Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-06-27
THE POLICE IMBR0aLIo.

Our police affairs have fallen into
what CHARLES DIcYIys calls muddle
The Board yesterday scotched the esti
mates for the next Metropolitan year
and threw the determination Of the ones
ton upon the County Court. Alderman
WALKER delivered clear, II not con
vincing argument against the claims OF
the bill to legality His view is fortified
by the opinions Of able legal talent, and,
Judging from present aspects, the courts
will have to settle the imbroglio We
have, to some extent, heretofore, dis
cussed the main features OF the new sys-
TEN, and have objected more to its parti-
san origin than to its details. 1t is but
one of the measures Of radicalism. and
was meant by the Legislature to ope-
rate as punishment TO the people
of this city, Coming after disfranehise
ment, it reminds one of the skinning
after death In the body that passed it.,
Shelby county WAS denied representa-
ton. II via, bad enough to deprive us
of the ballot Ii was an advance step
to deny us representation. Waller and
POsToS, sent TO look after our interests,
were not allowed to debate, nor vote up
on bill that concerned, exclusively,
their county and city. The victim was
gagged, while those who had no interest
in its affairs, prepared to bleed it to the
tune of two hundred thousand dollars
per annum.
The measure proceeds on the assump-
ton that the people, who are most efiec.
ted by it, may be compelled to snb-
nit TO it whether they like it or not
In palmer terms-the men who framed
it claim TO have been acting
a the masters of subjagated
people If the trodden worm may turn
and defend itself, why may not the trod-
den immortal souls Of Shelby county
bite the chains that are drawn aboai
them? Why may not the Board Of
Mayor and Aldermen, aud the Comfy
Court, so act as to defeat the measure
It's perfectly legitimate TO do mot
by revolution, but quietly and legally
We were not allowed voice ia the pas
sage. We should deserve TO be- governed
by cabal Of Rocky Mountsia Indians,
if We did not protest against its opera
tons II 1t is not Unconstitutional, then
We have mo constitution worthy the res
pect If the people IL il does not place
in the hands Of three men powers that
few monarchs in Europe WELD then we
have msread the systems Of the nations.
The police, under the control of three
central heads, may, as Mr. WAFER said
yesterday in his speech, visit a ladys
bed chamber on q given pretense
1t is supposed that about the first of
July the new police will commence oper-
atoms, and it is feared by the timid, that
there may result collision Of some sort.
We trust not. We trust qnite otherwise
However this difficulty may result, no
illegal steps must be taken The courts
must be appealed TO and their adjudica-
ton recognized as final We have no
doubt the cid police will retire graceful
ly, and that no opposition, except 10 a
legal way, will be attempted. 1t should
not be-must not be- Whatever may be
done, peace must be preserved All ru-
mors and apprehensions TO the contrary
should be put down, for they are ground
less, Bad as the thing is, it must be en-
dured if the legal tribunals pronounce in
its favor.