The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-06 00:00:00

Amalgamation of the City and Metropolitan
Police.

A public meeting, convened by a requisition to the Lord
Mayor, signed by most of the leading City firrt s, took place
yesterday in the Guildhall, to consider the bill of the Go-
vernment now before Parliament for amalgamating the City
and Metropolitan police. The Right Hon. the Lord
Mayor. M.P , presided, and was supported by Sir James
Duke, M.P., Mr. R. W. Crawford, M.P., Mr. Western
Wood, M.P., Mr. W. Cubitt, M.P., Prince Azeonajah, Sir
George Bowyer, M.P., Mr. J. T. Norris, M.P., Mr. H. W.
Kennard, M.P., Mr. Alderman Salomons, M.P., Mr G. H.
Whaley, M.P., Mr. James White, M.P., Baron N. M. de
Rothschild, M.P., Mr. R. Hodgson, M.P., Sir R. W.
Carden, Sir F. G. Moon, Sir John Musgrove ; Mr. Alder-
man and Sheriff Lawrence, Mr. Alderman Humphery, Mr.
Alderman Dakin, Mr. Alderman Gibbon, Mr. Alderman
Sidney, Mr. Alderman Besley, Mr. Alderman W. Laurence,
Mr. Alderman Carter, Mr. Alderman A bbies, Mr. Alderman
Allen, Mr. Alderman Finnis, Mr. Alderman Mechi, Mr.
Alderman Gibbins, Sir W. Alexander, the Mayor of Car-
lisle ; Mr. R. Mitchell, Mr. George Walter, C.O , Mr. J.
Richardson, C.C., Mr. B. Scott, City Chamberlain, Mr. G.
Moore, Mr. Samuel Morley, Mr. James Anderton, C C., ire.
The LORD ALLYOR, in opening the proceedings said that,
having received a most influentially and numerously signed
requisition to call this public meeting, he had done so, in
order to give an opportunity to the citizens of expressing
their opinions upon the proposed meseure for depriving
them of the right which they has enjoyed for centuries of
regu'ating their own affairs. (Cheers.) He ventured to
think that the opinion of that meeting, coupled as it would
be will most influential meetings all over the country,
would have the effect of showing that the attempt to cen-
tralise within the Government the management of the po.
lice of the various districts would not be sanctioned. (Hear.)
His lordship then introduced to the meeting
Mr. SAMUEL MoRLnY. who, in moving the first resolu-
tion, said—l am anxious to unite with my fellow-citizens
in entering a strong, earnest protest against the proceedings
of Sir George Grey with respect to his bill f,r amalgamat-
ing the City and Metropolitan policy. I am glad in
moving the first resolution to be able to adopt the exact
words used by Lord Palmerston himself. The resolution
is az follows :
" That municipal institutions are deserving of the highest
veneration and respect. They are founded on remote anti-
quity; they are the basis en which everything that is good
in free institutions is built up and perfected ; they give to
man the privilege of local self government ; they educate
locally the people of a country, some afterwards to take a
part in the large concerns of the nation, all to be able to
form a correct judgment of the conduct of those by whom
the national affairs are guided ; they instruct and enlighten
the mind ; they practise the human intellect in all those
exercises which render it manly and energetic ; and they
are therefore deserving of the highest possible veneration
and respect."
I quite understand that we do not meet to consider whether
serious mistakes were or were not made on the 7th of March;
neither do we meet to consider the question of the London
corporation, but to consider a specific proposal made by Sir
George Grey, and to which we are prepared to take very
serious exception. (Cheers.) What are the facts of the
case? I understand there are 610 policemen in the City
of London. They are considered to be, and in that opinion
I most entirely join, sufficient for the preservation of the
peace of the City and for the protection of our property. I
can say with great truth that I never leave the City in the
evening without feeling that, so far as human foresight
can make such provision, my property is safe under the
protection of the City police. (Cheers.) And lam pre-
pared to say, whether I regard the courtesy of the men or
the efficiency of the services which they render, the City
police will compare favourably with any other body of a
Ake kind throughout the kingdom. (Cheers.) But, of
course, such a body of men was not sufficient for the ape
cial occurrence of the 7th of March. It does the heart of
an Englishman good to consider and reflect upon the mag-
nificent spectacle which the City presented on that day,
when, with feelings of devoted loyalty and affection to the
Crown, the inhabitants of this mighty city met together in
that narrow space to testify their devotion to, and to give a

hearty welcome to one who, to use the words of the Prince
of Wales, was about to take upon herself the honourable posi-
' tion of an Englishwoman. (Cheers.) If there were any
errors committed on that day, they were to be attributed
as much to the West-end of London as to the City. lam
not here imputing motives, but there would seem almost a
precot.ceived disposition to thwart the arrang-ments of the
City, which were all the more subjects of anxiety in conse-
quence of the recent death of the head of the police in tha
ity, Mr. Daniel Whittle Harvey. I utterly object to the
proceeding of Sir G. Grey, because I object to the transfer
to the Home-office duties which I am prepared to say we
shall better perform for ourselves. (cheers.) Let us r tend
fast by our municipal institutions. (Cheers.) The true policy
of England is to lessen r Aber than to increase the functiona
of Government. I would call your attention to the words
of Guizot, the distinguished French statesman, in his work
on the English constitution: " Wherever I go through
England I find these words, ' Supported by voluntary con-
tributions.' There lies in these words the true secret of
England's greatness. What they do from the centre in
France, the English people do fur themselves.. They aro
willing to pay, but they insist on having In the r own hands
the manag. ment of their own affairs," I would also quote
the words of Kossuth, uttered in this hall, " There is no•
thing," he says, "to which you should cling with such

tenacity as to your municipal privileges, for it is to them
that nations owe their preservation during civil war and dire
political convulsions; and your own, you must remember,
are older than the present people of England." (Cheers.)

Look at the condition of continental nations. You will find
that the Governmental police is dreaded by the middle class
and hated by the people. It is because I desire to have the
police our servants, rather than our masters, that I invite
you to join with unanimity in this resolution. (Cheers.)
Mr. FOWLER seconded the resolution. He said that

those wh i resided in the City were the bast able to judge
whether any alteration was required in the way in which
the City police was inanag. d. The meeting showed
that they were of opinion that no alteration was re-
quired. (Cheers) Under those circumstances it became
the duty of every one to do what in him lay to resist
the innovation suggested by the bill of the Government.
The resolution quoted the very eloquent words of the Prime
Minister in regard to the way in which local institutions
had educated the people of England for the duties which
they fulfilled in the constitutional system of the empire.
The reason, he believed, why other nations had not flourie hed
in the same way as England was principally owing to their
want of local self-government. (Cheers.)
The LORD MAYOR then put the resolution to the meet-
ing, and it was carried unanimously, am d loud cheers.
Mr. KIRKMAN HonasoN, M.P., governor of the Bank
of England, then rose to m rve the second resolution. In
doing so he said : The proposal which I have to submit to
you sin a few words this. We have got a police of our
own, we manage it eureelves, we think it is ye y efficient,
and we intend to keep the management to ourselves. (Laugh •
ter and cheers.) That is my opinion, and I intend to ask
you directly whether it is yours or not. (Cheers.) Id 3 not
intend to say one ward about the 7th of Ma,ch, for this
very good reason that the Home Secretary has told us in hi
speech that any alteration he had proposed to make in the
City force he made without any reference to what had hap •
pened on the 7th. That being the case, we are of c2urse
bound to believe the as- ertion made by a gentleman in his
position, and of his high honour and integrity. But if the
alteration is not on account of the 7th of March, for what
reason is there to be an alteration ? There are three reasons
given for this alteration; first, that it is inconvenient for
us to have a police to ourselves ; seconely, that it is very
expensive, and costa us a great de 1 of money; and thirdly
that it is not efficient. Now the first, if it could be proved,
would be of some importance; but I confess I have never
heard one argument in favour of that opinion. When I
ask any one how it is inconvenient, the reply is, "Oh
you know very well." With reward to its cost, they say
it costs more than the Metropolitan polite, and that we
pay for it all ourselves. (Laughter and cheers.) Now, this
attention of our friends is exceedingly good on their
part, and we feel obliged for it; but we w .uld rather con-
tinue tr pay the whole cost of a fora in which we have

confidence and which we manage, than pay three• fourths
of anon er, and take one•tourth from them, for a force of
which we know nothing, and over which we should have
no control. (Hear, hear.) With regard to the third reason,
I may say that lately I have had a great deal to do with
the police. I have had to inspect and manage the great
case of forging and stealing bank-note paper. In the con-
duct of that case I have had an opportunity of becoming
familiarly acquainted with the detective force of the City of
London, and I can say to you in the most serious and ear-
nest manner that never in my life have I met with a body
so thoroughly and well performing the duties entrusted to
them. I put my poor personal experience on this occasion
against general assertions made in other parts. `yell if
as I have shown,
Cthheeerres.: s nomy inconvenienceopinio
opinion
is tha—t— i 1 we are
willing to bear the expenditure, and if the force is efficient
Thawnhg.y,ciltirsgoe; will now only ask you to raisegentlYem°ll"ll't
strenuously and say, " Much obliged toyour 'voices
your
for your kind ii tentions, but we gentlemen
(Cheers.) The resolution which tile
hoe, gentleman
rather not.:
mitted was as follows : all sub-

"That the police force of this City is as able and efficient
as, if not superior to, any force in these realms for the pro-
tection of life and property, for the detection of crime, and
for the regulation of the immense traffic which
throng the streets of this city, and that it is unwise and
inexpedient to interfere with its management l
so long as its duties continue to be
efficiently p and control
Mr. GEORGE MOORE seconded the resolution,
protesting
against the centralising disposition evinced by the Govern.
ment in this matter, and bearing his testimony to the
general efficiency of the City police.
Mr. CARDEN having supported the resolution, it was put
by the Lord Mayor to the meeting and carried, like the first,
by acclamation and nem. con.
Mr. KENNARD, M.P., said that, occupying the position
which he did in the City of London, and acknowledging
he could the services he had received from the City
resolution
he he could not be silent on such an occasion.
he had to submit was as follows :
"Thatthfer reigns of this realm t
and ward within h the City, a
fit of the
the citizens ofhe London obtained oehhtcattinnegd.
tretes, and of keeping watch
f their liberties; that
w.th
iormewthhotetv
oe
and the protection o
of London Poll
people
of the City
right which they
for the arnalganuttacm
have ever exercised for the benefit
the
hill