The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-03-08

"ment under Mr.. LINCOLN" 1t would appear
then, from Governor HICKS contradiction, that
the reports about his interference on behalf of Mr.
DAVIS were all erroneous. The Exchange, there
fore, and most of the journals of this and other
States, have published iumors which at moment
ofhigh excitement were flying about New York
and Washington, and which now seem to have
been incorrect. The American, of course, never
perpetrates so awful an offence. Only those
newspapers err which are fallible To this class
we admit that we belong; and as we cannot see
that we have, in the present instance, committed
any grave fault, or have been guilty even of any
gross carelessness, and as we know we have not
violated the usages of the press, or of society, we
dismiss this branch OF the subject without further
comment.
But the american has thought proper to
get itself into state of very virtuous indigna-
ton, and it wags its sagacious head sorrowfully
as it informs that in all its political expert
fence" it has never known a period at which
certain portion of the press twas more persistent
Tin the utterance Of Misrepresentation, and some
''times in the manufacture of them" As we be-
lieve this community will unanimously concede
has kept for the last five or six years, have ac-
quired political experience of the worst possible
sort, we must confess that the times are indeed
dreadful fit describes them truly. We suggest
to it the propriety of again trying TO head re-
form movement, and we heartily wish it more sue
cess in that line than it has had heretofore.
But to return to our contemporaries article
which presents to view Of the matter under dis
cussion, that had not occurred to us, and which
suggests that we do perhaps owe somebody an
explanation for the course we have pursued The
Americam complaining that certain journals have
re-agsered in The face of authoritative denias the
''refuted charge" that Gov. Hicks interfered in
the formation Of Mr.. LINCoLN's Cabinet goes on
| to say:
''They clutch the Misrepresentation as precious NOR
sci not to be lost in their purpose to deame and impair
the influence of whose has for him the
esteem of the true men of the land"
Now we most earnestly protest that we did not
intend to ''defame and impair the influence Of
Gov Hicks by announcing his supposed endorse
ment of Mr.. DAVIS for Cabinet position We
had no idea that his Excellency would deem it
disparaging to himself to have made, on Mr.. DA-
Wis behalf, the exertions attributed to him. If,
however, he does feel that the bare intimation of
such conduct on his part is likely to damage his
reputation or impair his influence we hereby ten
der to that immaculate politician the frankest
apology.
But to the american we have no apology to
make for having declined to discard instantly all
other reports in favor of its statement about Gov
Hicks position. If it can demonstrate to the
,,lI h. A.
''relable sources from which the Exchange has
accepted information, it is welcome to the profit of
such labors. We must remark here, however, that
the charge that the EXCHANGE has undertaken in this
case 'to array (Sic) the veracity Of the Ameri-
can is simply absurd. The difference between
us was merely that the latter believed one story
and we believed another. But whatever the pub
lie may think about the matter, we shall never be
satisfied that any sources of information are so
unreliable that we ought to prefer the columns of
the american thereto. We happen to have a very
distinct recollection of the time when our neigh
bors published, and as far as we can learn
manufactured, pretty hard story about Ger
tain Judge; and when the irate functionary called
at that establishment to demand satisfaction, he
was told that the offensive paragraph was taken
from the EXCHANGE, which allegation, it is need
less to aver pure fiction. This little circum-
stance we say, somewhat shook our confidence in
the accuracy of all statements emanating thence
forth from the american Office and when, therefore,
we lately found two stories afoat concerning Gov.
Hicks and Mr. DAVIS, although our contemporary
spoke as one having authority, we thought it sa-
fer to rely even on the narrative of such a paper
as the New York Tribune