The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1861-09-10

TuE Metropolitan Police Is great in,titu-
iion-for good or evil. That is, its powers are
extraordinary AMI enormous. There is no won
der that among people jealous Of liberty,
strong aud inyeteratc opposition should be main.
tanned against the existence ola system which
places in the hands Of the State Executive, n
standing army Of picked organized aud drilled
ofiiccr, holding every foot Of groun under
patrol, aud welding absolute and arbitrary au-
thority, for police purposes, over every inIi-
vidual, in district Of million inhabitants
Nothing but the extraordinary eNigcncics 81 70
great and dcnsoly crowded city, rotten ~ tho
core Of its pol,tirl organization, could force
this community 10 tolerate such an anon, n,
among republican institutions. And no,hiu,
hut stern purity, q s,ulious regard To law ,aul
rights, and q rigorous accountability for mi--
conduct, in the discipline Of he force, can pre-.
serve such dc-potic sys'cm FROM early de- 70
tiucton.
We think that with all it, iaul.,, tho adm.n'.-
tration Of The State Police system oi this cir,
has been in the main wrl'- u',njiou,d ~ r,r and
productive OF vast nnl incrcpsus good. I'udrr
the present Superintendent, the police force IL
constantly improving, in mnnprr, and moril.,
in physic al superiority anil ch,ran'cr, IN Gentle.
manly appearance and solfrc.p,ci. Ne have
much and growing reason to feel proud Of the
appearance and conluc, o.. this tine boly Of
men.
But thi, is not crougl. Me'h remains to b.
done in the way Of discipline, which o., Super.
intondcnt cannot touch and which Che Police
Commissioners are unwilling, To touch There
is also a settled tendency in the nature OF the
system towards the two clrlir,l dan GER, uf co..
ruption and oppression which mt, hccmt,nlrd
against with sceplc,s visor an vigilance bv
tho Commissioner, if they would pcrp ''uutcthc
existence and usoIulnos- Of Their department ol
public service. by making it a, terl.,i, Us he
neiccnt, AMI as haEml So ~ l. /. possible T. %
human administration 10 be, they can secure it
in public Gavor against all the efforts ol DENT
gogles. Tor ever. D. allowing it to degenerate
in personal character and discipline, or to he
come arbitrary oppressive to individual liberty,
and practically irresponsible, they can arouse a
hatred against it which viii know no bounds
and will listen to no plea or argument for It,
continued cNstcnco.
Our purpose in these remarks !, one Of warn
ing-N,ry serious AMI pointed warning The
dangers We have INDEBTED are actually rife,
both in the nature and prcs,n. administration 0,
the 81 stem. To certain ten, the tendency
to corruption and oppression is in fact realized
already, and must be arrested, or in it, ultimate
progress we shall lose one u two things; either
our admirable police system, or our persona
liberties. Evidences not uni~cqucntly tran
spire, of gross misconduct aud abuse Of power
by policemen, sustained in the Board oi Police
Commissioners 10y the gros-cst layoritism, and
sometimes by stold and -uperc,lous alb %
lutism.
One of these evidences we are about to hrin,
before the public, in the thrcciold interest Of
private rights, Of public liberty, AMI Of an clli-
cicnt and permanent police. II is orr pur.
pose to watch these mon Nho rule over u,
with such fearful authority, moro sharp.
" and consciously, and keep them rigor-
ou,ly on their defence before the people.
for everything in their official conduct.
ri ht or wrong, which is not open. clear and
above suspicion. We shall begin tomorrow,
with story Of recent outrage which will make
the ears Of every one that hear, ii TO tinglc.
This outrage, not only unrcdrcsscl but sustained
by the spirit Of fyoriti-m on h.1uti,m in the
Police Boaid, ought to move the million inAn-
bitants Of the Metropolitan D.trict-uav, the
people Of the whole state, ii ncco,sary-rs one
man, to demand redress and punishment
through the removal Of the whole Police Board
il they rafu.c IT, and r. tina, b. refused through