The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-08-02
BALTIMORE.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 2, 1861.

When Mr.. LINCOLN took possession of the ohlce
TO which fanatical minority of the people Oh 'No
North had managed TO elevate him, MS Par
loudly announced that it was his purpose 10 sno"
the nation that 1--WE had a government Al
though he had expressed himself very feey co"-
rerninc tbo character of the "arfcial crisis" |
with which lie had to deal, he had cautiously ab- |
stained from indicating the specific nature of the
measures to which he proposed to resort, in order
TO restore the public tranquility. One thing only
was known, and that was, that the new President
had determined TO demonstrate to the world that
eve had government and men waited, in fe-
versh expectancy, for the development of his pol
icy. How has he redeemed the pledge? Every
constitutional provision which guarded our liber
lies has been violated-every law which protected
our persons has been set at naught. Threatened
by the armies which the President has set on foot
and inundated by the mobs which his adherents
have excited, hundreds Of thousands of the pponle
OF the Northern and Middle States are sadly watch
ing the progress ola war which was begun without
Their consent. They are considering how they shall
pear the burthens which have been so arbitrarily
imposed upon them, and meet the perilous res
possibilities in which they have been so wrong
iuily and so recklessly involved. The Union is
dissolved; and while the South is calmly and res
olutely laying the foundations of a stable
and wise constitutional Government smil-
"itary necessity" is the only law which
is vouchsafed to the North State Gov
Governments have been overthrown; municipal
authorities have been deposed; the Courts have
been treated with contempt and individuals who
IN
from all these unconstitutional measures have
been arbitrarily imprisoned. A dictator
Hills the place which WASHINGTON once
occupied and q vulgar and brutal
tyranny has been substituted for the constitutional
Government which was once the pride and boast
OF the American people; and this has been done
by the very man who less than six months ago.
swore to abide by the laws and the Constitution.
We have what may be called Govern
ment, perhaps, but it is one for which every
man who is under its jurisdiction should
blush. owe have Government" but il is based
on higher law-on principles which are in Girec
antagonism TO those that underlie the Constitu
ton Mr.. LINCOLN has, perhaps, fulfilled the strc
letter OF his promise lie points to the work which
has been done during the last five months, and
calls upon the North to applaud his energy and
ZEAL and some fanatical fools are found who arc
loud in their praises of the President, for having
proved that 1--WE have Government" But there
are tens of thousands now in the North who
stand aghast as they gradually realize the fact tina
the Government of our fathers has disappeared
and that hateful, shameless and brazen despot-
Ism has been installed in its place The men @
the North know now what sort of Government w,
have, and 1t is a question for them to determin,
whether they are content to abide by it.
But portion of the people of MARYLAND bav
sustained The Administration heretofore, in tb
hope that Its measures would lead to a reconstruc
ton Of the Union, and before thew accord :;
further support they will do well to pause and in
qulre whether the result they have desired i
likely to be brought about by this Administra
ton? Do they believe that the South can be ir
duced to re-enter this Confederacy by the line {
policy which the President has adopted? Do the
think that the people who LETT the Union becaus
their constitutional rights were not fairly an
FULLY respected, will be induced to return to their
leglance to Government which claims the riol
to repudiate the whole Constitution whenever
says the interests of the nation demand dictator
ship? Or, if they think Mr. LINCOLN will fail I
persuade the South to recede from its position, d
they imagine that he can compel it TO do so? D
they believe that anything short of subueatio
Will reduce the South to obedience to the author
ues at Washington; Or do they suppose that sue
snnJugation is possible thing? Unless til
Union men, of Maryland can answer these oue
uons satisfactorily, is it not their duty to protes
at once, against the further prosecution of frui
less and sanguinary war? Let them conside
whether 1t becomes Americans to support, an
longer, such Government as Mr. LINCOLN ba
established.