The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-05-17

cent proclamation to the citizens OF Baltimore, de-
serves due credit for having evidently studied, with
an assiduity that is certainly commendable, ''the
art of 'putting things" That he is by no means
adept in the business, is also apparent from the
looseneSs with which his handwork is constructed
For the benefit of the rising generation, and as a
lesson by which the Brigadier General may him
self profit hereafter, propose to point out GER
tain remarkable discrepancies embodied in the
document in question. In the first place, he an
nounced that the Federal troops under his com
mand chad occupied the city of Baltimore, for
'the purpose of enforcing obedience to the laws OF
''the State and of the United States, provided lie
should be invited to assist in so doing-which, by
the way, we take 10 be an indication that Gov.
Hicks designs 10 avail himself Of the services OF the
Northern troops in managing the State of Ma
ryland. But General BUTLER omitted 70 men,
ton wherein those laws have been violated, and
by what right he exercised an authority which is
nowhere delegated TO him or to those under whose
orders he processes 10 be acting. IF there are no
such powers granted By the Consttution-and we
unhesiatingly assert that there are motif neces-
sarily follows that it is he who violates the
laws and not the people of this city, whom he,
by implication, accuses Of doing so. We have
all along entertained lie impression that Mr. LIN
COLIN, under has Interpretation Of the law of 1885,
called out seventy-fve thousand volunteers for the
sole purpose Of putting down unlawful combine
tons Gin the seeded Satcs.' As those States
are mentioned by name, and us Maryland is most
assuredly not one of thcm it might be pertinent
question TO ask why 1t Is that she has been occu-
pied by Federal troops, and why Brigadier Gene
raj BUTLER undertook what was clearly work of
supereroga,iop? The State authorities protested
against his being here; the municipal authorities
are in the full, complete and unrestricted exercise
of all their functions; there has been no resist
ance manifested against those who hold office
under the Federal Government, and yet Brgadier
General BUTLER, of Massachusetts,, with an armed
following of Massachusetts, troops came, as he
tells us for the express purpose of enforcing ODE
dience 10 the laws in a State which, to quote the
language of his own proclamation, ''has never
"been found wanting in loyalty and patri-
"otism TO tie Government in time OF need"
If this be so, and we have his own declaration to
that effect, why does not the Government
display lis confidence in Ter 'loyalty and
patriotism" by Immediately recalling the
Northern troops from among US, as interlopers?
Without pausing just now for a reply to so en-
barrassing question, we turn to another point.
We are generously assured that so little is it the
intention Of the Government to 'intimidate the
good citizens of Baltimore and its vicinity into
"that obedience to the laws, which it doubts not
twill be paid from Inherent respect and love OF
'order, that Of the many thousand troops in the
Immediate neighborhood which might be at once
concentrated here the commanding General has
drought to the city with him scarcely more than
Gan ordinary guard" 1t is remarkable what
loose notions some soldiers have as to what con-
stitutes can ordinary guard" With General
BUTLER the term implies some fifteen hundred men,
and battery Of artillery on Federal Hill, and
"many thousand troops' and several other bat
teries Sin the immediate neighborhood." 1t seems
to US, who do not profess TO be particularly well
versed in military Matters that these several bodies
of troops, which could-so says the Brigader-
''be at once concentrated" amount in the aggre-
gate small army in whose bayonets and bate
rie5 the Government places more confidence than
the loyalty and patriotism of our citizens. 1t is.
nevertheless but fair to stateas recent experience
goes to prove-that what the Government terms
confidence" has, in its official lexicon very DIFF
ferent Specification from any definition of the
same word which is to be found in WEBSTER or
WORCESTER. With respect to our city, its "conf-
dence,' practically displayed is of that pecu-
liar sort which not only requires TO be bolstered
up with 'many thousands of troops but also
''crops out" in such equally novel forms as Selling
all the arms that were not already secreted away;
crowning our heights with batteries; arrestng pri-
vate individuals without rcsorting 10 the usual for
maiiy of legal process; cutting off our supplies
from the interior and taking forcbe possession of
ouravenues of commerce. These, however, we pre-
sumo, it regards as mere trifes. Large numbers
of our people reduced to the starving point
bat they have this one consolation, if none other
the Government has implicit reliance on their
patriotism and loyalty. The losses incurred by
our merchants and capitalists amount to millions
OF dollars; but them they entitled to enter pro-
poSals for furnishing the army with forty thousand
rations. There is some tailoring to be done also,
and as consequence of such petty-we beg par
don-we ought to have said such immense orders |
Tor supplies we have the comforting assurance,
over the sign manual of the Brgadier aforesaid,
chat business will resume its accustomed chan |
''nels, trade take the place of dullness and mac
"dvty, efficient labor dispace idleness, and Bal
gilmore will be in fact what she is entitled to be,
in the front rank of the commercial cities of the
nation" Verify there is something after all in
"the art of putting things" The promises are
the favors vouchsafed are infnites-
simally small, and the hand that proffers them
wears very suspicious gauntlet. But, of course,
we are pratafnI-varv