New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-02-17

all offenders, aud, after approval by the Mayor
send them to prison. Who is to be SAFE from
any wellfeigned charge that may arouse tne
personal or political ire Of Mr.. Mitsell As
if one assertion was insufficient, the third Sec
ton of the new Law repeats that the Ponce
shah al obey the rules and regulations PIE.
scribed BIZ the Mayor" The Old Law limited
the amount of compensation to be paid to the
officers and men. and increase could be made
only BY the Legislature; the new law makes
the Common Council-the present Council
sole authority in the matter Whist may po-
Iieen,n's pay be, under the existing rush for
and granting of increased salaries 70 clneh
the matter, the new law orders the Controller
to pay such salaries upon the certificate OF the
Clerk to the Chief-nO doubt most independ-
ent satrap-that it is all right" In view Of
the esOteric design Of this bill, the improve
ment that Policemen shall be able TO read and
write is wisely made. Tammany makes no OBJ
lection to voters who don't know the al phabet,
but it won't do to employ electiOneering wire
pullers of that sort, in these days of intrigue,
when post-Ofices and bill stickers may De
charged to the throat with the incendiary fruit
of the OmniPOient press. We need not refer
again to the appointment for life. The de-
mocraey Of that idea is peculiar to Tammany,
and long may they enjoy undisturbed the mo-
nopoly thereof But there is one other fes-
ture of this knaTisb bill that proves beyond
question its pestilent political character The
change of name from Assistant Captains 10
"Lieutenants a" of Police is this feature, and it
is aimed at The Wing Assistant Captains, who
are in a large majority in the Department,
most of them having been appointed by Mayor
Kinesand and the Wing Aldermen Of lS50-5l.
The moment this bill becomes a law, Mayor
Westervelt will say, there are no such OIL
GERS as Lieutenants-we must appoint them az
once" and then the seventeen LOcO-Foco Al.
dermCn will eject the Assistant Captains on the
ground that The Office is abolished, and put in
their places thirty-four Lieutenants Of the
can rely for aid and comfort if they should have
the presumption ever TO come before the peO-
PIE for nomyatiOn. There is no other reason
for changing Assistant Captain to Lieu
tenant" and this fact alone shows the true
nature Of the reform" And another pecu-
liar feature We may as well mention, as further
evidence Of such. were needed) of the real de-
signs Of this reform" In the present law,
sickness or disability only shall be excuse for
neglect Of duty, and no one has authority TO
grant leave of absence. But in the proposed
bin We find the following significant inter-
pOlatiOn: But nothing herein contained
shall be construed 10 prerent the Mayor
from reiiering captains, leutenants, ser
aeants, policemen and dOOrmen from duty
for limited time" So, the Mayor may =" ex.
cuse half the force of the Department when
Lc or the party has any primary election job
where the boys" are wanted-and the peo-
PIE must pay for the dance. What warrant is
there for comforting this extraordinary power
ulou sIbkit tuct iuuai
While there can be no doubt that reform is
necessary in our Police Department, that we
ought in return for our enormous taxation to
have efficient protection, it is ridiculous to
suppose that the political machinery hidden
under this bill will give it. Even with the
present detective system, with the present
fussy and preteDtious Chief, the present
Captains (of Police one portion of the day
and of political tran-bands the remaindg)
with the present patrol. many of whom are
well.known pensioners Of houses and women
of ill-fame, gamblers and sellers-cyen
with these we might manage 10 work along if
a little energy could be infused into them; but
to have these men fastened spon US for life,
to have the City and the lives and property Of
the entire population thrown into the hands of
two men, GRSrer0bie Oaiy TO themselves (unless
in the doubtful contingency Of impeachment
by their own friends) is not 10 be thought OF.
We trust the Members OF the Legislature
will save us from any such Babylonish cap
tivity.