The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-06-06 00:00:00

A NATIONAL POLICE.

THERE is something far more practical in the
character of Lord PALMERSTON than any of his
colleagues in the ministry can claim credit for.
While every cabinet measure has been withdrawn
i or defeated, the HOME SECRETARY, on the last day
before the present recess, introduced two bills with
the view of improving erhiiinal jurisdiction. Before
their details are made public, it is, of course, im-
possible to judge of them, but the one is briefly
stated to be a bill to render more effectual the
police in counties and boroughs, and the other to
establish reformatory institutions for criminals.
In his explanation Lord' PALMERSTON stated that,
while he attached great importance to the prin-
ciple of local self-government, he, thought it de-
sirable that there should be an inspection of the
, police, to secure uniformity and efficiency. He,
therefore, proposed that the.boards should consist
of magistrates, to be selected especially for the pur-
pose ;-and with regard to boroughs, that the smaller
ones should be so far amalgamated with the coun-
ties, that the borough magistrates should be mem-
bers of the county boards. Larger towns he pro-
posed to leave as at present with their own bodies
of police. One of the evils of the present system
has been that divided jurisdiction which has ma-
terially impaired the efficiency of local police ; and
it has often been the case that in small towns the
small body at the disposal of the magistrates has
been totally inadequate for the suppression of any
serious disturbance. An alteration, therefore, by
which an efficient force could be concentrated on
any emergency when it is most wanted, would be
a manifest improvement, and from the long expe-
rience afforded by the establishment of the metro-
politan police, it would be less of an experiment than
many of the Whig attempts at legislation. It will
be necessary, however, to watch the details of the
measure with some caution, as measures brought
in towards the close of session are often hastily
concocted, and passed without deliberation, and
the party from which this bill emanates is not to
be trusted either for profundity of wisdom or sin-
cerity of purpose. _ __

With regard to the second bill, it is hardly pos-
sible to over-estimate its importance or necessity.
Now that transportation has been virtually
abolished, and all criminals punished within the
country by what is called penal servitude, some
more effectual means should be adopted for their
reformation than the ticket-of-leave system so re-
cently tried, but which has proved so abortive. It
is not sufficient that the discharged offender. should
have leave to work, the work must be found for
him, or his loss of character will operate as an
effectual bar to his obtaining it from private
sources, and want will drive him to a repetition of
his offences. The refuge for discharged prisoners
should be placed upon 4 footing sufficiently ample
for the many demands which must be made upon
it, and by this means all excuse for crime would be
taken away, and the really penitent , would be
enabled to return to the paths of honesty, and
recover the position which they had forfeited.
Should this desirable result be effected by the bill
of Lord PALMERSTON, he will be entitled to the
thanks of the country for carrying out a measure•
of really practical benefit.