The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-05-03


lent of the London Times rent to America to |
watch and follow up the course Of events in this |
country:
But New York seems full of divina calm ard HUI
man phlegm. A panic in Wall street would, doubt |
less create greater external urbanca than seem
ed to 10 exist in its streets and pleasant man
sions. No doubt there is, and must be, very great
agitation Of feeling and much apprehension: hu. 10
the stranger they are not very patent or visible. |
AD elegant refinement which almost assumes the !
airs of poc0-curanteism, reruS in s0ci.tv only |
broken by the vehement voices Of female patriot |
ism or the denunciati0ns addressed against the pro-
visions Of tariff which New York seems unanim. /
Gus in regarding with hostility and disnav. If !
Rome be burning, there are hundreds of noble !
Romans iddiing away in the Fifth Avenne, and in |
its dependencies, quite satisfied that thew cannot
Join any 81 the fire companies, and that thew are
not responsible for t deeds of the ''Nero'' OF
"anti-Ner"" who applied the torch. They
marry ard are given in marriage; they at
tend their tav0rite theatres, dramatic or devotion
al as the case may be, in the very best coats or
honnets; they eat The largest oysters drink the
best wines, and enjoy the many goods the gods
provide them, unmoved by the daily announce.
ment that Fort SuyDter is evacuated. that the
South is arming, and the Morrill, Tariff is running
the trade of the country. And, as they say, "What
can we Go ~ owe are" they insinu4te, "power.
less to avert the march OF events. We think every
body is wrong. Things going on very pleas
antly when these AbolitiOnists disturbed The course
ottrade and commerce, and speculation, with their
furious fantasies; and now the South awaiting
themselves of the opportunity which the blindness
OF their enemies has afforded them to do what they
have wished in their hearts To- many Il wear, start
in business for themselves and will not be readily
brought back by the lure of any concession till
they ind they unable to get money TO pay their
way, and resort to measures which may be ruin0us
to capital or lead to reconstruction Of the Conf.d-
GRAFTON both sides" II, pursuing the research
es which such remarks suggest, an investigation
a,S e.
ploration, it will not be long before the miner
comes upon matters which he never could have ex-
pected TO find in that particular gallery What
are the most cherished institutions OF the great Re
public?
If the intelligent foreigner were asked what we're
the tu0daYeutal principles which, guaranteed by.
and guaranteeing, their Constitution, the people Of
the United States admired the most he would pro
baby reply Universal suffrage, with its incident
al exercise of vote by baiot) free citizenship free
press" Probably he would answer correctly in
the main, for he would know more of the matter
than do; but if he visited New York for q few
DAYS, what would be his amazement to see his hest
friends snake their heads at the very mention of
these grand shbboleths! How would his faith he
disturbed when he learnt from some merchant
prince that universal suffrage, in its practical work
ing in that city, had handed over the uunicipaI
government to the most ignorant-if not the most
unprinciped men-that it flooded and submerged
the landmarks of responsibility and station by q
tide of harbarOus immigrant fOreigners--that the
press had substituted RIGHTEOUSNESS for liberty srd
tn the evils done in New York BY these agencies
afflicted the whole State! Ingenious theorists
might attempt to convince him that the effect of
these miscbieyous elements had been felt at the
very centre of the social system, and had led to the
separation which, be it temporary or permanent
ali Northern Americans deplore.
Few, however, would admit that the failure of
Republican institutions is by any means involved
IN the disasters which have fallen on the Common
wealth, even when they freely confess that they
desire to modify the Constitution, while they
lament the impossbitv OF doing so in consequences
OF the very condition of things it has created. 1t
is my firm conviction, forced on nv mind by the
words OF many men of note with whom | have
| spoken, that they would gladly, if they could
| place some limits to their own liberties as far rs
| their fellOw-men are concerned and that thew
| begin to doubt whether Constitution founded on
abstract principles of the equality Of mankind can
be worked out in huge cies-veritabe cloacae qel-
hHn-however successful it was in the earlier DAYS
of the Republic, and rs it is in the sparsely inha-
| bIted rural districts where every inhabtant rpore-
| sents property. These men may be small mino-
| rlty, but they certainly represent great wealth.
much ability, and high intelligence in TIE State Of
which | speak. They assert there is no recunaro-
| tive power in the Constitution. The sick physi-
clan cannot heal himself, for he has caused his
| own Illness, and Convention, the great nostrum
! OF the fathers of the Republic, is only an appeal
| irCm Phllp drunk to Philip mad.
AT Washngtnn there is at this moment sucn
! ferment as no other part of the world could ey-
| moit-a spectacle which makes one wonder that
any man can DE induced to seek for Office, or that
| any government can be conducted Under such a
| system. The storm which rolled over the capitsI
has, am told, subsided; but the stranger unaccus-
| toned to such tempestuous zones thinks the gale
is quite strong enough even in its diminished nten-
| sity. All the hotels are full of keen Urav-pved
men, who fondly believe their destiny is TO fiji for
four years some pet appointment under Govern
menf The streets are crowded with them; the
steamers and railway carriages, the public depart
| nentS, the steps OF the Senator'S DWELLINGS, the
| Hobbies Of houses, the Presidents mansion, are
| cro%ded with them. From all parts of the vast
| Union, not even excepting the South, they have
| come faStas steam or wind and waves could bear
| them to concentrate in one focus on the devoted
head Of the President all the myriad influences
which, by letter, testimonial, personal application
uhceaslng canvass, and sleepless solicitation thev
can collect together
Wizards Hotel, huge caravanserai is n curious
study OF character and institutions. Every form OF
| speech and every accent under which the English
| tongue can be recognized rings through the long
corridors in tones OF eXpOstulation anger or graft
ncatOn. Crowds ct lOng-limbed pa,u,afs1 urat III Or
SulTeCoIaTs, vast conceptions IN hating and hoot
ing, angular with documents and pregnant with de-
mana, throng every aTenue in spite of the printed
n"aices orecung mem " to move on from front of
| the cigar stand" They are "senator hunters -
| ana every senator has clientele more numerous
| IMAM Inc most popular Young Roman noble WIN
ever sauntered down the Via Sacra. If one Of them
ventures out OF cover, the cry is raised and he is
immediately run earth. The prjntino-nrcssay avn
pussy with endless copies of testimonials which are
| ErfIed at every body with reckless profnsiop
| - AZ the very moment when the President and his
oaoinet should be left undsturbed to deal with the
| tremendous questions which have arisen for ,heir
action the roar of 0iice-seekers dins sverv spnsa
anu almost annihilates them. The Senate whicI,
Is now sitting merely to confirm amendments re-
t "a the honotony OF executive reviews with
oda sKlrmlshes between old political ontoconis,a
now and then, will, it is said, rise this uaal,
Around their Chamber is the ever-recurrinr cncs.
;non nehru, :. " 20 has got what?' and the answer
n5i;ca san sathSaetory to ALL This hunting after
"ilce' Which destroys selfrespect when + i ,Ea
moving motive OF any considerable section oF =
great party, is an innovation which was introd,ad
oY Heheral Jackson; but it is likely to be as pernna
rent as the Republic, inasmuch as no candiia ~
| dares to declare his intention of reyertnr ~ +h
old system. These 'spoils," as thew ara c,I I,l
are now being distributed by two Governmrrts
the dc jnre and de Jacto Government of Woebinc.
| States at Montgomery. II
IL dliilcuit for one who has arrived So raran+I
IN this country and who has been subjected to ncb
variety OF statements, ITO come to any very definite
conclusion In reference to the great questions
agitate it. But far as | can | shall form m y
| opinions from what see, and not from what /
near; ana as shall proceed South in a few DAYS
mere IS pro9aollty OF my being able to ascer-
tam what is the real state of affairs in that direc
ton. As far as can judge-my conclusion. let il
De understood, being drawn from the PREVAILING
| opinions Of others-''the South will never 90 bocI
iuto Tue mon. On the same day heard gen-
|
NO concession, ne compromise, nothing that can
De cone or suggested shall induce US to lain snv
confederation OF which the New England States
| are MEMBERS" and by another gentleman we'll
| known as one of the ablest of the Abolitionists
was told, III could bring back the Southern
states DIV holding up my little finger, should con-
sider 1t criminal to do So" The friends Of tho
Union sometimes endeavor to disguise their sorrow
and their humiliation at the prospect nresantad b
Tue great republic, under the garb of pride in the
peeuilar excellence of institutions which have ner
intted such revolution as secession withnut tho
| loss OF one drop of blood. But concession avartS
oo0dshed 1t give up my purse to the footnad
m no presents pistol at my head, satisfy all
| MS demands, and he must be a sanpui1srv
mlscreant if he pulls the trigger afterwards. The
Policeman has, sure Y, no business to boast of the
peculiar excellence, in such trans action of tha
state OF things which allows the transfer to take
| place without bloodshed. A Government NAV he
| so elastic as, like an overstraned undermined
Dand, TO have no c0mpressve force whatever. and
that very quality is claimed for the Federal co.,
eminent as excellence by some eminent men whom
have met, and who maintained the thesis that
the United States Government has no RIGHT what
ever TO assert its authority by force over the neo
pie OF any State whatever; that, based on the CON
sent OF all, 1t ceases to exist wherever there is dis
sent-a doctrine which no one need analyze who
understands what are the real uses and ends of
government. The friends of the existing Admin
lstratlon, on the whole, regard the secession "a q
temporary alteration, which mastery inactiv
1ty, the effects OF time, nhers nt weakness and a
strong reaction, of which they aatter themselves
they see many proofs in the Southern States win
correct. "Let us, they say, ''dea with this mat
ter In our own way. Do not interfere A recnp
mtlon OF the secession would be an interference
amounting to hostility. In good time the violent
men down South will come to their senses, and the
treason will die ont -