The New York herald., 1871-06-15
Tho city. Police and tho c,.y'. cA.ri-

4 AnO 0hy@s EOuco anu tuo lISJ>s AaeE.s
Among the most interesting and important
reports called forth by the Mayors circular
are the reports Of .he Polio, Commissioners
/ and the Commissioners OF Charities and Cor-
rec,ion, Which were published in the HERALD
yesterday. The Metropolitan Police have
long been highly creditable organic ltion,
not only as re ards discipline, attention to
duties, neatness ana tiae physique, but as re-
garis personal intelligence. Under all
rsgimes, whether Of Albany or Tammany,
since the days Of Mayor Wood, they have re-
tai1ed II strictly noa-political character and
this fact is strongly atsestei in the hearty en-
comium which the Police Board, democratic
body, passes upon the character OF the former
Superintendent, John A. Kennedy, wao was
personally violent radical. With the un-
limited political power that might be seized
by any man or commission controlling the
Metropolitan Police, it is very fortunate
thing that politics have been 50 sedllously
kept apart from its working materials. The
force ut present consists Of an aggregate Of
1925 men, the Superintendent, three inspec-
tors aud thir.y-fiye captains includcd. Within
the past year there were 75. COZ arrests made,
$l,277,o36 worth of stolen property has been
recover and returned to the owners, 1888
lost chillren have been found and restored 10
their homes, and l4l,7S persons, destitute
and homeless, have received shelter in the
station houses. These figures show more
llvr han ,,xl, x,,i.~
how eff ;ient has been the service of the
city police. But besides these are many
instances never reported where the in
terpostlon of these almost ubiquitous guar
| diaas has saved many poor fellows from dens
Of robbery and murder, many poor girls from
ruin and suicide many strangers from the be-
| widering maze of torluous streets where they
lose their way and their money, and many
weak and crippled oacs from being crushed in
crowded Broadway. These salwart men in
blue are, indeed, the gallant knights-erra of
our day, doing goody battle not only against
the windmills of keno and faro, but against
4 other and stronger adversaries, and welding
many good lance for the weak and uniortu-
/ nate.
| The charities, to use a homely phrase, arc
| New Yorks strongest suit. She exces cspe-
cally in charity The report of the Commits
sioners of Charities and Correction shows
that for.y-six thousand six hundred and forty
eight persons were treated in the various hos
pitals under their charg, during the year; that
thirty-three thousand received aid and relief in
the various almshouses and asylums and at
| their own homes; that II, $40 were provided
for in the reformatories and workhouses; that
! 34,S0i were given employment by the Labor
Bureau, and that 1,74l were taught in the
nautical and industrial scho ,ls. In all 1884, 900
, indi lent, houseless or sick people were
attended to and relieved by the public chari-
ties of the city last year. Surely record like
this takes New York out of the Sodom and
Gomorrah list that our rural friends so delight
to place US in. Whatever may be the short
comings of Wall street, the dreadfal follies of
| our fashionables, the squalid vice of our
intractable miserables, charity so broad and
so unrestrained as this ought to cover even
such multitude of sins.