New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-05-28

| uDdeTyaue the skill OF the little squad VINO
| present perform the duty Of ferretin, out great
rcGues and of calculating great rOgueres. If they
be not at all successful and if offenders not caught
in the very act as a rule 90 unwhpped Of justice,
we are willing to admit that the fault H. TO GER
tain extent, in cur system or, to speak more accu-
rately in our total want Of system. The faculty
| Of catching is yet to be developed here. We have
nothing which, for precision, indeatigability, in
stnct and success even the ingenious Fernando
would think of comparing with the scientific and
almost perfect methods of European capitals. 1t
may do very well for the model Mayor to lavish
general compliments upon his blue-cOated forces,
and to ascribe to them every abstract virtue under
heaven; but be might provoke disrespectful GUT
faw, even from the objects of his aduatiOn, if he
were to beston upon them the merit of adrOtness
and success in discovering the aSsassins of DR..
Burdc
| The startling truth is that, while In London or
Paris great criminal seldom escapes, in New York
the chances are ten to one that he viii avoid detec
| ton. we have now, il is probable, walking our
streets, and jostliDg as they pass kaif dozen
persons who within few years, have committed
cold -boeded and willful murders. Some Of them
may be suspected, but none of them are il danger
from Suspicion. Does any one believe that this
would have been the case if We had possessed
body Of DesectiYes--of men who, like the Lcndon
officers, are shreWd, cautious and unwearied who
have added to the human mind almost new &c
ulty; upon whom not a word, not circumstance,
not look. not an object, is lost; who have bee1
taught first to collect materials and then TO corr
bine tlem, and whose prGct>eed eyes discover
clue where the novice would nothing Strange
murders are not uncommon IN London or Paris
the killing Of Lord William Res sel was mysterious,
and 50 was that of the Duchess Sc Prasin yet the
detection in each instance WAS speedy aud certain.
We do not think that in New-T~k either the valet
or the Duke would have been in any danger
AS a matter of fact, sus2ect that this city
stands in greater need of d Drt,stiye Police than
either London or Paris. The New York ruf.
fan is a head and shoulders taller in his iniquty
than any other in the world. The energy which
prominently distinguishes our honest enterprises,
is alse to be observed in our criTs. Our rOgues
are not only very bad, but very bold. In the pur
suit Of their objects they stick at nothing and go
through their performances in dassing style which
nothing can arrest. What foreign misereants would
regard as license they simply consider to be liberty;
and what in other countries would be esteemed az
liberty, they look upon as intoerabie oppression.
Then the facilities for absconding ere unrivaled.
They have only to rs1into the rura. districts. and
nobody will take the trouble to run after them. 1t
s only when fa7orite prize-fghtsr ia shot in
drunken brawl that The hue and.cry a waited over
the water, or borne along the lines of our railways.
Given, then, the necessity of Dsssetiye Police,
how is the want to be satisfied Undoubtedly,
against such u bod there would be sstrvDg popu-
lar prejudice; and BY this we do not Mean the
prejudice of rogues against hemp or 1t pickpockets
against prisons. good many honest but not too
sensible people would regard gos.s Detective sys
TEN dangerous, simply because t might contain
some features in common with he methods of
foreign countries, and because the police in those
countries btFe too often been the spes Of tyrann
cal governments. We are afraidOf espionage, and
dread Of secrecy is of the iriensess description
We like to have everything abo7ebOard. When tho
public mind is, excited by "a unusual crime, We
like TO have the police report progress 80 every
morning through the newspapers. Ia know that
Mr. Bucket " IS upon the track Of Re villain, and
not to be informed Of eyerf circumstance in the
possession cS Mr.. Bucket would ill the general
bosom with aexpressibe anguish lad Indignation.
We suppose that it is hardly necessary for US to
shew how weak and childish is al this. The blue
asd brass nteguments Of our present chiyalrous
policeman are of foreign origin, and are hardly
thought to be dangSsOus, except 10 the hearts
Of susceptible cooks. If the police systems Of
monarchical countries have bern hostile 10 pOpuls.
| liberty We answer chat precisely the same abrse
exists in New-Yors. Fernando |. seems to have
as absolute command over these forces as Napoleon
| or George Ill had over those Of Paris or LoEion
| The elevation Of men employed 10 prevert -ad de-
tect crime INFO something more than corner kafer.
| and caucus politicians would be the emancipation
of the whole body from degrading sery;,ude
But how is this reform To b. secured Il il
probable that under cur old system We shall witness
any great change l. il not more probable hat We
shall drift from bad 10 worse Where Is the millen
MUM which We were promised upon the accession
of Fernando l. il probable that policeman who
believes that. whatever may be bis second duty. his
INST individually i, to sustain hi party. can ever
make on tiicicnt ,ficcr VIII he become ar adept
m tie arts Of BIZ, profession by louuging Ia porter
| houses and smoking cigars upon the curb-,toue p
What can We expect under the old, clumsy method,
ia, to see all future rogucs slip through the me,ht
| of tie lsw. Is 80 many rogues have done ia the
| past What cur police system needs, i. seems 70