The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-04-05

ly or lawessy it may express ITSELF too often does
so with impunity, though he thereby violates all
mandates, human and divine The columns of
the press furnish more startling record to sub
stantiate these truths than those who liphtlv skim
over the contents of daily paper are aware Of
our best citizens" as the commendatory phase
usually runs, too often stand by unabashed while
Lynch law is administered upon some obnoxious
victim. They make too little protest when men
are banished, hanged, shot, arred and eathered, or
subjected to nnumerable indignities, to satiate the
fury OF mob, or the vengeance of an individual.
They can witness with Indifference if they do not
applaud, foray like JOHN Browns, an expedition
like WALKERS, or a slave voyage like LAMARs;
and where they sympathise with offenders like
these they scruple not to shield them from the
penalties they have incurred, thus
Bidding the law make curt'sy to their will"
The lamentable consequences likely to ensue when
undertake, in defiance of legal process, to
infict summary punishment or to absolve guilt,
it were work of supererogation to point out.
lor PopuH, in any such connection as this, at
least, is not poI del, nor can the mouthings
OF demagogues make it so. There is no
community on earth in which the minority
can safely dispense with all FORMS and rely upon
the justice and good sense of the majority. There
is no society so enlightened that it can be trusted
to determine the rights of its unworthiest member,
IN derogaton of the statutory modes which legs-
lation has provided These reflections are not in
appropriate to the present time or place for the
tendency to justify the wrong which was supposed
to be working out right or popular result has
been here, as strongly marked as elsewhere De-
cent men have palliated outrage after outrage, so
long as they thought they were inflicted on those
who had countenanced some iniquity years be-
fore; and the same good citizens, in virtuous re-
vusion Of feeling, will excuse violation of the
Constitution itself whenever they hope to profit by
1t. What can people like these say when the tide
runs counter? When the laws cease to command
respect, on what do they propose to rely for pro-
lection should fanatical or infatuated majority
assall their rights or persons2 The popular will
plays queer FRANKS sometimes. The busiest man in
Athens was causelessly banished, and the wsest
and best philosopher of Greece was murdered
Banks have been plundered, converts burned,
houses sacked, and good men slain in these latter
days, as well as in the olden time, and all these
things may happen again. And they will happen
unless strict and loyal adherence to the established
laws is insisted on the first duty of the citizen OF
this principle we have never permitted ourselves
to lose sight, nor shall we do so in the future
We deem these observations not unreasonable,
because we are still assailed by the selfsame in
vectives that we encountered at the outset of our
career. When we asserted the incapacty or I'M
willingness of the MAYOR to preserve the peace
and order of the city, it was said we slandered
gentleman who a model of efficiency and
virtue. When we pointed out the shameful COM
plicity of the police with ruffanism, it was said
that we libelled the best organized force in the
country. When we exposed the outrages to which
men were subjected at the polls, it was said that
our complaints were but the usual outcries of de-
feated partisans. When we denounced riot and
murder, it was said that we were destroy ing the
good name of the city for factous purposes. And
now, when We protest against the illegal appoint
ment of Judge, we are animated, it is said
solely by captious desire to find fault. As we
were heretofore requested not to whine over
wrongs against which the most degraded outcast
should have rebelled, we are advised now to be
silent about an illegal act which may be produc-
tive of good to. the community and which is
likely to be popular. We unhesiatngly reject
the insidious counsel Having chosen our course
from conviction that it is right we mean to pur-
sue it regardless of the misrepresentation to which
it may subject us We hope to live down the
later, like the earlier ISLANDERS. We are satisfied
on review of the facts, that the position we have
taken in each of these instances is impregnable
and we will trust to time 10 justify us before the
public. But be the result what it may, we will
continue to repudiate the short-sighted and time
serving policy which cam for any end whatever
acquiesce in violation of the laws and will en-
deavor to the uttermost to uphold the latter in
spirit and in letter.