New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-05-27
THE TEN GOVERNORS AND THE NV
POLICE LAW,

At the meeting Of the Board Of Ten Goyerors va.
terday afternoon, Gov. TOWNSEND called the sep,o,
Of the members Of the Board 20 an article which an
peared in of the papers of Saturday n reser,,s.
to Warden Gray Of the City Prison having appasS ;,
the new Police Commissioners for police ofoen % n
stationed about the City Prison TO proven, cOneerd
plan for the escape of prisoners, which il hsd bee,
minated by an Anonymous letter was to be attempted.
He had expected that communication would lss.
been sent to the Board by Mr.. Gray giving an sln..
nation but none had been received. He beheyS
that the Board had the power 10 proteo; this AMI Al
other institutions under their charge and in co1easie.
offered the following preamble and resolution:
Where's The law passed AZ the meeting OF ne IA: Lsgs
,ue the Metropolitan Police Law, 10 calculated
tub the efficiency Of the present Police orsSniEaor q A
he Mzrdtn OF the City Prison insure the safe coy
the prisoners that institution tbs Board being Acne es
sible tor the safe kce ping Of the inmates
Gov ANDERSON said that Warden Gray had n.
ceived an anonymous threatening letter. and ma.
toned the fact that he had consulted Mr.. Draper n
ply as friend for advice; and he believed this wa
the cause Of the preamble and resolution being pr
sented Had the Board applied to Mayor Wooab
have officers stationed at the rombs he thoagnt ne
resolution would not have been presented
Gov. PINcKsHY said that Mr.. Gray hal conferred
with him. and he advised him 10 call upon NF. Drs-
per. For his part he did rot acknowledge any ba
the new Commissioners. ~
Gov DUGRo said that Mr.. Gray only cons il'ed VI.
Draper from the fact that he was FOR SOME yesrsa
member Of the Board OF Governors, and hr. Draper
had taken the responsibility of sending some men thets
whom the employees in the City Prison did nos recos
nize as police officers He said the Goyernc do sst
ask any odds of the Albany Commissioners or Fer
nando Wood, they could protect the iEsti.uticss
under their charge. lie thought the Anonymous ettf
and the detailing OF men there was a trek resorteds
for the purpose of getting the new Police law reeoe
nzed
Gov. PIScKyEY objected to the adoption Of the pre-
amble and asserted that the only police W Iow have
is the FIVE men allowed by the Supervisors.
Gov. TOWNSEND claimed that there Is ponce force
and throughout the city will be seen wearing
stars who in cases of breaches of the peace, mako
arrests as heretofore.
Gov. SMITH did not wish to enter into dlscussya
Of the consttutionaty of the new Police law, which
has already been pronounced constitutional BY ths
Courts
Gov. OLIVER said that the preamble aud resolution
was the coolest thing he ever saw. By this Gov.
Townsend was endeayoring to commit The Board q
Ten Governors to the support of Mayor Wood asd bis
nefarious acts in attempting to resist what IS row
law which should be sustained until repealed " de-
cared unconstitutional by the Court of Appeals. He
was opposed to committing the Board on either side,
and did not consider il just TO have this preamble and
resolution brought up when there were i've Demo-
cratic members TO four opposition.
Gov ANDERSON referred 10 the preamble, and
charged Gov. Townsend with having during the pat
Winter asked the Legislature to commi. greater
outrage than the Police Law could be, by passing
a law to appoint instead Of eecting the members u
this Board
Gov. TITMAyS said he believed the Police law was
unconstitutional ard no doubt the party that passed il
did so for party purposes and it was probably op-
posed upon the same grounds. He was opposed to
the Board committing itself upon one side or he
other, and accordingly moved that the preambl9f.
on the table and the resolution go 10 the Comiaes
on City Prison, with power to employ whtchmen. Hs
motion was adopted by the following vote; Yeas
Governors Gunther Smith Anderson Dugro and
Tiemann Nays-Governors Townsend, Molcney and
Pinckney.