New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-06-03

If any man in this City understands Mayer Wood
through and through, that man is Recorder Smith.
| main pillar in the Siam Democratic party, i'm
bbiDg bis political principles from the pure bun-
tain Of the Pewter Mug, the Recorder has until
very recently, ranked regular No. in Tamuany
Hall. by the operation of State law, Mr.. Smith
became of TIE Commissioners of Police, along
with Judge Caprcn and the Mayor. Until near
the last election, the Mayor and the Re-
corder worked as harmoniousy together 40
the Mayor and Judge Russell now do;
Judge Capron being a pOwerle,s minority Of
! the Commission, whom the Othe, two steadily
oyerruled, and even denied the courtesy of a hear
| ing But Just before the last election, the Mayor
began to drive matters little too fast for Recorder
| Smith. He was willing to do anything reasonable
| for the Mayor and the party; but WIEN Wood de-
| manded that every manrin the Police Department
should become an active for no reelection
| and threatened maryrdom to all who dared to dis
obey the Recorder could stand it mt longer, and,
With spirit quite unexpected, fatty refused to
serve as the tool Of Wood. Thereupcn Wood sus-
pended all the operations of the Police Commission
\ and no meetings were hellunt A. ID. Russell came
into the Board in place of Judge CaprOn whose
term expired with the past year. Our readers will
recollcct that there was a direct collision of author
ty between the Mayor and the Recorder during the
election, when Wood was anXiously holding back
I the Police and waiting for the news ths Of the
seconds in the Hyer and Atorrissey fight and since
that an emgrant runner had osen forced
upon the people of the First Ward as
their representative, by the well exc
cuted rufaDism which. surrounded the polls
with terror, and prevented the aged AM tlmid cit
zens from depositDg their ballots Thus, having
summered and wintered with Wood, and become
officially familiar with the Police juggeres of the
Star Chamber, Recorder Smith is certainly well
qualified to enlighten Grand jury upon the ras-
caites both personal and official, which just now
50 heavily adiict the City; aud this duty he per-
frmed yesterday in h!s charge to the Grand Jury
at the opening Of the June term Of tie Court Of
Sessions
In this Charge, he assures us of what no
with bis eyes open will dispute, ahst Crime is rap
idly and fearfully on the increase, while our Police
is 50 inc iclent inactive that not more than
halfthe perpetrators arrested. On the response
bility OF personal judicial knowledge, he charges
that in some sections the affinity between the Police
and the rufians is close that crime is perpetated
openly and with actual inpunty; and who can
doubt it, when, for nearly three years at least,
the surest passport to police appointment has
been the hard fist of the primary-eection sowdyl
The particular class Of crimes which strike at the
life of the citizen and public order have Increased
the most rapidly; nexI the swndling seZE such as
emigrant. rObbng, ticketswindling and ltterydea-
| ing. The Recorder adds that the nducement to
commit crime is materially strengthened by the
hopeful chances Of getting of, even when caught,
through the delays and tricks of the law.
The present condition of the Police the Recorder
thinks a Lumiliating spectacle. Without express
| ing any opinion upon the constutiOnality of the
| law-ihat branch of judicial duty being just now
monopolired by the Police Captains Judge Smith
regards any opposition to laws enacted by the
! Legislature as a grave Otfense and significantly
quotes the provision in the Revised Statutes which
declares that if two or more persons shall conspre
for the prevention obstruction Of the due admin
istration of the laws they shall be deemed guilty of
a misdemeanor, punishable by fine and imprlson-
nent in the Pepitentary. That the Mayor, ma
| iority Of the Aldermen, large number Of Police
Captains, to say nothing Of the Bill Wilson section
Of the Citizen Volunteers and many thousands Of
| the lquOr.Gealers, stand within the penalty of this
statute, is AS plain as day, and proper execution
| Of the laws would people Blackwels Island to suf-
location. What says the Grand Jury Of these far
reaching deep-seated cOuspiracies
Turning to the Excise Law, the Recorder ex-
| plctly declares it to be the duty Of Grand Juries
TO act promptly upon all complaints under it. He
evidently looks upon :he law as improper aud IN.
suitable and leans strongly toward moral suasOn;
but then it lie law, and be breaches obedience no;
only in his own language, but in the words Of
Mayor Wood, in that famous proclamation on the
| PrLibtOTy Act of 1856, when Mr. Wood advO-
Gated peaceful acquiescence IN the law, aud pro-
claimed bly, refusal 70 obey it to be 4" treason aud
rtbellIoD." Then, Fernando Wood sid: " Ii ~e
have tie sbt to set at dehabce 4 law, because
we are dissatisfied with ia operation or system
| .',f goyerIutnt had better at once b. abandoned.
"aud something substituted in it. ,tead that vii
save US from rebellion aud anarchy, where lead
''ers cen be found uuscrnpulou' enough to ml.lead
"tte masses for the adv anceuirnt Of their own
private Gins and objects" Nov, Mr.. Wood
holds al opposite opinion ard is himself the I'M
| scTupu!ous leader in treason and rebellion. The
Recorder instructed the Jary that they We're to