The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-01-13

the day.
Those persons who have proftted by the law
lessness which has controlled this city, or who ex
pect to attain by its aid, some preferment in the
future, will, of course, make tremendous out
cry against the new Police Bill, which is to be
submitted 10 the Legislature We shall doubtless
hear much talk about inherent rights, blood
bought privileges, freemen's franchises, and the
constitutional spheres of Mayors, and also many
Trades concerning despotism, arbitrary power and
usurpaton Before men suffer themselves to be
misled by this hubbub, it will be as well to in
quire if there is a shadow of reason for it, or
whether it is as empty as any other
"windy suspiration Of forced BREATH
If the city of Baltimore existed now, or ever had
existed, as an independent community, located in
the State, but exercising within its own crcum-
scribed limits all the prerogatves and rights of
sovereignty, such objections TO the Police Bill
would be well founded, hut on no other hypothe-
sis can they be otherwise than preposterous
That such is not our situation most schoolboys
know. As an integral part of the State, Balti-
more owes to it the same allegiance that the pet
test village does-is governed by its laws, subject
to coercion by its authorities, and enjoys special
privileges, solely through the favor of its Legsla-
tnre As our city expanded, and it became more
and more impossible for the State government to
forsee and provide for the thousand minor coatn-
gencies which arose daily among a rapidly n-
creasing population it was found necessary to de-
volve certain duties upon Mayor and City Coun-
Gil. The Act of incorporation recied that-''it is
''found by experience that the good ORDER health,
''peace and safety of large towns and cities can
'not be preserved, nor the evils and accidents to
(Which they are subjectavoid or remedied with
tout an internal power competent TO establish a
"police and regulation fitted to their particular
circumstances, wants and exigencies" and it
therefore constituted the inhabitants of Baltimore
for certain purposes, IA body polite and corpo-
crate" and made provision for the election of
It's proper officers. Ample powers vested
nthem, which have at intervals been modified
and enlarged as expediency dictated.
1t was thus by an Act of Assembly that the
original Charter was granted and over two hun
dred Acts of Assembly have been since passed to
extend restrict or amend it. This Charter and
the subsequent Acts, the Legislature has the right
to alter or revoke tomorrow, and it may leave US
when ii pleases in the situation of the counties
without other executive officer than the Sheriff.
At the time of It's incorporation, the city was
authorized to appoint a patrol and night watch
only, and to levy taxes for its support. The Act
of 1872, oh. 1914, empowered the MAYOR alone to
appoint, "during his pleasure" City Bailiffs not
exceeding one hundred in number, for the purpose
of 'aidng in the preservation of the peace and the
maintenance of the laws" Under these old
statutes, the police of Baltimore was frequently or
gained or remodeled, and City Bailiffs continued
to figure among the officers of the corporation as
lately as 1850 The Constitution of 1851, declared
that the Municipality might provide ''from time to
''tme" for Temporary additional police" and
in 1853 the Legislature gave permission to the
MAYOR and City Council to ''increase and strengthen
''the police" and to arm them in such manner as
they might deem proper, and it expressly repealed
the Act Of 1872. 1t was by virtue of this Act of
1853 ch 46, that the present police force was es-
tablished. The sole authority we have to enroll
and support permanent organization here, for
the preservation of peace and the protection of
persons and property, is derived from the State
1t thought proper to confde to the MAYOR and
City Council the appointing of such a body,
though it might then, as it may now, entrust
that duty to the MAYOR alone, or to the Marshal,
or to Commissioners of its own choosing In
less it could do this, and could absolutely
annul the provisions it has heretofore made for the
regulation of the police, the State would have
created an imperium in im,perio, and would be at
the mercy of Baltimore. And it is well for the
former that it still has some control over the
force it has suffered 10 be enlisted here 1t would
he strange, indeed, if upon any spot in Mary
land, the people could maintain disciplined and
armed corps, with which the General Assembly
powerless to interfere. To be dcfrauded by
the Baltimore elections and defed by the Balti-
more army, would then be the lot of the counties
for all time to come. The powers conferred on
municipal authorities in relation to the police,
are no more irrevocable than those granted and
recalled in hundred other instances 1t is i'm
possible to specify the many statutes under this
head, which have been repealed Numberless
changes, too, have been made during half CEN
fury, in the modes, and times of eectng corpora
ton officers, and the terms for which they were
to serve. The MAYOR himself, was chosen by
electors until the Act of 1882, ch 206, cast that
duty upon the people If the MAYOR is the mere
creature Of the Legislature, it is absurd to say
that he has been clothed with any functions of
which he Can never be Invested. What 'inherent
fright can he have to nominate policemen, any
more than to select the City Register who is
now balloted for by the City Council7 If the
authority to appoint the magistrates, to examine
and commit prisoners, has been taken away from
him. as it has very lately been, why may not the
,rF+I
h1ed to other hands? If the right he once had
to appoint Inspectors could be assigned to the
GovERNoR, why may not a similar responsibility
with regard to policemen be lodged with Commits
sioners
In the contemplated transfer of power from the
MAYOR to a Board Of Commissioners, of which how
ever he is member there is surely nothing illegal
or arbitrary. The Commissioners must be citizens
and residents of Baltimore and the proposed
Board will be nothing more than another depart
ment added TO our local city government. The
whole matter resolves itself into a simple question
of expediency, and no one having any knowledge
of the police system here, doubts the necessity
for its reorganization. The city desires good
government and the State is rs much interested
as its metropolis in the matter, for it is affected
and grievousy so, by the growth of vice and
crime in the former Whether the outlaws who
have been emboldened by life of license here
frauduently stile the voice of the counties at the
ballotbox, or carry their violence beyond our linn
its, ultimately supported in the penitentiary,
Maryland, as well as this city, is injured. What
ever retardS our prosperity strikes at that of the
Commonwealth. The Legislature is therefore
bound to take some steps 10 arrest the downward
progress of affairs here lest common ruin over
take us all. The plan of vesting the executive
authority in one hand has been tried and has fail
ed. 1t was good in theory, for it assumed that
more activity, promptitude and drectness would
be displayed by a single individual than by many
But it presupposed that this official would be al
ways honest, and that this was an erroneous cal
culation is now apparent. Experience has shown
how easily faithless man can misuse his DOW
er, and with what fearful results; and we have
been recently taught that there are more dishonest
persons in influential positions than we would have
willingly believed. What alternative then pre-
sents itself the Legislature except that suggested
by the Bill submitted to il? 1t makes adequate
provision for efficient police force, and gives its
management to Board which cannot 90 far
wrong unless all those who compose it enter into
an in famous conspiracy. 1t is as thorough COM