The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-11-02
CHA. r lie S TON.
FRIDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 2, 1866.
THE BALTI1f0RE4 INBROGLI0.

/ The difficulty pending i'll Baltimore between
the Governor and the Police Commissioners has
excited interest throughout the country, and is
certainly an occasion of very just concern. It
is less threatening now, perhaps, than it was
4 few days SINCE The Police Commissioners,
charged before the Governor with having used
their office of scrutinizing the registry of votes
to the interest of the Republican party, and
who had threatened to resist the power of the
| Governor to remove them, have receded some-
what from their extreme position They have
not vet condescended TO enter d defence, but
the investigation progressing, they are inform
ally present by their counsel. The armed or
carnations to sustain them seem to have abatcd
greatly their zeal and preparations; the "Boys
| in Blue'' from Philadelphia have not yet ap-
pearcd upon the theatre of action. A detach-
ment of Government forces seem to have exer-
ciscd q SOLDERING and salutary influence upon
public feeling, and it is probable, therefore,
that if these officers shall be found guilty
of the maladministration charged-of which,
from the developments, there is no reason
able question-the Governor will remove
them, without the disturbance of public order
| which has been threatened, and that the Crisis
will PASS without that trial of conclusions be-
tween the power of regularly constituted
authorities and. the agents and exponents OF
higher Republican law, which it was feared
might draw to their solution the two great
powers of Radicalism and law, which are now
ct issue before the country.
With this solution, however, the difficulty
will not be yet completely ended The re-
moval Of these Commissioners will, doubtless,
result in the election of Democratic Representa-
tives from the city Of Baltimore and Demo-
cratic Senator from the State of Maryland, who
will appear in Congress under the charge that
their elections have been illegally effected. Be-
fore the Republican majority in either House,
competent to determine upon the election, quail
fcation and return of its several members,
allegation will be proof. It is scarcely possible
that they will not all be unseatcd, and TIE re-
suit, therefore, though apparently in favor OF
the Government, will but i've to Congress an
other opportunity of exhibiting the fact that,
in oonsistence with their present position as the
admitted Legislature Of the country, they can
exercise whatever of political power is necessa-
ry to make their place secure and turn aside, to
lame and impotent conclusions, whatever mere
ly political proceedings may be brought to bear
| apainat them s==s.z
In this conclusion it is not pleasant to ac-
quiesce. Apart from our own momentous In
terests at stake upon the issue, we have not
been able to withhold tribute Of admiration
to the Government for its stand in support of
the forms and traditions of the Republic; and
we cannot but lament the dissertations in that
political structure, heretofore regarded as the
temple of American liberty, which must neces-
sarily result from the triumph and unbridled
license of the Radical party-a party which
acknowledges no law but Of its own making;
which exhibits nothing but brute power-a
power which, springing from the lower condi-
tions of society, can consider no objects, re-
spect no obligations, that ought to affect the
government of q civilized community. Apower
so constituted, with a mere instinct of ag-
gression-and of aggression upon law and or
der, and all that is venerable from its connec-
1 ton with the past or conlmendablc in the
present-cannot be fit to WELD the fortunes or
/ shape the destinies for apeople SO individually
elevated as are the people of these United
States. The triumph of this party, therefore,
would be calamity not only to the South, but
to the whole country We have lost so much
that we cannot be greatly agitated for the little
that is left us We have challenged fate and
fallen in the encounter, and are prepared to
accept, with whatever of composure may be
possible, the condition of a fallen people; but,
| irrespective of our fate, it is to be regretted
that this fair and fattering experiment of rep
rcsentatixe liberty; this lauded system Of re-
publics this fair and fertile land, and this
people, SO generally educated and so elevated
in their views of life and its duties, should
come to this conclusion: that in the hour OF
fruition, in tho acme Of their fortunes, they
agency-should be swept over by power
which embodies the principles of social and
political desolation, and which forces them to
look to the shelter of dcspotism which, though
destructive Of those hopes Of q prosperous and
perpetual Republic they have so fondly cher
ished, will give them at least physical securi-
ty from the pcrils of that anarchy that, with-
out SO threatens to engulph thenl.,
) To avoid this dreaded consummation, there is
obviously no power but that which consists in