The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-04-29

NeltilL newspapers vi OuI CITY are eIluedVOrlng
TO alarm and intimidate our fellow-citizens by al
tempting to show the utterly deenceless condition
of the city ofBalmore, and roundly asserting that
no aid is to be expected from Virginia or the
South. They affirm that the latter has neither
the desire nor the ability to do more than protect
herself and that the former has declared that she
intends for the present 10 preserve strict neu-
trality. In neither the assumption nor the asser-
ton is there any foundation. The whole thing is
mere party trick, gotten up for the purpose of
striking terror into the hearts of the timid and in
fuencing the weak and the irresoue. No one
who reads the daily papers of the North can fail
to see that they have very decided appreciation
of the resistance which so large a city is capable
of making, and that they look upon It's reduction
as matter of no easy execution. Even the New
York Tribune, one Of the most desperate of the
truculent Northern journals, is obliged to confess
THAT undoubtedly city in such condition can
make desperate defence, and possibly sue
"cessfpl one )" and any one who is acquainted
with the geography of the reighborhood of the
city must be well aware of the great natural adj
vantages possessed by her, and the number of
heights which could be rapidly converted into
military positions easy of defence. The illusions
to the relations existing between Virginia and
the Confederate States are sheer Eabricatons. Vir-
gna is no neutral State. She is, to all intents
and purposes, part of the Southern Confederacy,
and has, within few days past concluded an al
lance offensive aud defensive with it. With
the South she is straining every nerve and using
using every exerton to prepare their forces for the
field, and is ready at any moment to answer an
appeal from this State for aid. Virginia has no
right to invade the soil of the United States. and
no desire to do so. Maryland is still in the UNIoN
and until Maryland, by the voice of her author-
ties, asks for assistance, neither Virginia nor the
Confederate States will feel at liberty to march
troops across the border. There is no longer any
doubt as to whether there is any desire to aid this
State. The tremendous burst of enthusiasm
which rang through the whole South, on the re-
cep the ofthe action of the citizens of Balt
more, tells too plainly who are the people who SYM
pathize with them, and who are to be their friends
in the hour of trial. The idle rumors that Mary
land was not wanted by the new Conlederacy
have been Indignantly denied by the united South,
which with one voice has greeted her as a worthy
and noble ally. Nor is it a matter of simple
feeling that breaks out for n moment and then SUBJ
sides. More practical demonstrations of the sim
certify of this sentiment have already been manifest
ed. Merchants who have heretofore been indiheren
to the settlement of their accounts, because they
believed that Maryland intended to ally herself
with the North in opposition to the Southern
States have shown themselves DESTROYS and eager
to make collections and forward remittances
promptly, They declare that their creditors in
loyal Maryland she'll not Sufar through them. bn+
shall be as amply provided for as lies in their
power. Considerable sums of money from these
sources have reached Baltimore within the past few
days and larger amounts are expected The same
warm friendly spirit has been manifested in Virginia.
While this lasts and there can be 10 fear that it
will soon subside, there need be no apprehension
about the action of Virginia or the South. There
is no desire on their part for war, still less for
war of aggression and conquest. But there is a
desire to resist the raving fanacal abolition spirit
of the North, and they will resist it. They have
the means to do it. They have already an i'm
mense supply of all kinds of munitions, sufficient
to arm and provide for every one of the slave
States. They have already much more thor
oushly organized army than the North, and
considerable force will very soon be concen
trated in Virginia, quite to the City
of Washington and to the State of Maryland
as the hostile foe by whom are threatened
upon the other side. In case of an attack on
Or any attempt to invest the city of Baltimore a
demonstration against the city of Washington will
at once be made of too formidable character not
to check any offensive operations. If war be once
commenced, it will be pushed forward with visor,
and made to wage north and not south of the
city of Baltimore. Maryland need have no fear
on this score. She is rich prize, which, while
the North fears to lose, the South desires TO win:
and so soon as the voice of her people has pro-
claimed her wishes and sympathies, she will
promptly receive the succor she may need.
We do not make these remarks through any de-
sire that any portion of our people should be
threatened or intimidaed by Southern any more
than by Northern army. But believing that the
citizens of the State will soon be called upon to
decide with which section of the country they will
unite, and being convinced that upon the perfect
ly free and untrammelled expression of that opin-
ion depends the future welfare and prosperity of
the State, we wish them to understand clearly the
true position of the opposing forces and TO feel
satisfied that they can rely upon aid as promptly
from the one side as from the other