The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-12-22

law only a snort time since. Every one IecOl
lects the old system-its inefiiciency, its gross
corruption, and awful immortality. 1t abso
lutey blinded the moral sensbilities of thos,
by whom it was carried into operation. Every
one remembers the unfortunate destiny OF the
famous Bill Wiley, who, in his connection with
the police morality of New York, became In
volved to such degree as to cause an early and
premature death.
The present system, as by law established, is
much more complete and comprehensive than
the old one, and if properly carried into effect
would be oil signal advantage to the city. I'm
fortunately, however, the person selected to
carry the system into efiect-granting him
the best of motives and intentions-has failed
to exhibit the great talent necessary to carry
| cut its provisions. The present chief of po'
| lice is Mr.. Matsell, who was the first elect
ed under the new law, and who Is still
| in office. Some of our narrow minded contem-
poraries would object to him for the Office, in
consequence of his being, as they say, by birth
| an Engishman, or that he was once very emf
nent publisher of infde works of most singu.
lar kind and that he, therefore, does not deserve
to occupy the position he does. These objec-
tons are frivolous and ridiculous. If Mr.. Mat
sell had exhibited the great talent necessary to
carry into effect the organization of the police,
his being by birth foreigner, as is probably
erroneo usly charged against him, or his having
publishe infdel or philosophical works, could
not weigh even feather against him in his
present position. Mr.. Matsell undoubtedly has
meant well his motives are good he has
done the best he could with the amount OF talent
which Providence has given him; but that
amount of talent is not sufficient.
The discrepancies between the system estab-
lished bv law, and that established by practice,
under the supe rintendence of MIR. Matsell, are
great and mum erous. We cannot enter into
them all at one time; it would take Gays and
weeks to discuss them to the fullest extent.
There is, however, one point which strikes US
as one strong objection to the practical organza-
ton of the police, and that is, the system of re-
wards by which small part of the police
officers receive the greatest portion of them.
Indeed, 1t ought to be question of policy,
whether the system of rewards is not in it.
self entirely wrong and corrupt, in its ORR
gin and effects AS the system at present
exists, there are nine hundred men employees
and out Of these, probably two hundred receive
large portion of the rewards collected from
persons who have received benefits or protection
seven hundred are partially excluded, and are
not permitted, on principles of equality, to parti
cpate IN these re wards. For long time these
rewards were per mitted to be given without any
record being mad of them; recently, however,
under the action of public opinion, a record of
them is kept, under the administration of the
present mayor. From that record we shall take
few extracts a. our leisure, and prove con-
Al. e.. h;oh - oeLa tl-
bad manner in which this branch of the admins
tration Of the police is conducted.
We might say great deal about the cleaning
Of the streets, in connection with this subject,
and aboutth manner in which other departments
Of the city government are conducted. Indeed,
the advocates of the present system of police,
appear to plume themselves on the idea that they
are relieved entirely from this duty, from the
fact, they irreverently say, that the Almighty
has actually become the street cleaner of New
York, as we see by their organ. These are the
words used:
swept not . fortnight ago. by the Almighty himself,
cleaner than Paris or London ever WAS"
The spring elections are approaching, and
reform is needed. Ought not the Police Chief
to be elected by the people1
L
poRTRR.-Mr Robert Tyler has written us note
impugning the correctness of the report of his
speech, made at the meeting at Philadelphia, on
Saturday night, and given m the Herald on Sun
day morning last. He also sends to an authen-
tic version of this speech, contained in a Phila-
delphia paper of Monday; but on comparing our
! report with that, we can discover no substantial
difference between them. They are materially
| the same.
| The truth is, these complaints against re-
porters, by public speakers, are very frivolous
and very ridiculous. In most cases, reporters
| are more correct than the speakers themselves;
for frequently speakers indulge in language
which, taken down at the minute, they would
withhold from publication the next day. In our
report of Mr. Barton's speech, on the same &C.
cason, he is reported as having INDUCED in
some very ungentlemany and disreputablc re-
marks the personal character of Prince AL
bert and Queen Victoria, which no person with
proper degree of respect for human nature,
would indulge in towards any party, even to-
wards the devil himself. Yet, this most impor-
tant part of Mr.. Bartons speech, has been en-
trcly omitted in the official report of it pub
lished in the Pcnnsy iuanian-thus showing tn at
that party organ imposes on the public false
and incorrect version of that speech.
Are you satisfied, Capt Tyler!
Mr.. SELDEN AND NEWSPAPER REPORTING
In the report of Mr.. Selden's powerful and elo-
quent speech, on his side of the question, which
will be found in the daily journals of yesterday,
very little discrepancy will be found among them,
except in that version given by the NeD York
Express. The Express makes Mr.. Selden say
that the Mexican war is a war sin which our re-
sources are exhausted, and the american charac-
ter debased.' This is certainly very strong ex-
PRESTON used towards the brilliant events of that
war, and we doubt much if it can be correctly
reported. On turning over the reports of all the
other daily papers, we find that it is altogether
| mis-repOrted in the Erpress, to an extent which