The Express.
London, England, 1856-03-08 00:00:00

LONDON, SATURDAY, MARCH 8.

Ox Monday next Sir Groans OM will ask the
Mouse of Commons to allow his Counties and Bo-
roughs Police Bill to be read a *soma time. The
general inefficiency of our rural police has beau
too often commented on to admit of any surprise
being felt that a measure for its improvement should
be submitted to the Legislature. A Counties Police
Bill would have astonished nobody; but why are the
boroughs iccluded, when no oomplainta have bees
heard of the state of our borough police? An exa-
mination of the Bill will enable us to suggest an
answer to this question.

. •
It proposed to enact, by the eleventh clues,
that whenever it shall be certified by the BECILITAZT
Of 8t that the police of any county Or borough
established under the provisions of the Bill has been
maintained in an efficient state for the past year, "it
shall be lawful for the Commissioners of her

Majeety's Treasury to pay from time to time, out of
the sweep provided by Parliament for the purpose,
etch a slam towards the expenses of the said police
as shall not exceed one-fourth of the charge for their
pay or clothing certified as aforesaid." The object
of this is palpable. The main objection of country
gentlemen to the establishment of an efficient rural
police has been the expense. Government hopes to
reconcile dem to the project by offering to throw
coo-fourth of the expense upon the ConsolGated
Fund. But in retain for this relief Government
claims to bays a voice potential in the management
of the police. The first clause of the Bill enacts
that the justices of every county ashen,
in General Quarter Session, appoint a chief
constable, " subject to the approval of the
SECRETARY of STATE." This:would virtually piece
the appointment of the head-ooestable of every
empty in the hands of the SECRETARY of STAVE.
Nor does the proposed interference of; Government
with de local polies of aunties stop here.
By the tenth ernes it is proposed to empower the
Crown to appoint three salaried Inspector, who are
to bold their office during pleasure, to inquire into the
effirsoey of the polies of every twenty and borough,
end to report to the SECRETARY of STATE. By the
fifth clause, it is proposed to empower the SECRETARY
Ot STATE to make such regulations as to the duties of
aoestables under the Bill (or any other existing
Pollee Acta) "as he may see fit." And by the eighth
clause, it is proposed to enact that the chief constable
d every county, and the bead constable of every
borough, "shall make all sack general and opera
reports and returns, and furnish all nth
information respecting the police under his orders,
as may ,from time to time be required by one of her
Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State.* The third
and fourth clauses prescribe the manner in whit* the
boroughs, in so far as their polies is concerned, are
to be absorbed into the counties. The Crown is to
fix the terms and coalitions of the consolidation,
with the advice of the Privy Cowell, on application
by the council of any borough t widths borough end
county eonstables are to have the same duties and re-
sponsibilities throughout the county, and within
seven miles of any part of it.
It is obvious from this analysis that, if the Bill be
allowed to pass into a_law, the rural police of every
county will be subjected to the absolute control of the
Hors Seeman for the time being ; and that in
process of time the condition of the polio* of all the
boroughs will be assimilated to that of the cant-
ties. The Home Sec/scum will nominate the local
heads ef the police ; the Hors Sicarr•sv will ap-
point the usleried inspectors, holding office dories
pleasure, who are to examine and report on the state
of the police; the Hors Secarreiv will have the
pewee to " make such general regulations with re-
spect to the duties of constables as he sees fit.' The
Hors Sacursiv will, in abort, be invested with
the whole power of Police Legislative, and will be
able to exorcise an absolute command over the police
of the whole country, with the exception of that,/
the eitiee—which may not keg remain an exception.
By the theory and the practice of the
Basil& constitution the police is not a
political establishment. Its solo recognised fano-
dos is the preservation of the pesos, and the
detection end prevention of crime. Bet if the
entire cared of the polies of the whole kingdom is
to be art:allied is the Hors SECRETARY, and if be
•to posers the legislative power of definieg and
prescribing the duties of the pare, nothing will be
War than to convert that body into • political in-
strument of the Government, sash as exists in every
andoestal kingdom. We de net for a moment soa-
ped that this has been the object ef the framers of
the Cowries end Boroughs Police Bill. We do not
for • moment seeped that they are capable of per-
verting the power they ask for to such a papas.
We believe simply that, in their anxiety to obtain
sufficient power to introduce everywhere an ell.
oat pelisse, they have overlooked the dangerous
nee which might be made of such power in
the event of its falling late Ism trnetwortby
beads. But, if they will ooly relent that it is pos-
sible that a party more hostile to molar peeler%
more ambitious of absolute power, should swat le
office, and that such • party might sertriee, by the
aid of our very defective electoral system, bobtail a
timid, corrupt, or subservient House of Oassame—
they cannot fail to perceive that the encanerspewas
with which the Counties and Borough. Pelee Bill,
if passed into a law, would invest the Nora Slicer,
TART are amply sufficient to enable sash • Govern-
moot, with the aid of such a Parliamest, to este
bliah • most formidable system of political police
espionage and cosnien.

We earnestly hope that Ministers, now that their
attention is drawn to the tree character sod tea.
deny of the measure they have unwittingly intro-
dosed, will see the peopriety at withdrawing it. At
first we were disposed to suggest a compromise—
that u mach of the Bill as goes simply to mute
the establishment of an Molest rural police should
be retained, and the other provisions allowed to
drop; bat on more mature azaminatice we limitless*
objectionable provisions so insrodirebly later.
twined with all the rest that we see nothieg for it
but the sacrifice of the satire measure. We believe
that the deference shown by Government to pathe
opinion. by withdrawing the Bill, would be duly
appreciated by the public at large, however politi-
cal rivals might taunt them for seek a ear
cession I bat if they moire to abide by their
Bill and press the wend 'sadism the iadepeedeat
Liberals will have no alternative bat to resist it to
the utmost. The danger to oar liberties which would
arise from the paining stoned a measure is too great
to allow of its being sancticeed oat of good will to