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

be that the recoections which it must awaken,
will nerve the hearts and strengthen the hands of
those who have even now the power to rescue the |
nation from impending ruin-and that the remem- |
brance of the heavy sacrifices to which the found
ers of the Republic so cheerfully submitted, will
induce their degenerate sons to forego at least,
party spirit and personal ambition, and so save
the Commonwealth
We alluded, few days ago, to the Report re-
Gently submitted by Mr.. PHELPS TO the First |
Branch of the City Council on behalf of the
Joint Committee on Police and Jail, and indicated
our desire to take some early notice of It's details
The Report is so volumnous that we shall be unable
to do more than give general consideration to
those of its recommendations which we consider |
most likely TO do harm. These are all embraced |
in the legislation for which the Report proposes
that the Mayor aud City Council shall memorial
ize the next General Assembly, and we think that
they cover all which the Committee could, upon |
any fair construction, have regarded as possibly
within the ampest scope OF their legitimate action |
The three additional resolutions which they have
appended to the Report, are too obviously rregu-
lar, IN our view, to require any particular COM
ment. They advise the calling of Constitutional
Convention, at the earliest moment which the |
existing Constitution allows, and recommend the |
citizens of Baltimore to vote for the assembling of
SUCH Convention. In case the people of Mary |
land should call such Convention, they respect
fully request the delegates who may be elected !
thereto, from Baltimore, to use their best endea-
vors TO secure the adoption of such amendments |
to the Constitution as will make the police sys-
tenn when improved by the Council Committee |
part of the fundamental law. They then further |
request the said delegates in posse TO secure such
modification of the constitutional basis of repre-
sentation as will give to the people of Baltimore,
'their full and just proportion of representation
Sin the General Assembly" Without intending |
the slightest reflection upon the motives of the |
gentlemen of the Committee, we respectfully sug-
gest, that in all these latter recommendations they
have stepped entirely out of their proper and |
legitimate functions. They were elected to SUI |
perlntend the municipal interests of Bal |
umore-to pass ordinances and not to get up Con- |
Venuons, or recommend to the people how to vote |
in regard to them. They have nothing Whatever
to do with the constitutional basis of representa-
"tion, or any other of such high political mat
tiers. They were not chosen with view to their
opinions upon any such subjects, but simply rs
intelligent, practical gentlemen, who were sup
posed to be willing, from high moral and public
considerations TO undergo the labor and assume
the responsibility OF cleansing municipal
Augean stable. If there was anything especial,
which the people of Baltimore meant to repudiate
by the very TACT and manner of their election, it
was hisdentical business of transporting our mu-
ncipal affairs into constitutional sphere" We
have had sureit of that, for some years past and
just as Mr.. Brown was solicited to accent his
place-because he was known to be a man of
ability and integrity, who would have the sense
and character, and true dignity, to regard himself
in the City Hall, as Mayor of Baltimore and not
prospective President of the UNITED STATEs-pre-
csely in the same way, it was presumed that the
respectable citizens elected TO the Council would
be willing 10 serve their constituents, in
the limited and quiet, but most useful sphere
OF simply municipal duty, without meddling with
constitutional affairs. We are quite sure, that
while the gratitude of the community will be due
and amply rendered to them for the faithful dis
charge of that duty, public opinion will be equally
stringent in combining them 10 it With our
knowledge Of the gentlemen who comgose the
Councils, we entertain no doubt that they will.
as body, be the first to recognize the force and
propriety Of these observations We offer them in
the best spirit, and with a view not less TO the
influence and honorable popularity of the Coun-
ellis themselves, than to the grave public interests
which are under their charge. If State or gen.
eral politics are once admitted into the Councils
in any shape, there is end of the Reform prin-
ciple which has so Strenuously sought to establish
municipal government separated from such
politics altogether. 1t will not do to say that
the suggestions of the Committee are not part-
san, and therefore do not trench upon the principle
referred to. They are not municipal, and that is
objection enough to them. Upon the propriety
of calling Constitutional Convention; upon the
wisdom of altering the Constitution; upon the
policy ofintroducing into it, if altered, the details
oflegislative NATTER upon the grave and often
mooted question of giving to the City of Baltimore
representation in the General Assembly propor
tionate to its population; there are as is wei,
known, the most decided and extreme differences
of opinion. They are all essentially political, and
not municipal questions, as we have said and the
Councils cannot NEEDLE with them-no matter
how wisely-without at once surreudering the
principle of political abnegation, upon which they
were elected, and bringing TO naught, so far as
they are concerned, the great and beneficial NUM-
clpal movement which it was hoped that their
election and example would inaGgurate into per-
manence.
Leaving apart them the resolutions in which
these political questions are involved, we shall
pass at convenient opportunity, to the Iegisla-
tive suggestions, which the Report of Mr.. Phelps
embodles We see that that gentleman, on We'd
nesday, took occasion to warn the Council AGAINST
newspaper paragraphs and Ignorant outside
talk, and expressed considerable indignation at
what he stated appeared to be the fact viz: that
1.-THE Council could take step, unless they were
''assailed from some quarter" Now, we think
we are quite justified in saying, that no CITY
Council was ever held in greater respect or treated
with more entire consideration, or less "assailed.u
than that which is sitting at present. and mas
much as the only two cases which Mr.. PHELPS sets
up to the contrary, in support of his complaint
are those of the Reports on the City Jail
and the City Poice--hoh of which were made
by himself, aud upon neither of which the Coun-
CHS nave ac'ed-~e respectfully suggest to him
tnat ne is transferring to the body of which be is
member, the compliments which have been in
tended for himself alone. Nor do we think he is
at all likely to extend his usefulness, or commend
his views to public appreciation, by persusdnp
himself, and endeavoring to persuade his col,
leagues, that all the Ignorant tak on the subject
is necessarily 'outside;' and that "newspaoer
paragraphs" written by other people, are, of ne
cessity, less wise than newspaper columns filled by
himself. 1t is barely possible that he may be
wrong as well as his neighbors, and upon a mat
ter of such grave and universal interest as that
which he has last undertaken to reform, be has
no right to expect either the public or the press to
hold their peace for his accommodation. If his
recommendations had been ELECTED by any public