The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-06-29

AFFAIRS IN THE CRY.
The Zion protestant Episcopal, Church. situate
on the corner of Madison avenue and Thirty eighth
street in this city, consecrated yesterday accord
ing the ritual the Protestant Episcopal Church of
the United States. The Right Rev. DIR. Wainwright,
provisional Bishop of New York, assisted by Bishop
Doane, Of New Jersey, and attended by thirty cler
gymen, oficated on the occasion. The Vestrymen
and Building Committee of the church attended.
Bishop DoaDe preached very eloquent sermon. A
general description Of the church, with sketch of
the sermon, will be found in our paper.
testimonial was presented last evening, in the
Broadway Tabernacle, to Senator Whitney, by Put
nam Chapter No. 8 Of the Order of United Amer
cans. very large assemblage of ladies and gentle
men were present to witness the interesting cere
moDy, sketch Of which will be found in another
column.
Rebellion OF the Police Against the Now Uni
form.
The Commissioners of Police have amended
section 16 of the Rules and Regulations for the
government of the Department, and decided
that the whole force is to be regularly uniform
ed. The uniform is to be frock coat Of navy
blue cloth, summer trousers of brown drilling,
and winter trousers of West Point gray cloth
with black stripes one inch wide, black cravat,
cap Of navy blue cloth, and belt of plain black
glazed leather. Captains and lieutenants are
further to have double breasted eyercoat of
navy blue cloth; and sergeants privates and
doormen q similar garment, single breasted, Of
sky blue army kersey. The curious in such
matters will find fuller description of the uni
form in another column. There may be differ
ences of opinion with regard to the taste dis
played in its selection; there can be none
among sensible men, with respect to the pro-
priety of adopting some uniform for the force
The additional security it affords to the public.
the moral protection it constitutes to the wear
or, and the constant guarantee it presents against
cowardice or neglect of duty in policemen are
advantages which cannot be questioned or gain
said. They have in fact been so frequently
brought to public notice since the re-organiza-
ton of the department commenced, that there
is hardly newspaper reader in the city, in
whose mind there fingers the smallest doubt or
uncertainty with regard to the absolute neces-
sity of the adoption Of police uniform. The
amendment just passed by the Commissioners
classes save one only.
That dissenting class is to be found in the
ranks OF the police In our advertising CO.
lumns we find the following call for meeting
to protest against the uniform =
At meeting Of the policemen Of the city Of New York
he,o at Military Hall, 1893 Bowery, Tuesday, Juae II
1854 10 take into consideration the amended rules and
regulations Ezra Beach, OF tne Eighth district,
called 70 the chair and Isaac B. skaals of the Eleventh
district and Daniel Steele of the Fifth district
appointed secretaries. committee of one member OF
the department from each district was appointed to con
Ter with the commissioners OF Police on the subject
committee OF Ave was appointed to make arrangements
for public meeting to be held in The Park Thursday
June 20, at O'Clock Y NJ
NoucE-A meeting Of citizens, and all others who
feel aegeved ut the ridiculous and oppressive rules ana
regulations Of the Commissioners OF Police, espe-
caly that portion Of late order imposing an expen
sye and fansstical uniform will be held in the Park on
Thursday, June 20 at O'Clock p NJ able speakers
will be present, and address the meeting.
EZRA BEACH, Chairman,
p isa1S = r ss s4n,4l, seoretsriss.
The above notice affords no clue to III,
grounds assumed by the malcontents for we
can hardly dc Mr.. Beach and his friends the
injustice to suppose that they fancicd they
were arguing against the reform when they
called it ridiculous and oppressive" From
other sources, however, we gather that more
tangible objections have been advanced: the
more practical OF these being first, that the
proposed uniform win cost money aud put the
men to an unnecessary expense and secondly
that uniform is q species of livery or badge
Of service degrading in its nature TO the feel
ings Of such hgh-souled individuals as those
who compose the police force of this city. We
shall deal briefly with these two grounds of
complaint. A uniform it is true, costs money;
so do clothes of all descriptions. 1t is one Of
the evils to which flesh is heir to require clothes
one of the essential conditions Of tailors' exist
ence to require food and lodging; and there
fore an obvious consequence, that clothes
under any circumstances must be paid for.
We are not aware that navy blue coats
OF West Point gray trousers cost more
than other coats or trousers There is no addi-
tional expense incurred for buttons. We arc much
mistaken if some enterprsing clothier does not
shortly undertake to furnish clothes according
to the regulation as cheap as any other descrip-
ton Of the same articles--relying upon the
extent of his sales for profit. Unless there
fore, our policemen contemplated availing
themselves Of an economical fig leaf in cuis,
OF their usual habilments, we cannot see how
the new regulations will bear unjustly on their
purse.
The other objection is still more futile. II is
true that uniforms and liverics are badges OF
service. They indicate that the wearer is EN-
ployed in serving his fellow man in some useful
way. But can the high soulcd gentlemen who
have called the meeting in the Park point out
any class of their fellow citizens who are not
Employed in serving their fellows? What are
doctors, lawyers, merchants, editors, grocers
brokers and politicians, but servants of their
fellow men? II is true that these individuals
arc not uniformed, because no useful purpose
would be served by dressing doctors or
brokers ia the same bues and the same cut: but