The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-04-18

The vindictiye demonstration on the side Of
civil war, which has followed the proclamation of
Dir. LINCOLN, throughout the length and breadth
of the North, has forever settled all doubts unon
at least one point. 1t has put an end to the fond
ana hopeful deluson-wheh so many honest and
patriotic men have been hugging TO their hearts
that the people of the Northern States still retained
IN the midst oil their political and sectional fapati
clSm, some loving traces of the old, warm broth
erly affection for their countrymen this side tba
border. From the meeting OF Congress, in De-
cemoer, until its adjournment, in March, four
toilsome, anxious months were spent in appeals TO
Northern patriotism and good feeling. All that
was good and true and earnest in the Councils Of
the nation, devoted itself, with intense solicitude
10 the work OF reconciliation and peace. The
Northern people were conjured, by every argu-
ment and motive that could affect their reason and
touch their hearts, to meet their Southern breth
rem half way, III the spirit of kindness and com.
promise They were besought to rescue the
UNION from disruption; they were imDored to
save It's broken fragments from the stain and
shame of blood. They responded coldly or not at
all. congressional committees proposed plans of
settlement, and they were hooted down by lead.
ers, press and people, The Peace Conference inter-
posed its patriotic Offices, only to be sneered at and
oerided Not Governor, not Legislature not n
county not a town, from Maine to Mason and Dix
on line, gave ear to the call of peace or real SYM
Pathy 10 those who uttered it. Here and there few
scattered meetings of brave and upright men and
few manly and heightened presses, worthy to he
remembered and honored always, lifted themselves
above the mire of partzanship and responded ~
became them. But the hearts of the masses of tho
Noflh were dead to every appeal of brotherhood
ana The four months ended more in darkness
and hopelessness than they began. Mr.. LIN
COLIN assumed his place He promised na.co
and his promise was almost believed. Rpt
he was not allowed to redeem it, if he meant
IT, Presses and people, from Boston to Cbica-
60, goaded hin! to war. Those who. before.
hau been only passively hostile, became iubilant
at the hope of a collision. When all had been
MADE ready, the collision came. If we are to he
l'eye the New York Ecening Post, and other Jour-
mus processing to be in the secrets of the Admin
iS'f"lioh' the whole expedition to Charleston-tbe
"hoie suggestion of relieving Sumter-was feint
anu trick, to tempt the Confederate army into
striking the first blow, so that demscoppes noicbt
me passions OF the North, by talking of in
suit anu outrage to the flag of the UNION. The blow
was struck. Heaven will Judge to whom ifs resnor-
.'O"i'y belongs. The proclamation followed call
ing the North to arms And what do u,o 1870
olies' that were deaf to the appeals of naocn aro
III" rampant at the summons to the field c.
'u"' might have saved the UNION bv Lind,I.
"ora, and yet refused to say it, are now er,nt,.;
'nelr treasures to accoutre soldiers. Enthusiasts
ana energy, one 1.-THE of which. directed r. 49,
s"lVauon OF the Republic, would have raycro7 -
from perlls tenfold greater than those f. ,vhoL -
mas yielded, are now lavished upon the onnIianoas
OF fratricide and desolation ff'''''-ee'
What can all this mean? II can s;,,,;e-
thlng. 1t opens our eyes, in snite Of ne - a.
melancholy truth, that the North bo5 " '"0
- 0'e"'ehce OF The South, by brute force
'n"n Keep OF win its affections. Repel the con-
eius'oh DIS we may, 1t forces us to feel and -,
that tue oond OF brotherhood is broken and 80
that the UNION, at the North, has become . nv,
OF interest, and not of feeling that it is nrzaa $50
longer there, unless it can be used as a chain ond
domination. UNION so judged and valued
though it had survived the present strife mn. :
have soon gone down, in some other batne NJ
men, calling themselves free, can lopo live in f.-
iowship, under the same government, with other
men, who had rather subjugate them than
do them justice. That the North, knowing Tho
South, should be insane enough to dream that srch
" relation would be submitted to, is only ono
more instance of the madness which goes boforo
destruction.