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

WANTED-A POLICY.

- II is idle to conceal the fIct that
the administration thus far has not met public ex-
pectation The country feels no more assurance as
to the future-knows nothing more of the probable
results of the secession movement-than it did on
the day Dir. Buchanan left Washington. 1t sees no
indications OF an administrative policy ADEQUATE to
the emergency-or, indeed, Of any policy beyond
that oflistless waiting to see what NAV "turn mn -
There are times when such policy NAV be wise
but not in presence of an active resoute and da+ar
mined enemy. The new Confederacy is moving
forward, towards the contamination its plans with
degree vgor, intelligence and success, of which
we are sorry to say, we see no indications ON the
part OF the government at Washington. In spite of
me immense difficulties with which they have to
Fontend-the poverty Of the country its utter lack
OF commerce, OF an army and navy, and of credit
one h"stlity OF Its fundamental principles to the
sentiment OF the Christian world the utter hollow
ness o, its reasons for revolution and the
ulsuust which it encounters everywhere-in
spite OF all these obstacles and dscoura gements we
cannot conceal the fact that the new government of
which Jefferson Davis is at the head has eyinced
marvellous degree of energy and is rapidly assum-
ing the proportions of solid and formidable power
Within less than six months they have adopted
constitution, organized Government, put all its ma
chinery into working order, established a CONNER
cial system and put it in operation laid the basis of
a financial department, organized an army, secured
enormous stores and munitions of war; and put
themselves IN position to offer q very formidable
resistance to any attempted coercion the part of
the United States. And what has been done on
our part against them? What single stem has
been taken by cur Government, either to resist
their movement from without, or to appeal with
vlPor and effect to the loyalty which still lives
within their borders? Jefferson Davis will soon
have an organized army of30,O0 men at his com
handicapped he decides to march into Mexico
or Virginia, or upon Washington, what orranized
means have we to resist and defeat his schemes
They have adopted revenue system for the ex-
press purpose of depicting and damaging our com
merce what have We done to offset it? With a
blindness and stOlidity without parallel in the
history of intelligent craftsmanship we have done
everything IN our power to aid their efforts and
crown their hostile endeavors with complete success
The fact is, our Government has done absolutely
nothing towards carrying the country through the
tremendous crisis which is rapidly and so stead
lily setting down upon US.
1t Is the high, the imperative duty of President
Lincoln IN this solemn crisis of the nations fate to
give the American people his guidance and leader
ship. lie was perfectly right in saying at Spring
heio mat upon his shoulders rests a responsibility
more weighty than has fallen upon any one of
his predecessors. That responsibility is not met
by supervising the distribution of office Mr. Lin
coin should reserve his thoughts and his strength
Tor nobler duties than presiding over the wrang-
hngs OF hungry and selfish hunters for PATRONAGE
and place. He wastes powers that belong to the
natlon-he squanders opportunities which millions
upon millions of gold will never bring back, for
resculng the nation from the most fearful perils.-
We shall not be suspected of any but the most
friendly sentiments towards the President of the
United states, when we tell him, what the cour-
tiers who hang upon his favor will not dare to
whlsper-that he must go up to a higher level than
ne has yet reached, before he can see and realize
the high duties to which he has been called He
has spent time and strength in feeding rapaeious
and selfish partsans, which should have
been bestowed upon saving the Union and
maintaining the authority of the Constitution
ne has soemnly sworn to defend. He has not dome
what he was expected to do as soon as he should
assume the reins of power-summon back by word
ana act, the loyalty of the American people to the
nag and the government of their common country.
Tie Union is weaker than it was a month ago.
Its foes have gained courage. and its friends have
lost heart. Step by step the new Confederacv
marches forward towards solid and secure founda-
tons, and day by day the bright hopes of the low
ers OF the Union fade and die away.
The administration mast hare a pollen of oction-
clear and definite in the end it aims at, wise and
resoiute In the means employed, and proclaimed to
the people as the standard around which they can
rally '" hat 1t should be, it is not for us to
mat Is matter requiring wise and careful DELHI
Grafton on the part of those who are responsible.
but 1t should be decided upon promptly, and then
carried into effect with steady and danntIoe, 90
luton. ~
The President has to decide whether he will
enforce the tan at the hazard of civil war-or
whether he will waive the execution of the law and
appeal TO the people of the seeded States on behalf
81 the MON. One or other of these courses he
should lose no time in adopting-simply because
every day lost renders less possible the success of
either If be decides to enforce the laws, let him
can congress together and demand the means of
oIng ~! II he decides upon Peace, let him pro-
CLAIM his purpose, and seek at once the confidence
ana favor OF the people whom he desires to win.
=
We trust this period of indecision, of inaction
OF lat al indifference, will have speedy end I'm.
less 1t does, we may bid farewell to all hope o. saw
ing the Union from destruction and the country
from anarchy. mariner might as well face the
tempest without compass or helm, as an Admins
tralion put to sea amid such storms as now darken
our skies, without clear and definite plan of pub
Iic conduct: The country looks eagerly to Presi
dent Lincoln for the dispersion of the dark mystery
that hangs over our public affairs The people
raised-some policy put forward, which shall serve
as rallying point for the abundant but discour
aged loyalty of the American heart. In a great
crisis Ike this there is policy fatal as that of
having no policy at Ally Y Ti,nza