The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-05-01

ia pothOp.e POLITICIANS ana usanectcd policemen, TO
give vent to TIER modification and rage at being fosd
in their attempts 1t Albany to carry before the Lsgis
Azure by the influence Of large proportion Of
city delegation their 70 break down the police
OF our city
year ago the department wss admirably well organ.
lied under Of the Lgsature by which numerous
evils connected with the old system were abolished The
appointment of the officers and men was taken away
from the Aldermen and conferred three Commission
ers, highest magistrates-the Mayor Recorder, and
City Judgwith power to make rules for the
Of the department. to charges and to break both
officers and men, from the Chief down to the doorkeep
for their violation Their tenure of Office to be
during good behavior instead of four years. formerly
that every nducement Is held to officers and
to continue to discharge their duties with energy and
fidelity
The political interference Of the Aldermen hav been
taken away life and energy have been difused over
srsy with which the Commissioner have discharged
their duties and especially By prescribing distinguish
ing costume or uniform Tor the which has
efficiency which it never before possessed They now
look like respectable body Of set apart guar
looking regiment Of par colored coats and CO.
lored caps and hats which they year ago.
and strangers their respectable appearance and what
is MORE for their respectable behavior for no man will
dare disgrace his uniform l worked for six months
subject until public opinion demanded 1t, and public
opinion will never give 1t up
men being members Of political clubs they
determined that the police should longer be politi
cal machine house Of refuge for political bulies
The consequence that the committees formed at corner
groggeres sell nominations to the highest bidder have
lost in the members of the police powerful coadutors
Their occupation Is going, IL not gone.
It was important therefore to bring back the police
to their old political haunts By an outside pressure on
our city delegation, many Of whom yielded very easily
anI IL Tho Hrst IF illa
given notice Ozone to ma Ike the Chief Of Police
elective officer another to make the two and twenty
tans the same to throw the custody and political
power Of the city into the hands rioters rowdes and
national cliques who by little concert Of action could
easily elect such chief and such captains as would
carry out their peculiar views and stand their friends
This bold and dangerous scheme filed all good citizens
with apprehension, and such circumstances sent
up against those bills by Of all depar .ments in life,
without distinction of party, drove them from the
Assembly their first introduction The PRAYER OF he
remonstrants let the police of city aone-it is
daily improving under the organization OF the Conf
missioIers-let it alone
On the defeat of those bills others sprung up in their
stead of equally pernicious character One to de-
grade the Chief by allowing the Mayor at any time with
out days notice. without any cause assigned and with
him from ONCE while every other member of the
department held his Office during good behavior, and
could only be removed on cause show The
lend himself to those who put him In to turn out the
present incumbent, and turn in tool who will do what
the present Chief will not-end the great power Of his
department to political purposes, or to national organi
ration.
pointed by the Aldermen under the old law for four
years. and also their terms expire must present them
show IT, they sober, honest, and efacent. The
great to the political friendship and
o h. Ssy
conferred upon. them. This bill was also defeated
and the police system was left untouched by the
machinations of the enemies Of good order Hence
the indignation meeting of the Eighth ward
called the failure Of their schemes and against whom
First the Commissioners, who had the audacity to re-
appoint the Chief during his good behavior-t6e same
for which all the other members of the department
Of every grade hold their Office; and in reappointing
who has held the place under four five Mayors of
different politics, under conviction that from his long
experience and knowledge Of crimes and criminals and
It, The Commissioners perform their responsible, dis
agreeable and arduous duties without any special
pensaton from mere zeal for the cits good and they
may rest assured that they and win be supported BY
the good of all parties the indignation meeting Of
the hundred of the Eighth ward to the contrary
: The second matter Of indignation !. tn.
@ Cns
many discharged disafected policemen were at the
meetng or gotit up But that meeting no more repre-
scented the opinions Of the citizens Of the Eighth ward
than 1t did my But let suppose them to be
hundred virtuous indignant citizens. What the
not American citizen. Why if that is so, they
need not hold any indignation meeting about it, all they
have to do is to make that charge before the Commit
for that dsqualfes him from holding the office Now,
heard that charge laid at the Chiefs door when
upon him for an explanation of IT, He gave proof salts
factory to that he born in this very city, proof
exactly recolect all the particulars Of the event
] mean his birth. This ridiculous charge shows
the quarter from whence comes they know nothing
about it. The next charge against him is that he puts
his men in uniform. Now this the act of the Com
missoner not his act and had much more to do with
II than he had But this shows the cloven foot It will
be remembered that a few of the men broken by
the Commissioners because they refused to the
uniform and they took legal proceedings to try the
These vrtuous now going round the city to raise
indignation meetings What do the hundred citizens want'
They ask that the men shall be dressed as they were
year ago-take off their handsome blue coats, throw
away their caps, and assume such dress they
shrk their duties by night and by daybe invisible to
the Of the citizen and stranger who seek in vain
for policeman in the hour Of need to protect them
from insult and injury This is what these worthy citizens
of the Eighth ward want to throw your police back to
its state of degradation in which l found it
year ago. and from which have done my mite
to it. The third complaint against the Chief
is that che drills his mon with clubsn This sounds
very much If some Of them expected to come under
the Of the law and their heads in contact with the
pocemen's clubs. Yes, the Chief is drilling his men
in marching and with the club, that they may act
unit and with efficiency against rioters and rowdes and
that to displease these gentlemen Their cry is
give police who be known by their dress,
and who act like stragglers each upon his hook
that can easily overcome them in case of riot, and
pray don't let them act in concert with powert is
antirepubcan. So the desperate and the law
breaker.
The next subjects Of indignation OF property,
who have dared to interfere with the views Of these hun
dred gentlemen and to demonstrate to the Legislature
against destroying imparng the usefulness of the
right arm OF the ctys defence Men of property,
chanic traders merchants have dared to back up the
present organization Of the police by their petitions and
by their influence and therefore they subjects for
indignation meetings This is the argument Of the bur
nr The last subject Of the indignation Of this meeting
10 the HERALD, and it honored by express resolu
ton; and your crime, Mr. Editor, Is that you OPP
posed to them in all that they undertook to do" and
for that You were annihilaed This is the highest COM
pliment you have received. Now searched your
columns this morning for expression Of your OPT
MON this meeting but in vain, and to the
clusion that they had really killed you and that you had
died very easy, though unnatural death hope the
Herald will survive the shock, and will express its
sentiments that and similar meetings. To be serious
hese call upon other wards 10 respond TO their views
They declare open against the Mayor Recorder,
and City Judge At the next fall election when their terms
expire, and they will raise heaven earth, and for
such in their stead will carry out their views