The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-11-10

ed in regard to such a measure will probably 90
far towards securing its rejection or adoption few
people have as yet so maturey considered it as to
be willing to decide at once for or against it. We
ought, therefore, speedily to come to our conclu-
sions upon the subject that we may be able at the
meeting of the Legislature to present them clearly
and intelligentiy. When the State took from the
city of New York the power it had always enjoyed
OF appointing and controlling its own police force,
there was an almost unanimous cutlery through
out the country against what was generally term
ed an act of gross and tyrannical usurpaton To
such an extreme had our theory of selEgovern-
ment been carried, that counties, towns and ham,
lets seemed to regard themselves as so many indie
pendent political systems, rather than integral
parts OF some one great commonwealth The doc
trne OF State rights had been pushed to its frthest
logical consequences, and local privileges were
held to be paramount to the claims of the whole
community. Authority had grown weaker as if
became divided, and instead Of governments suf
iciently strong to protect and elevated enough TO
command the respect of ALL the people were ruled
by hundred petty cliques that managed the af
fairs of as many wards and districts. Earring DO
litcal interests kept those apart who were divided
by imaginary lines, or narrow streets, and each
little precinct set up its own government within its
own boundaries. So gradually had this system
been developed by politicians, and so fully
had it been sanctioned by the spirit of mod
ern legislation, that many persons began to be-
lieve men were governing themselves only
so long as each little knot which geographical
or other causes had grouped together, was free to
manage its concerns, without the interference Of
any power, outside of its limited circumference
Thus, the Metropolitan Police Bill was looked upon
by many as an infringement of the clearest rights
of the people of New York City. The Legislature
it was said, had usurped an authority it was not
entitled to, and had stricken down the fundamental
principles of our institutions. Men had been so
long accustomed to regard the sovereignty of the
State as subordinate to the prerogatives it had
voluntarily granted to a local corporation that
they were inclined to resist its attempt TO amend
the charter which, if so disposed, it could repeal
altogether. They forgot that cities occupy in
hntesimal portions of the domains of the States
within which they are situated and that they usu-
ally represent only small proportion of the popu-
aton, wealth and influence of the latter They
also overlooked the fact, that the inhabitants of
county are affected by the misgoyernment of the
towns located within ii, and that the whole body
polite is responsible for, and suffers by the dis
order and decentralization that it permits to exist
within its jurisdiction. The Legislature of New
York was forced at last, to recognize this truth.
and though for many previous years, the tendency
of legislation had been to emancipate municipaIi
ties far as possible from the control of
any but their own officers, it was COM
PEELED TO take step backwards. 1t found
that the metropolitan city had fallen into evil
hands, and was unable to effect its own redemp-
ton. Bad men, who had by base means ACQUIRED
influence in various wards over the elements that
were irresistible when an election was 10 be So
cured by fraud and violence, consolidated their
power by organization and swept down all oppo-
sition. Having once obtained possession of the
public Offices, it was almost impossible to remove
them, for they unscrupulousy used the symbols
OF authority to overawe remonstrance, as they
employed policemen to oyerwhelm all opposition
The crime engendered there poured out into the
neighboring districts, and on them the charge of
REFRESHING it ultimately fell; the baiot-boxes, in
the hands of politicians, were made available to
furnish the thousands of false votes that were
needed TO couneract as many honest ones cast in
the counties; and the State bore the burthen of
the dishonor by which those who ruled the city
prohtcd. The former could tolerate such state
Of things no longer, and, in the exercise of its
supreme power, it established the Metropolitan
Police. By rendering its members independent
of the influential tricksters whom it is their bust
ness to detect, and of the bulies whom they are
bound TO hold in check it was thought they
would the more impartially and efficiently dis
charge their duties. We believe the result has
proved the correctness of this superstition, and
that few now doubt the wisdom of the measure
any more than they deny the right of the State to
odo