are usually put in circulation
on the eve of every election But when unjust
and unfounded charges preferred through the
medium of the press, and reiterated with I'M
blushing effrontery day after day, the public is
liable to be, TO some extent, deceived no matter
how obscure may be the Journal which gives them
currency. We have, therefore, taken it upon our
selves to set at rest two misrepresentation upon
which the greatest stress has been laid by Mr.
BRowy's opponents 1t has been alleged that he,
several years ago, signed n petition TO
the Legislature in favor of the passage of
the KERNEY School Bill, which measure
created, when it was first proposed, con-
siderable excitement and dissatisfaction here:
and that he, some time since, correspondent with
and caused dissatisfaction among certain slaves in
Baltimore county. Now we do not assume in any
way to represent Mr.. Browns sentiments or to
make explanations on his behalf TO the public,
but hearing these assertions SO confidently made
and SO incessantly repeated, we have taken the
liberty of questioning him upon both points, Our
inquiries were answered with equal promptness
and frankness, and We give our readers
the benefit of such information as we
received, leaving them to determine its value
In regard to the defunct School Bill, we did not
deem it necessary to interchange views with Mr..
BRowN, as after learning from him that he not
only never signed but was never asked to sign
the petition in question, felt no further interest
in that dead issue. Concerning the second accu-
sation, also, had little more to say for we found
that Mr.. Brown knew as we certainly knew, the
source from which it emanated, and he unhcsita-
tingly placed in our hands the whole correspon-
dence touching the case ont of which the malicious
charge originated. We reproduce the whole of it
to explain fully Mr.. BRowN's connection with the
matter. The following letters will show the
nature and extent of his interference with these
slaves, and what sort of justification he had for it:
BALTIMORE, June 9th, 1856.
SRA servant of mine, guilty of gross misbehavior
was by me- in the exercise of my undoubted right and
under the dictates of duty, properly chastised
On Saturday last you not only undertook to pass
Serious and Indignant" Judgment that act in the
presence of my slave but by your own acknow
you had previously sought exposure his person
to elicit both personal and legal sympathy against the
in which had thus fit exercise authority
in my domestic affairs
Upon a reflection deemed by proper in this matter
especially in the present excited state Of the public mind
growing out of recent events touching this dscate ques
tion consider your inference between slave and his
master, and the pains you took to hold up public
odum indccOrous understandable, and personally often
sVe and for so doing feel myself entitled and hereby
demand of You an apology.
hALTI~apE June 9th, 1856.
SIR:-Dr, Ba xlcy handed to me this noI ming a note
from you, the tenor of which has given little
prise When you reflect the facts of the case you
81; -fnf hna a.
no cause for con- paint On Saturday morning last on
coming to ny Office found waiting for a coored man
Andrew, ana belonged to you. He complained that he
had been very severely whipped by you the evening
fore with cowhde on his bare back that you had
tied him up, then given him thirty nine lashes;
caused his back rubbed with salt and water and
then whipped him again. giving him many blows-he
could not tell how lie applied to Inc for counsel
and protection. His offence, he stated it,
had been sent to town message from your farm that
ne mad been delayed by the rain that he had thus been
detained some two hours his time, and in hurry
ing home had ridden the mare he on, you
told him to show his back, my object being to see
for myself into the truth fsehood of at least part of
his story
His person bore ample testimony to the severity of the
whipping. From the top of his shoulders downwards to
the calves of his legs he covered with stripes nc
ed with cowhide such ms trument-so severe a
hogging for offence had before under my
observation.
felt in doubt as to the proper pursue The
common law, knew, provided for such case, but did
not know whether there special act of Assem-
DIV designed tor the protection of slaves.
Thinking it was matter about which the prosecuting
attorney of the county might be better informed than my
self took Andrew the street to the office of Mr.
FITTINGS but he could not tell me whether not there
was such an act. then went with Andrew to the office
OF Mr. Pinckney, whose experience in such matters is
greater than that of any member the Bar. directed
andrew to show his back both Mr. Cuttings and SIR.
Pinkney because had consulted them the law Off
GERS of the county wished them judge for themselves
as to the propriey of the chastisemen moderate chas
sement of slave for proper is, knew permitted
by the law After this conversation with these gentle
Before proceeding further, thought proper to see
you and accordingly went to the Baltimore Club where
was told by Andrew that should probably find you
gu We're not there, but left my name, with message
that desired to you
On returning Office afterwards with Andrew
found you waiting for me- and there conversed with
you IN the presence Of my partner Mr. Bruno and in the
nearing OF three students who were in the next room
~ appeared, from your statement that the nature
OF the offence committed by Andrew had been truly
ny him. but you thought that he had spent some two
hours longer in town than he admitted You did pro-
less to he certain about the time You complained that
he had ridden very hard You also ALLEGED that
ne had previously given you cause of complaint You
admitted that you in a passion-that the punish
ment had been very severe-more than you had
ever before inflicted on any one that had
small cowhide and had sent for bottle salt and water
but believe you stated that it for the purpose of
alarming Andrew, and that the contents had been
rubbed his back. You also stated that you had re
GREETED the severity Of the punishment was
inflicted
made up my mind that it was the Nisest course not
to bring the matter before the court elieved that YOU
betrayed ny anger an act violence which
your camer Judgment disapproved and which hoped
would not be repeated told you frankly of the
had taken in going to Mr. Cuttings and Mr. Pnckney
that the law did justify such treatment of slave
the same time, told Andrew in your presence
was his duty to be faithful obedient that
liable to punishment if he acted otherwise; and that it
only by behaving well now that he could prepare
himself for responsibility VIXEN his term of seryitude
shall expire In order discourage all idea Of insubor.
dnation his part, was very emphatic in impressng
this upon him.
In conclusion have only to say that have desire
whatever to interfere between you and your slaves and
that cannot properly be charged with having so
But 5 my duty, Il professional man. from which
hope | shall never shrink, to give my advice to the
humbest individual who may seek my aid. A lawyer is
sometimes called to act by children against their
parents by wives against their husbands and by slaves
their masters lie has no right to shut his
against complaints refuse when in his udg
ment proper case is presented Especially has he no
right do, when the weak ask for protection against
the strong.
You greatly mistaken in supposing that my object
hold you up to public odium If such had been
my purpose should have pursued different course.
Your obedient servant, GEO. VIM BROWN.
c. S. Stansbury, Esq.
BALTIMORE June 11th 1856.
GEO. WIN. Brown, ESQ:
Sir received yesterday your note of date the day be-
FORE in which you express the belief that when reflect
on the facts of the CASE referred to in my note U twill
probably the conclusion that ~ have of
complaint You there what consider the facts
the general remark that in parts you appear have
msappehended what said at your Office and that Ger
tnly cannot admit either the propriety legality of
your quoting the statements Of servant facts in the
case And your deliberately doing now, would be
well calculated to strengthen opinion entertained of
and indecorous intemeddlng but your
disclaimer to the contrary.
However mperous the pretensons of professional OBJ
1uat IN yHIT