The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-03-16

Various causes have doubtless contributed to
njure business in Baltimore, within the last few
years, the chief of which was the insecurity
in which we have during that period been
living. As long as lawlessness was supreme
here, it was idle to hope for better times for
neither capital nor enterprise can develope them
selves unless protection is assured them. To the
absence of this is attributable the retardation Of
our prosperity. 1t may be true that the number
OF fhose who have actually been subjected to in
dignity or outrage was comparatively Insignificant
when compared with the whole population, but
TINS reflection not altogether consolatory II
was seen that such license was accorded to ruffian
lsm that it did not hesitate TO interfere with mon
IN their shops, or upon the streets and The broad
OF what might befal them was enough to naraIvza
hundreds OF peaceful citizens. They might have
submitted to molestation at the polls, but when
they saw outlaws in the garb of policemen, and
recognized their familiar faces among the games
which controlled their ship yards, or superintended
the construction of their railway lines. or had
charge of the places where people assembled for
recreation, 1t was not strange that the community
should have paused to consider the end of sucb
system. That it did await the issue with great
anxiety is conceded by all, and it is only SINGULAR
that any one could be found to doubt that this
state of public feeling was productive of the most
disastrous results upon the business of Baltimore
we advert to these things again, not through any
ueslre 10 demonstrate now what we asserted here
tofore but because, if our views were substantially
correct We are justified in anticipating the spes DIV
advent of brighter future. When a police force
is placed in our streets which is honestly bent
upon maintaining order and protecting the rights
OF all, and aJudge is elevated to the bench who
will inexorably punish crime, the people
will have but themselves to blame if
they fail to consummae the work of reform
and progress so happily inaugurated. When they
can dwell in peace in every quarter of the town,
and pursue their avocatons without being dis
turbed by DULLES, they will find ample room for
the exercise of their best energies. The laws have
now done all that laws can do, to re-establsh
good government among us, and it requires only
the election of honest and capable couucil-men
and magistrates to render our political condition
emnently satisfactory. Several months must
elapse before any steps can be taken in this direc-
uon, and IN the meantime many efficient measures
may be adopted to give a new impetus to trade
Our connections with the West and our relations
towards the South are all that could be desired.
and the Chesapeake enables us to communicate di-
rectly with the remotest nations of the world
Our locality is singularly healthy one and
through the fertility of the surrounding country
our markets are as abundantly and cheaply sup
piled as those Of any large city on the continent.
What Is to prevent Baltimore from becoming the
centre of fourishing inland and foreign trade,
and great manufacturing emporium? Why
should not her wealth and population increase
more rapidly than ever heretofore? If one-balf
the public spirit and enterprise is extant now.
winch existed when our great works of internal
improvement were undertaken, these questions
can be affirmativey answered. But merchants
must be liberal and bold as well as active and sa-
gacous. They who decline to import their goods
themselves, or to subscribe to foreign or coastwise
steamship lines unless handsome profits are omar
anteed them, are not Of the same stamp as those
VINO made Baltimore what she is. The capital
which contributed to her prosperity was not alb
Sorbed in shaving notes in stockspeculations in
those days, but put to nobler uses and greater
risks 1t required men of comprehensive views
and high intelligence to build up city like ours
and to make it the magnificent METROPOLIS il ought
10 be, her citizens must display something more
than the shrewdness which can discriminate be-
tween first and second rate paper And we have
every confidence that they will. Now that they
aveshaken off the evils that CALLED and crushed
them, we trust they will quickly avail themselves
of every method to extend our commercial connec-
tons, to increase our manufacturing facilities, to
develope the resources ofour State, and to enlarge
and embeish our city. 1t rests with US to make
Baltimore place of pleasant and profitable So
journ to strangers, and having provided for our
own security this is our next important duty.
Let us hope it will he at once undertaken and sue
cessfully accomplished, and that we may be here
after permitted to date a new era of prosperity
from the passage of the Police Bill