The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-06-14


language of Gov Hicks letter 10 MIR. E. H. WEB
srER In reply to the latter's application for arms
his Excellency, referring 10 the company for whom
these were required, said: ''Will they be good
smen TO send out to kill LINCOLN and his men
'Tf not, suppose the arms would be better sent
"Souh." When we published this precious evil
dence of Governor Hicks loyalty to the President
elect, we felt no little anxiety about the result
The hostile feelings and purposes of the Governor
were so explicitly and cauddy avowed, that we
were puzzled TO know how he would be able to
relieve Maryland from the suspicious which the
incautious expressions Of her Executive would
draw down upon her. That he would explain the
matter somehow or other, we did not doubt; for
we had an abiding confidence in his ability to take
both sides of any question within week, and
still vindi ate his consistency and integrity. But
in thinking over the subject, we could not mag
inc that anything was left him but to deny the
authorship Of the letter; and though we knew the
original could still be produced in his own hand
writing, we fully expected him to take that course.
We are pleased to learn, however, that tine Cover
nor has not been forced into position which
might have subjected him TO the harsh censures
and misrepresentation Of those reckless partisans
who cannot be persuaded to rely imp ply
apon his word. He does not deny that
he wrote the letter in question, but he has offered
an explanation of its contents, which is so frank
so simple, and so natural that it has effectually
disarmed those who have cndeayored to turn his
expressions TO his disadvantage. He has pub
lished a letter from Mr. WEBSTER, in which the
latter assures the public that the objection able
portions in the Governors letter to him were only
"playful remarks ''-''mere pleasantly" This is
eminently satisfactory. Having thus been fur
nished with the key to Governor Hicks meaning,
we not only concede the propriety of his observa-
tons, but we amazed at our own obtuseness
in having failed at once TO comprehend the real
character of his facetous epistle. How we could
have missed the point of so luminous n joke, now
appears 10 US uncomfortable. We can only &C.
knowledge our stupidity, and assure our worthy
Governor that, for the in justice we have done
him, we have been amply punished by being de-
prived, for so many days, of the enjoyment which
his waggish letter has afforded u.s. Since we
have been awakened to a consciousness of its dro
import, our mirth has known no bounds. We
protest that We have seldom met, in the CORE
spoudenCe of public men, with SO exquisite a
specimen of sportlve raillery. We know of no
literary production of like brevity that is at once
so playful and so pointed. What keen and pol
ished wit is condensed in the proposition to 'lill
'LNCoLN and his men ~ What hilarious humor
runs through the suggestion that the arms :'would
abe better sent SouthP We envy Mr. WEBSTER the
pleasure which he derived from the recent of this
merry missive, for we can imagine the uproarous
peals Of laughter with which he must have well
coined it. We envy the writer the qualification
which its composition must have afforded him, for
we can appreciate the deciouSly funny mood that
he was in when he penned it. How the two par
ties to this stupend0us joke could keep it 10 them
selves so long is to us an unfathOmable mystery.
We return them, however, our sincerest thanks for
having at last permitted the world to sit with
them at this Attic feast. And while acknowledge
ing the excellence of the entertainment of which
we are permitted to partake let US 90 justice to
him who has prepared it. We confess that we
have been, up to this moment, ignorant of the
Governors peculiar forte. We did not know how
gracefully clever he could be- We never suspected
that he possessed such fund Of humor as he has
displayed in his brief correspondence with Mr.
WEBSTER. His true intellectual character is, for
the first time, revealed to US. We recognize him
now rs the transcendent wit-the incompatible
Jester Of the day. We hail him as the RABELAIs
or America-the JOE MILLER of MARYLAND