The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-04-09
The Police Bill


have carefully read the police bill for this city which
has passed the House of Assembly, and been the
Senate for have also read the
Of the editor in last Monday HAD pointing the
mort important defects in the BILL and unite with the
editor in hoping that the blu viii be killed in the Senate
rather than become q law IS it is before them.
b differs but very little from the police law now in
3orce but continues for life two of the most radical de-
1ecs in the system which the unanimous voice of the
press and the people demands shall be corrected The ex
iting evils two -
Frst-In the mode of their appointment public OPT
MON imperatvey demands that the appointments of po
Hcemen shall be entirely separated from the influence Of
our Aldermen, SO to cut down all possible collision be-
tween them in municipal elections and to carry out
that determination of the people, the reform bill Just
Sasd n gives the power o.
sorder and City Judge to go into effect in August next
after the bill has been submitted to and accepted by the
people.
gives the power of immediate appointment and for life
70 another board Of commits soners consisting of the
Mayor, Recorder and Alderman of each ward retaining
ths wee Of the present Wsst o oe the sS
shadowed forth-an immediate resignation Of that
portion Of the police who depend upon the Alder
men standing their ia st friends to secure them q
70 appointment for life. The Mayor and Recorder are
overwhelmed with the judicial business of their Offices
The Aldermen will cry out that there resgna tons in
the police which must be Immediately supplied They
will propose their old friends for appointmen-w
endorse them good men and and the Mayor
Recorder not having time TO investigate win not be able
to stand out long against the pressing claims of the Al
dermen, and win have the least worthy members of
Of police force fastened upon the people for
life At present, we only have them for the unexpred
term of four years. Before their time expires the
form bill will be accepted by the people, and then the
Aldermen viii have nothing to do with their appoint
ment.
The vice in the system which, by universal opin
ION must be altered that the police not required
wear uniform distinguishing costume. The emblem
device of the twinkling star it still kept for the
q n
It is device by which policeman disguise himself
BY buttoning over his star whenever he peases
Mr.. Shaw "a member and a worthy one too of our
city delegation in his original Police bill struck out the
emblem device, and inserted uniform instead His
bill referred TO the city delegation special
mtee who struck out the uniform and all the good parts
of his BILL and reduced it to the-aborton which they
adopted and have sent to the Senate for
hope they will not concur, unless the House shall adopt
amendments which trust the Senate will make viz in
the board o. zone 10 spps. strike out The
device and insert either uniform distinguishing
costume And If the city delegation refuses to adopt
those amendments let the bill be killed the yeas and
called and let the people know what members OF our
city delegation have been the of killing Mr. Shaws
have through other channels given nv views TO the
public to the Indispensable necessity of disting
ing costume to police, to give 1t moral power in
preventing crime-something more than q star by
which they may be known BY day and by night TO the
citizen and the by which we can tell
the policeman from the robber by night when we see
man sauntering slowly alopg-somethng by which when
We are told by day that policeman Is taking off pick
pocket to prison tell which is the pickpocket and
which is the policeman If We do not happen be in
'front.' Of both so that the star OF authority.
let me give enc fact The result OF the returns Of the
Warden Of the Tombs the comparative eommtra ents
70 prison Of natives and foreigners The actual commit
city prisons, mot counting those who found bail or who
we're discharged from arrest twenty Ave thousand
three hundred and sixty fve(a fearful numberenough
10 starte ctsens and to them cry for
any change that may prevent the mighty food Of crime
wn'oh Is sweeping over our city With tremendous an
puai increase) On that number Eve thousand six hun
oE<-ap nloeteen
full oddsf The foreigner in his own country sees the
police in uniform he associates with that uniform,
sewer q the la~ to prevent crime sks, ha sens.s he
ssss and feels government II has mighty moral power
ever him 70 prevent indulgence Of his criminal in
IL 10 visible TO his senses. In his own coun-
Dry, therefore, he does not break the law as here.
Rs comes to Americs-sees no police in uniform he
government for he associates government With the
uniformed police which he has accustomed TO see all
Ms life He Is told he is in land OF berycan do What
Ne pleasss and he very himself TO the CON
vction, that have government TO prevent crime
hs cannot associate gGysan% h; Yin the
vol dressed saunteriDg along and not having the ap
pearance authority Of the law
let me state what saw with my eyes, and heard
with my ears last Sunday afternoon week walked
mp the Fifth avenue to the Crystal Palace, turned
sAreet and Madison avenue saw regular srht between
six German walters belonging to one Of the numerous
dancing and drinking houses Ia that neghborhood and
many rowdes, which lasted half hour. The Germans
we're armed with clubs and the rowdes with pistols They
Knocked each other down until the side walk covered
with them. Then the rowdies fired once twice. saw
ono horse pistol of two barrels both Of which they fred
ana tnen broke the stock the Germans heads. /
wanted 10 see the philosophy Of the fight and had
enough OF u for random shot might very easily have
sruca me or any other person walking the Fifth or
fourth avenue This eight carried on for half an
hour without the nterferesce Of the Law One policeman
IN uniform would have dispered the mob and settled the
light in minu'ethe appearance 0, the law would nave
snffced As u was platoon Of policemen in oitizens
DRESS would have been Intellectual Can anv ref scrna
man doubt that our police should be dis'inguishabe to
give them moral Iower prevent breaches Of the NV,
J. W. G..
John Marden, aon of the well known printer Of