The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-02-22


SORT the case might have been different; but when
legislation is simply volunteered, in regard to in.
stitutions so vital and at the same time so per.
fectly satisfactory, it is natural for the Community
which is interested, to remember the familiar epi-
taph-'I was well, and wished to be better: took
''physc, and-here | am
--------------------.
His Excellency THOMAS HOLIDAY Hicks nos
sesses one FALsTAFFIAN faculty in perfection. The
eight thousand men whom our imaginative Gov
ERNoR assured the Committee from Talbot coun-
ty were organized for an attack upon Wash
ington, turn out 10 be true kindred to "the men
'in buckram" against whom FALsTAFF fought so
valantly at Gad's Hill. In his examination be-
fore the Investigating Committee at Washington,
on Tuesday last, he is forced to confess that not
only has he no personal knowledge of any inten-
ton to seize upon the Capital, but that the state
ments v hich be had previously made in relation
to the matter were based upon mere rumor He
believed, however, at the time, that some move
ment of the kind was really intended, and for the
following remarkable reasons: first, letter was
written by Commercial House in Charleston, on
the 10th of January, 10 a Commercial House in
France; second, "a publication, or programme,
appeared in the Richmond Enquirer of the 18th
'of December third, remarks were made in his
presence by various gentlemen, and anonymous
communications were sent to him at different
times, warning him that the Capital was in dan
ger. There is something positively sub
lime in the eager credulity with which
Governor HICKS swallowed these reports. Cast
iXg aside all fear of ridicue and devoting himself
heroicay to the salvation of the country, he reso-
lutely set to work 10 give consstence 10 shadows,
and, by his official endorsement of vague surmses,
to give currency to them unquestionable truths.
The only letter under date of January 10th, of
which we have any knowledge, as emanating from
q Charleston house and addressed to q CONNER
"cal house in France, is one on the important
subject of ''Hats;'' two dozen of which were Or
dered 10 be sent direct to Charleston ya Havre or
Liverpool as specimens Of French skill, and with
a view to future importations. The cost of the
hats were not to exceed ten or twelve francs each
The exporter was admonished Ito avoid the heavy
bell CROWN and 10 tie particularly careful that
the samples were Of the latest and most elegant
styles, and that the brims did not roll heavily
those brims being preferred by the cite of Charles
ton, which had ia pretty small curl to the side"
1t is possible that Governor Hicks regarded these
cylindrical contrivanees as Chapeaux seditieur, and
the accompanying remarks Of the writer on the
impending dissolution of the Union, as indicating
purpose to take the Federal Capital, by storm, by
a small but determined band of conspirators, wear
ing, as distinctive symbols of their terrible
design, the latest French style of silk
hats, with "a pretty small curl at the side?''
The horrible fears with which the Governor was
impressed; by the perusal of the Charleston mis-
sve, were confirmed by the publication of an ar.
ticle in the Richmond Enquirer He tells us that
the latter publication would have m de very little
impression on his mind, but that several distin-
guished gentlemen assured him "an effort would
'be made to defeat the Inauguration Of Mr.. LIN
'CoLN." This, in the opinion of the Governor,
conld only be accomplished by the capture of
Washington. In the committee of respectable gen.
tlemen who subsequently waited upon him to re
quest that he would call the Legislature together
he saw nothing but set Of vllanous consprators
In the course Of the interview says the Governor
they actually made references Hto the shedding O
"blood p The following day he was warned
by an anonymous letter-writer, that if the Legis-
lature was convened, resolutions would be passed
carrying Maryland with the South, and forth
with the Capital would be seized with an armed
force. As ''the most senseless and fit man. il
the State, it, of course became his duty tc
prevent these atrocious intentions from being
carried out; especially as gentleman from Wash
nOtN -Io, ii III
"bath, stated that movement to capture thu
Capital and the archives of the government haG
already been set on foot. tIn the presence of my
''self and Others" says the Governor, che de
''scribed the leader of the movement and after hi
''lett we all agreed upon the same individual a!
'the one he described" Was not that wonder
full? We have neither space nor inclination tc
follow his creduous Excellency through all hi:
meanderings for the whole of his testimony, wher
summed up, amounts, by his own confession, tc
this ~ do not believe that that there is any or
"ganization in Maryland, at this time, contem.
"pating an attack on the District or the Fedora
''authorities-though I believe it was decidedly
contemplated at one period" On being pressed
more closely in relation TO the Committee that was
appointed to wait upon him by the meeting at tht
| Universalist Church-he reluctantly admits tina
there was "nothing in the resolutions passed by
'that meeting which indicated purpose to max,
"an attack upon the Government or its property
| but that he drew his inference from the ttaunt
"of the Committee about his own personal safet,
land their illusions to LINCOLN" Finally, OF
being asked whether any of his informants reall,
knew OF the existence, at any time-past or pres
ent-of an organization whose purpose it was f
invade the District, and seize the public archives
he is constrained to reply: ~ have never bee
told by any person that be knew positively Their
twas such an organzation.' At this point
then, the eight thousand men of Governor HICKS
like the witches in MACBETH "vanish into th
'air," and the famous cauldron he has beef
watching so assiduously under the impression tha
contained all the ingredients of most atrociou
conspiracy, turns out to be as harmless as the hast
plate of soup which General SCoTr despatched OF
the eve Of his journey to Mexico One point NOR
and we leave the subject. In his conversation
with Judge HANDY, Governor Hicks takes especia
pains to inform the Committee that he told tn
Judge, eff the Devil had been elected PREsIDEy
of the UNITED STATES in a lawful manner, he
overnor HICKs-'would not like to see thu
''Union broken up because of it." We congratu
late his Satanic Majesty upon this declaration il
his favor by CHS only admirer''
Mr.. IISCoLN's RECEPTION IN Nrv yonv NJ