The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-01-07 00:00:00

to
Isslieve that.the .principles and -views 'which we
enti.“3' iated on that occasion are largely, if not
universally slimed in by the people of Liverpool.
Not one of our cotemporaties who formerly battled
strong for the Mdjor has come forward to defend
his conduct towards Police Constable STEWART,
and hence, we infer, that they, as well as ourselves,
disapprove of such manifestations of self-signifi-
canoe, haughtiness of tone and official petty
tyranny. But it is not with the members of the
police force alone that the Head Constable displays
his pert and petulant airs. There are instances,
not solitary, but numerous, in whish his es tire
tone and bearing towards respectable ratepayers
have been, not only reprehensible, but evidern.ed
that, if in the proper tune, he would use to them the
never to be forgotten exclamation—" I am not a
man ! I am a Major !!" In our concluding
remarks on Thursday, we intimated that there
were other matters connected with lead Constable
GREIG'S conduct, to which we would refer. It is in
fulfilment of that promise we now write. Our
readers will recollect that, on Friday week we pub-
lished two letters from Mr. J. GREENE, of Soho
street, commenting in severe terms upon the con-
duct of certain police officers in Scotland road.
The charges preferred at the instance of Mr
GREENE, were undue harshness and severity
towards poor creatures who were endeavouring to
obtain a precarious living by hawking certain
articles about the street;—maltreating them,
and to a certain extent destroying the wares
which they were endeavouring to retail. Un
necessary interference,' and undue severity upon
the part of the police, we denounce and deprecate
with the same severity es we did the Major's exhi-
bition of Sunday fortnight. Mr. GREENE, who had
witnessed the violence to which his letters refer,
brought the matter before the Head Constable, and
attended to substantiate the charge. He did so
without success, for the. mere denial of the officer
was relied upon, and more credit attached to his
ipse di.vit than to the statement of a disinterested
and respectable ratepayer. • Mr. GREENE had other
witnesses present to corroborate his testimony, but
they were not called, and there the matter ended.—
The poor woman had the commodities which she
was vending hurled into the street. She was rudely
assailed, but, notwithstanding the interference of
humane and proper minded gentlemen, she :had
no remedy for the loss, be it little or much,
which she sustained. The rude and unceremonious
treatment of the officer she had to bear without a
murmur on pain of being locked up and charged
before the magistrates with some kind of criminal
or police offence. All this, we repeat, had to be
encountered and borne without the possibility of
obtaining the very slightest modicum of satisfac
tion. To-clay's NownisaN TIMES contains
another letter from a respectable gentleman, com-
plaining of conduct precisely similar to that
alluded to in Mr. GREENE'S communication. The
latter has been before the public for ten days; and
as no notice has been taken of its contents, nor
any attempt made to question the accuracy of a
single assertion or statement which it contains, we
take it for granted that every thing that Air.
GREENE has puts forth under his hand
upon the subject is true to the letter. If
this is so—and how can we, for a single moment
entertain a doubt thereon?—it is high time
that the matter should be taken up, with a view to

an instant reformation. Major GREIG, as Head
Constable of Liverpool, and the Watch Committee,
his masters, must be taught to know and feel, that
the Municipal ,Electors, who have made each and
all what they are,—as public officials—can as easily
unmake them—that the 'people will not submit to
be dragooned by any Head Constable, " Major''
though he be—that, from himself, doWn to the
humblest probationer in the force, there must not
be anything bordering upon arrogance, harshness,
pertness, petulance, or undue severity. It is duo
to the public, that nothing of the kind be tolerated;
were it so, who could calculate the consequences?
What security would there be for life or property ?
Where would be those desirable elements which
appertain to all well regulated communities—peace,
law, and order?
The complaint made before Mr. MANSFIELD, by
police officer STEWART, charged the Head Con
stable with an assault, and using language.towards
him which was not only ridiculous but insulting.
The letters to which we have on the present

occasion called attention, charge the Head Con-
stable with aiding and abetting the members of

;he po;ice force to practice a specie of petty cruelty,

illegal annoyances, and unreasonable interference
with the humbler classes. We hope sincerely
that such is not the case, but until the statements
put forth by our correspondents are controverted,
not only ourselves, but the entire public must enter-
tain very grave doubts upon the subject. For who
that was guiltless would allow such charges to remain
unnoticed for ten days, and who, two days after such
complaints being published, would be guilty of the
conduct which afforded such rich materials for
" Local Gossip" last week. It may be that our
Head Constable, carrying into the police his mili-

tary notions, is, to some extent, the cause of no
small portion of the conduct of The police, which
induced Mr. GREENE to call the Major's attention
to the matter. He may fancy that, with a force of
800 picked men, he can perambulate the streets of
Liverpool, determined that none shall act thereon

contrary to his supreme will and pleasure ; that for
this purpose he has only to authorise his constables,

nspectors, and superintendents, to assail the

orange girls' baskets —prevent humble street dealers
from earning a paltry pittance, hut, at the same

time, an honest livelihood—and, if complaint is
made, to treat all persons as he did Mr. GREENE,
_ _ _

and Mr. FITZSIMMONS,

Now, we wish not to condemn any man unheard •
Such is anti-British. Charges have been made

against the,Hea,cl Constable. To one, the STEWART

assault case, he replied. But the public regard his
defence, as well as Mr. MANSFIELD'S judgment on

the case, no reply whatever; for, notwithstanding
the special pleading, and the metaphysical subleties

of the stipendiary magistrate, nineteen•twentieths

of the people believe that the MAJOR did commit an

assault, and should have been obliged to pay the
penalty of his rash and indecorous conduct. As it

discontent and jealousy, lest the fountains of

justice should be polluted, prevails. To Mr,
GREENE'3 charge, no explanation or reply has been

- -
vouchsafed. Under these circumstances, we hope
that some member of the Council, at its meeting

this day, will bring • the matter forward, and

move, that a special committee- be appointed
to investigate the whole affair, and report thereon.

• - The subject is too serious to be trifled with, and the

people look for a searching enquiry. If Major
Game is innocent of the charges preferred, he

should have an honourable acquittal, so that all
may know that the Head Constable is an official of