The Sun.
London, England, 1866-06-28 00:00:00

What are th, Police About ?

A writer in a contemporary says the advice
which Mr. Bright gave to the mob at Easter is
now being followed. Every day a gang of
ruffians is permitted to assemble in Palace-yard
and to insult members of Parliament proceeding
to and returning from the discharge cf their duties.
This is done, not only without an attempt at pre-
vention on the part of the police, but apparently
with their sanction or connivance. Yesterday the
disturbers of the peace were drawn up in ranks
abreast with the police, and as I passed along the

line I observed a fellow who was standing next a
policeman hoot a member of Parliament, and the
policeman took no notice whatever of the offender.
This, I suppose, is what your reporter, writing ap-
parently without an adequate sense of the import-
ance of the subject, refers to, when he speaks of the
actors in this disgraceful and illegal proceeding as
being " very good humoured and easily amenable
to police regulations !" Your reporter states that
" Sir John. Pakington, for the moment, had some
difficulty in managing his horse amid the expres-
sions of disapprobation which his appearance ex-
cited among tho same group." This " group,',
we are informed, had previously been insulting
other members of Parliament. Sir J. Pakington
had reason to congratulate himself on his man-
agement of his steed ; but a less skilful horse-
man might, under such circumstances, have had to
bewail a broken limb or fractured head, for there
are few things which startle a horse more than a
shouting crowd on each flank. One asks, in as-
tonishment, why this flagrant breach of the law is
permitted, if not encouraged, on the very threshold
of the Chambers in which the laws are made, and of
the courts in which they are administered ? If a
poor girl with a basket on her arm were to attempt
to sell oranges in Palace-yard, the police would
soon direct her to " move ou," and if sho refused
would lock her up.

Should you think fit to publish this communica-
tion to-morrow morning, Sir It. Mayne will know
what course he is required to take in the afternoon
and for the future.

THE VOLUNTEERS.--Lieutenant-Colonel Elliott,
district inspector, reviewed the Bedfordshire Volunteers,
numbering 400 rank and filo, at Ampthill-park, on Tues-
day, in the presence of a laige number of spectators. Tho
battalion, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Hastings Russell,
M.P., received the inspector in line. After the usual field
movements, two companies were sent out between wooded
knolls, two marched up a ravine as supports, and the re-
mainder kept in the rear as the reserve. When the summit
of the hill had been gained the skirmishers were called in,
and the whole formed into lino. They then
poured a suc-
cession of volleys into the retreating enemy. At the con-
clusion, Lieut.-Colonel Elliott addressed the men, and told
them that for Volunteers their movements had been exe-
cuted with great steadiness and precision. Tho volley
firing and skirmishing were much superior to what he had
frequently witnessed. He congratulated Colonel Russell
in commanding so good a regiment. The battalion were
then marched to an enclosure, where they piled arms, and
were entertained by Colonel Russell at a collation provided
for them under a tent.