, 1862-03-26
Tbe Ttihtt,te.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH Is, 1852,
DIkHANDMENT OF THE POLICE.

DIkBANDMENT. OF THE POLICE,
1fa vote we're taken tomorrow on Went
worth's Ordinance to transfer the appoint
ment and control Of the Police from the
Board Of Commissioners TO the Mayor,
under the pretcxt OF allowing the city Of
CMcago to elect its own officers,' major
lty would go for perhaps o very large
majority This is singular, but get it is so.
The hook is so tcmptiugly baited that thou
sands would snap at it. There is something
very attractive in the idea. Of having
<:thc people Of Chicago elect their
own officers II is said that men love
to be huuabugged, and do not thank
him who exposes the deceit and
shows them how they have been duped
We expect no thanks for undeceiyine
people in relation to the true intent aud
meaning Of the ordinance in question.
Still it is our duty to point out the dccep-
tion that is being practiced. As We said
yesterday, the proposition is not 10 enlarge
the power Of the people; but to put the
police under the control Of the Mayor, to
the end, that lie may use them to promote
his personal ends; to punish his enemies
to pe1secute those whom he dislikes, and to
disturb the peace and harmony Of the
community instead Of preserving order or
promoting the public good.
But without taking the affirmative OF
negative Of the question, We wish to call
the public attention to the legal conse-
quence Of abolishing the Board Of Police
Commissioners, by vote Of the citizens
at the April election.
When the law creating the Board was
enacted, the Legislature repealed the former
act, which conferred the power to appoint
the police on the Mayer. This repeal
clause is in plain, positive and emphatic
language. Now, suppose the people vote
to abolish The Board--Hhat are
the consequences? Why, simply,
that the city seM BE- ktz tcithout any
police at all The old 1aw that conferred
the appointing power on the Mayor, will
not te revived, but will remain "dead as 4
smelt.'' The statutes Of the State leave no
room for doubt on this point Sec. 26,
page 1924. Of the Statutes Of Illinois, reads
as follows: "No acto part Of an act, re-
pcalcd by another act Of the General As
scmh]y, shaa 1e deemed to be rerioed by the
repeal ef such repe1zing act"
It il clear from this Law, that the Mayor
will not have the legal authority to ap.
point policemen after the Board is voted
down. The present police force would be
discharged, If such vote he legal, but the
city is left destitute of substitutes Per:
Aars VIC can get along without any police
Let every man buy a revolver, q
bowie k1ifc and bull dog tt
defend person and premises. Or, th|
1aw-abiding class might assemble
:uG resolve themselves 1n1o Co1nnlitt5
Of Public Safety, and detail one or In.
hundred Of their number It's light and da,
patrols, to preserve the peace and protec
the citizens from the assaults and deprcda
lions Of 1uffians, thieves, burglars and in
ccndia1ies. If VIC had no police, some
thing Of this sort might be 7resorted to
Necessity is the mother Of invention. Bu
is it the part Of wisdom to dismiss ou
present police before we have provided 70
efficient substitutes? Our readers will al
recollect the fable Of the silly sheep whicl
were persuaded by the wolves to dism;s
the watch dogs that guarded them, and th
result.