The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-07-21

AS the time approaches when political parties
usually make their nominations for the offices
which are to be filled by elections in the fall pub
lie attention is more drawn 10 the import
ance of having in the Mayoralty man who, in
addition to the requisite qualifications of personal
integrity and capacity, shall be neither q polti-
clan partisan The Office is not one of a po-
Htical nature, and with the choice of man to fill
it, politics should have nothing to do. No man
who would seek or accept it for the purpose of
promoting the interests of his party of further
ing bis own political advancement, is fit for the
place. The position is one in which common
sense, coupled with common honesty, is of inf
nitely more Importance to the community as well
as more invaluable to the incumbent, than the
possession of the finest oratorical powers or the
most unimpeachable political orthodoxy. For this
reason honest and patriotic citizens ought always
to insist upon the exclusion of party politics from
municipal affairs; and in view of the approaching
October election prepare themselves for practical
application of this principle. The MAYOR of the
city ought not to be the nominee of party-the
choice of voters should not be limited to the can
didates of political conventions The selection
of our municipal Chief Magistrate is especially at
this moment, matter of too much Importance to
be left to the determination of such influences as
usually control it. IF party conventions and
their constituent bodies, the ward meetings. are
suffered alone to concern themselves with the
selection and presentation of candidates for
offices of municipal trust and importance
honest and independent voters when they 90 to
the polls IN October need not be surprised to find
themselves reduced to the alternative of choosing
between two sets of party-hacks, and of deciding
which of two political factions they will have to
rule over them. To decline voting would be TO
abdicate all control municipal affairs, and to
abandon their administration absolutely to the
politicians. To cast their votes for any other
than the regularly nominated candidates-with-
out previous consultation and consequent concert
OF action-would be simple waste of their bal
lots. Their only escape from such dilemma is
in anticipation Of the Election, and of the action
of the political conventions-n a word, now-
before either party has nominated, and when
everybody is free and uncommitted-to' make
their own nomination, and present their own
candidate-a citizens candidate-for the Mayor
atty The certainty of an open ballot-box and
a fair Election-for the first time in a period of
more than four years-are guaranty that such a
movement if promptly commenced and wisely
conducted, cannot fail of success There only
needs the presentation of the name of some citi-
zen of character and responsibility has not
sought the office a means of ministering to his
own vanity, or as a stepping-stone to further
political preferment-but who only consents to
take it from sense of public duty, and who may
be relied upon to fill it with honesty and firmness
to unite in support of such a nomination all
decent classes of the community Cannot such
man be found Will not those whose immedi-
ate and personal rights and interests are involved
IN faithful and intelligent administration of our
municipal concerns, busy themselves while there
lsyet time and opportunity for something to be
done to find out such maa? If they will not
DO tiff they neglect the opportunity, and let
pass the time-they will have no right to COM
PLAIN if, during the next two years, they shall be
treated to a continuation of the same faithless and
reckless administration under which thew have
suffered for the past four.