The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-01-30
BALTIMORE.
MONDAY, JANUARY 80. 1860

The news of the passage of the CITY Reform
Bills, by the Senate of Maryland as reported in
another column, produced in this community, on
Saturday evening and yesterday, deep and almost
universal feeling of qualification and relief The
nearly equal division of the Senate upon the
questions involved and the fact that the friends of
the measures possessed only the constitutional ma
jority of twelve had naturally created some ankle
ty lest the factious abuse of parliamentary tactics
by the opposition, might exhaust the endurance of
the majority, or avail itself of some contingency
accident to defeat or modify the Bills 1t was
therefore, source of proportionate graduation
among the friends of law and order that the des-
perate pertnacity of Mr.. YELLoTT and his coadiu-
tors should have been met and overcome so reso-
lutely, and that the Bills should have passed so
triumphantly through their long ordeal of puerile
amendments and wearisome and empty TRADES
To the Senators by whom this good work has been
done so manfully and well, the thanks not only
of the citizens of Baltimore but of the whole peo-
pie of the State, emnently due. Of the trial
of temper and patience to which they were ex-
posed during three long days sessions THAT Of
Friday extending nearly till midnight Listening,
without reply, TO unfounded statements ridiculous
imputations and impotent threats-spun out in
endless repetiiions of the Soi dsQnt Senator from
Baltimore or made more ridiculous, if possible by
harlequinades of the Senator from Frederick
only those who were present can form a proximate
idea That they should have pursued their patriotic
and honorable purpose, without the slightest mani
fest resentment or loss of dignity, and without
permitting themselves to be provoked into single
retort-where retorts were so obvious and could
have cen made so observation-disclosures as credi-
table an exhibition of parliamentary decorum
and personal moderation as we remember
to have witnessed. Only one absurd amend
ment-perfecty immateral-the joint produc-
ton, as it is said, of the gentleman who claims
TO be the Senator from this city and the Senator
from Frederick, and certainly worthy of their
united intelligence and taste-was sprung upon
the Senate during the discussion of the Police Bill
and was adopted by certain of the Senators of the
majority, in order TO deprive its authors of the
wretched political capital which they had hoped to
make from its rejection. While we regret that
such an excrescence should have been permitted to
dishgure the bill, we can readily appreciate the
motives Of those Senators, among the majority,
who acquiesced in it, and we trust that the House
of Delegates will not alter it in a single word, but
will allow it to remain enduring monument
of the spirit in which the Senators and the party
who concocted it, were not ashamed TO deal with a
great measure of public interest and social self
preservation.
The Bills, as our readers are aware are the order
ofthe day for this morning, in the House, where
their passage is certain. How long they will re-
main under discussion, will, of course, depend
upon the conduct of the minority. All proper
consideration will doubtless be extended to those
ofther opponents, who may desire to present their
views respectfully and fairly, but any attempt to
reiterate the threats of violence which were fulmi-
mated in the Senate and which, with more or less
attempt at disguise, have been the staple of the
memorials presented and the circumstances of the
party-ournals, will, we sure, meet with indig-
nant and proper rebuke, and preciptate the termi,
nation of the debate That representative, in a
legislative body should dare to threaten probable
resistance to a law as a reason why it should not
be ENACTED, ought to be cause of instant expul-
sion Certainly no better reason for the enactment
of the most stringent police system can be given,
than the fact, that under the existing system, an
organized rebellion is possible enough to be talked
ofpublicy, even by desperate, or their represen-
tatives