The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-12-11

A correspondent, who signs himself IA Me
''chanic, writes to us on behalf of the working
men of Baltimore, and asks some questions, tc
which, we regret to say, we can return no salts
factory answers. His letter pictures a deporablt
state of things, as at present existing here and is
full of forebodings about the future We canno,
make room for it in full-but a few extracts will
suffice to place the substance of it before the pub.
lie, to whose consideration we commend the sub.
ject. By calling attention TO the hardships and
suflerings of one portion of the community we can
at least remind Others of the duty imposed upon
them of doing all that can he reasonably expected
OF liberal and public-sprited citizens to alleviate
the general distress which the political crisis has
already produced, and which, we fear is to be still
further aggravated within the ensuing few months.
Our correspondent assures US that, rat this mo-
''ment, thousands of worthy men-heads of fam
'ilies-mechanics and others, are out of employ
without wherewith TO purchase the necessary
food for their wives and children" 'Instead, +"
he says, ''of hope of improvement to cheer
us, we see things getting worse" and
he asks, "can no means be devsed-no
''plan adopted-whereoy our deplorable sit
'uaton can be bettered, and our condition anne
''liorated?' The only suggestion he himself can
make is that the workmcn should "be retained in
their places until Spring. and supplied with suf.
Efficient money to live upon until the present
storm Is past and peace and resumption of bust
mess returns" Let the merchant" he adds,
"iorbear to discharge his clerks the mechanic his
"workmen-the contractor his aborer-let all be
retained, and let the capitalist by his money up
"hold the employ of these men in their noble
efforts We most earnestly trust that this APP
peal will meet the response ii deserves and that
all who have the power will extend in the way
thus indicated, helping hands 10 those who are
weaker and more needy than themselves But
while We hope for the best, it is proper for US to
warn those who, like our correspondent, may be
looking to the liberality of capitalists for support
in this emergency, that they cannot reasonably
expect from this source anything like The amount
of relief that will, we fear, be required On ordi-
nary occasions our merchants, mechanics and con-
tractors would doubtless give heed to the suggeS
non OF our correspondent, and many of them
would promptly act upon it. If the present trou-
BILE had sprung from any other cause than the one
which has really produced it, our business men
- N'~ '"S VA'ell anu prOUaDte uufatlOn OF
the commercial and financial depression, and in view
OF Tue ultimate reaction, most of them would readily
make such temporary sacrifice as is now asked of
them Whenever the events of tomorrow can be
anticipated, means can be found to MITIGATE the
evil OF to-day. But the emergency in which we |
are now placed is of different character from the
''panics' with which we are so familiar, and we
must not be surprised if men hesitate to act as
they would do in almost any other sort of crisis.
The country stands paralyzed IN the presence of
an impending revolution, the consequences and |
end of which no one can foresee Under these cir |
eunstanees, therefore, people begin to look for
~aro not to "A dull and unprosperous season, but |
10 the absolute ruin Of all the business of the
try, and nothing will induce ca,,it,liste 70 puoy
labor when civil war and the Acknowledgement of
the Republic are the common talk For ,bese and
other reasons, we fear that opr co.uo..,.
suggestion will amount to little, and ,ra No. -,
liged to acknowledge that we have no,l,;s :.
this moment, to offer in its stead If bo,neno~
we should go from bad TO worse, we can but 49, 49,
the good feeling and good sense of the communit,
will be stimulated to unwonted energy, and that
some means will be found to alleviate the dis
tresses of all. But nothing can be done then, any
more than now, unless the people Of every rank,