The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-04-20


the day.
The Hon. }. MORRISON HARRIS has come TO life
again. Within the past week he has given I'M
mistakeabe signs of animation He has recov-
cred his speech, and the use of his other faculties
may, in time, be expected to follow 1t gives us
great pleasure to make this announcement, for
really it is so long since we have heard either of
or from the Honorable Member, that we had quite
lost sight of him-had nearly forgotten in fact,
that any such person existed We are happy TO
state, therefore that the Hon. Gent. "stil livesn
The occasion on which he turned up, to the
intense admiration of his constituents and the
immense qualification of his friends and the public
generally, was pending proposition in the House
of Representatives, on Wednesday, to appropriate
$4,000 for repairs in the Baltimore Custom
House, which, our readers will remember, was
badly damaged by fire nearly two years ago.
Mr.. HARRIS opposed the appropriation. He
"knew of nothing showing o necessity for the
appropriation" 1.-THE damages had resulted in
anything serious, either he or his colleague OIr
"DAvIs) would have heard something about it,
But they hadnever heard of any necessity for such
''repairs." Gle was opposed to appropriations
'for repairs to old buildings occupied by Govern
''ment officers in Baltimore" 'tNew buildings
'wi be demanded by the exgency of business,
'and he Mr.. HARRIs) thought the time will soon
'come" Accordingly, the appropriation was
lost. Mr.. HARRIS killed it. The $4,000 were
saved to the country, and the Custom House is
not TO be repaired. Possibly, one of these days,
we may have n new one. 1t is consolation to
know that Mr.. HARRIS thinks 'the time will
"come" In the meanwhile, he is opposed to
'repairs has never heard that any 'repars'
were needed. Now, it is just barely possible that
there may be more things in heaven and earth
than Mr. HARRIS may know anything about. We
are not as profoundly impressed with the extent
of the knowledge of our Baltimore SoLoN as,
perhaps we ought to be. 1t is possible, we
think, that the Baltimore Custom-House may
have been burnt on the 18th of September,
1858, and the Hon. j. MORRISON HARRIS may have
heard nothing about it. 1t certainly was burnt
not literally burnt down or burnt up, but nearly
burnt out-half of both sides of the principal cor
ridor, occupied as Offices by the clerks and others
employed in the Custom-House being entirely
Quilted by the fire. In that condition it has since
remained-unsightly, uncomfortable, and barely
habitable-the accommodation requisite for the
transaction of the public business-never too ex-
tensive for the purpose-considerably re-
duced-and blackened walls charred timbers,
grinning rafters, and patched windows giving a
notifying air of poverty and sovenliness to the
whole place. Certainly no merchant would allow
his counting-room to remain for one month in the
condition in which the Custom-House of the
UNITED STATES has remained for nearly two wears
That Mr.. HARRIS should not be aware of any of
these facts, would not surprise us in the least.
There is no excuse which we would more readily
accept from him than that of ignorance. But Mr..
HARRIS does not stop here. Not content with as
signing his ignorance and that of his colleague, as
a reason why an appropriation should not be made
the Hon. Gent. gives us to understand, that on
grounds fprinciple-broad grounds of princplehe
doubtless considered them-vcry narrow grounds
indeed, we should call them-he is opposed TO
appropratng money ''for repairs to old buildings
occupied by Government officers in Balti-
"more." Had we been casting about for likely
explanation of Mr.. HARRIS action in this matter
we do not think we could have well hit upon a
smaller motive than the one he has here assigned.
Mr.. HARRIS evidently wishes to make the Demo-
cratic Collector, clerks, guagers inspectors, barge
men and watchmen of the Baltimore Custom House
as uncomfortable rs possible; if they are uncomfor-
table already, he wishes them to remain So 1t is
pity that in his desire to spite these obnoxious of
hcias, Mr.. HARRIS should have forgotten that the
question was one involving the comfort and con-
venience Of the mercantile community as we'll
The merchants of Baltimore are not all Democrats
Very few, perhaps, voted for Mr.. HARRIS at the
last elcction-very few, in fact were permitted by
Mr.. HARRIS friends, on that OCCASION to vote at
all-but still that is no reason why Mr.. HARRIS,
usually SO taciIurn should only find the use of his
tongue, for the purpose Of opposing their wishes
The reason which he gives why cold buildings,
occupied by Government officers in Baltimore"
ought not to be repaired, is simply foolish. New
buildings, he says, Gin time, ~ will be needed, and
new buildings, he thinks, Gin time' will come
lie may we'll treat the erection of Il new Custom
House in Baltimore as question of 'ttime." 1t is
not three years since the present one was greatly
enlarged and put in thorough repair at very
heavy expense. If an appropriation for another
could be had tomorrow, 1t would probably be
two years more before n suitable site could be
found, and building of the proper size and char
acter erected and fitted for occupation During all
that time, there is no reason why the present Gus
tom House should not be made as respectable in
appearance, and as comfortable and convenient,
in every way, as circumstances will admit, and
certainly $4,000 does not look like very large
sum for that purpose. Mr.. HARRIS however,
thought it useless and extravagant, and succeeded
in getting the House to think so too. We con-
graduate the Honorable gentleman upon the sue
cess which has attended this his first attempt, we
believe, since he has been in Congress, to influence
legislation We congratulate the Third Congress
Sional District upon having Representative who
is so keeny alive to the interests of his constitu-
ents-and the country upon having such faith
tul guardian of the public purse. We hope the
honorable Member will soon let US hear from him
again.