The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-02-23

The Clerk Of the Criminal Court, in pursuance
of an order of the House of Delegates, Transmitted
to that body some days ago statement of the
untred cases upon the docket and the forfeited
recognizances upon which proceedings have beer
instituted. This report was quietly referred tc
one of the Committees, and was neither read mol
ordered to be printed. 1t is to be hoped it will al
once be published 1t may affect. the case o
Judge STUMP, and should therefore be treated
like the rest of the testimony therein taken
but whether it has any essential bearing on hi:
conduct or not, it is OF vast Importance to The
community that the past proceedings of his tri.
bunal should be laid bare. If the report should
turn out TO be imperfect and uncandid one
ana we confess we have no confidence in the
source from which it comes, the Legislature will
never be apprsed of the fact, unless it is submit
ted to the inspection of the people here, who are
sufficiently familiar with the matters to which il
relates to detect any glazing inaccuracies But in
any event 1T Is eminenty proper that it should be
given TO the public. Our citizens have ALWAYS
the right to demand that the most rigid INQUIRIES
should be instituted into the conduct of those who
mold important offices, and it is particularly desi-
rable that these should be pressed at this time
Every charge which has been made of late wears, Of
corruption, ineficiency or neglect of duty on the
part of those entrusted with headministrationo
laws, has been pertinacously and Indignantly de-
MED, and it is impossible, through the agency
of the Legislature, for the people to know truly
how their affairs have been transacted. 1t is alb
solutely necessary to the future welfare of this
al that f,nt nh; I r
those who have participated in its government
should be fairly brought out The Legislature
has so far done good service to us and to the State
1t has exposed the miserable frauds and outrapes
through which we have been abused and plum
dered; and it has taught the tricksters who con-
cocted them a signal lesson. Now that these have
been reminded Of the retribution which, sooner or
later overtakes iniqnity, NAV hope to be spared
witnessing for some time TO come such frequent
and shameless perversons of power and political
influence rs have lately called forth general indie-
nation. Scores of men whose characters. but for
the energetic action of the Legislature, might have
been bolstered up forever, and who might have vet
crept, all unworthy as they are, into honorable
and profitable Offices, have been thrust down
to their proper levels in the estimation of
their fellow-citizens. They have not yet per-
haps realized the full measure of the punishment
that awaits them. But they cannot escape the
penalty of wrong-doing, and the presentations
and denials to which many have resorted to serve
their temporary ends will insure their ultimate
Illumination. These viii be remembered and the
record which preserves them will testify through
life to the disgrace of these dishonest schemers
and warn their imitators to shun the paths
which lead TO infamy. All the evidence which
has been adduced on either side of the con-
troverted cases before the Legislature has
answered some good purpose No allegation
which has youched for Judge STUMP s sobriety
decorum and capacity, and no averment which
has maintained the integrity and disnterestednes,
of all who were connected with the CITY PASSENGER
Railway will ever be forgotten, and This know
ledge may some day save Us from the macbpa-
tons of those whom we would otherwise have
trusted. 1t is desirable, therefore, that the Grand
Inquest of the State should not only push its in
yestigalions in every quarter, but should also
publish their results in full To insist that re-
paration for past offences shall, as far as possible
be made, is not its only duty. 1t is matter of
far greater moment that public officers should be