The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-06-15

| To the Editor Of the Press;
Your article this morning IL calculated 10
| make an erroneous impression IN regard 10 thc
| So Cor stabuJary. And as the state Con-
| stable resides in another secuon OF the oIate,
| ~ ia but ustice to him that those who under
take to report for our city papers should have
knowledge of the facts.
There has been no attempt of the State Con-
stables to take the work out of the bands of
the City Marshal and his deputies here. And
instead of stepping in, as alleged, tho APP
pointment of Constable in this city was made
at the special request of the Mayor, who also
desired that the Deputy Marshals should be
authorized to act State Constables. Ar
rangements will probably be made to that
effect. The State Constable has acted accord
ing to the advice of the Mayor, and has at all
times avowed his intention to do so, 80 tar as
this city is concerned. His Deputies VIII act
in concert with the City Marshal ami his Dep
uties. And the recent action, instead OF being
without notice to them, as you aliege, was not
press aDnropnI So both the State and CITY
IDENTITIES have informed me to-day.
III some part of the work here can be done
better by the State Constable, aud the Mayor
requests it, surely the former is not to be
blamed. And there is no reason to fear any
conflict or difficulty, except with those who
violate the law. d.
To the Editor of the Press.
Undesignedly, in this mornings Press, YOU
have done both the State Constabulary and
the city authorities injustice All YOUR facts
touching the action OF the city government
are true, and very creditable to the authori-
ties. And if you had said more by way of
commentator, it would have been no exag-
geration. But am authorised to saw that the
conduct OF the State Constables, whatever in
ference may have been drawn by Others is not
regarded by the citv authorities as an interfer-
ence with their legitimate business, but meets
with their decided appreciation. There is not
0nlV nnflrn harmnnu
city officials, but there is hearty cooperation,
and nothing seems likely to disturb the ar
rangement. The harder the State Constables
fight on this line and the greater their execu-
ton, the better will the city government be
pleased-thanks to a faithful administration
whose purpose it is to do what is possible to
check, if not remove, the greatest evil with
which society is afflicted.
june IA. PROHIBITIONIST.
TO the Editor of the Press: 9 .e-..
By an article in this mornings issue of your
paper, the idea is very clearly conveyed that
the recent seizures of liquors in this city by
the State Constabulary, indicate q conflict be-
tween that force and the city authorities
Now, sir, allow me to state, from the best du-
Mority possible, that this presumption is en-
tirely erroneous. The city authorities are for
temperance and the enforcement of the law
against illegal traffic, and welcome the assist
ance of all legitimate agencies to assist them,
and altogether declined such gratuitous and
ili-timsd offers OF protection from their friends
and dtIieS. ***
June ii.
To the Editor orthe Press:
Your editorial in Fridays Press on the State
COnstabulary, so far as it is intended to super
sede our City Police is timely and to the point.
No city in the Union has been favored with
a more efficient police considering the limited
number employed) than Portland, and their
efforts to enforce all the laws of the State have
been remarkably successful for the last year.
You are right then in saying there was no
need for the constables to step in and take the
work out of their hands," Ifthey can take one
branch 1.-THE execution of the liquor law from
the regularly appointed officers of this
city, why may they not monopolize all
the duties of the Marshal and his Deputies.
The law giving the power to State Constabes,
speaks for itself Though an abortion in its
present shape) and it confers power on State
Constables to enforce all criminal laws on the
Statute book as well as the liquor law, 1t vir-
tually dboiishes the jurisdiction of our Munich
pal officers in Portland, and constitutes consta-
b!es from other places the guardians of the pub
lie peace in our city.
A similar law, intended to annihilate the
Municipal police force in New York city was
put i'll force, and was declared by the Supreme
Court at Albany unconstitutional Below is
an extract from the Boston Journal of Thurs
day:
THE New York Supreme Court has decided
to be unconstitutional the law passed by the
Legislature last winter, which transferred to
the Metropolitan Police Board the powers and
duties heretofore belonging to the Mayer and
Common Council of the city of New York.
If such law, superseding New York City
officers was null and void, on what principle
can the State Constable law be upheld? y
There was no intention on 1.-THE part of the
writer of the article in yeterday's Press to do
injustice to the State Constabulary Orto init
mate that there would be a collision between
the State and City Police. From the tenor of
the law establishing the State Constabulary,
it might be inferred from the sudden pro-
oeedings of the officers in this city that our