The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1871-04-13
Massachusetts State Police.

ton, brought out the most damaging dis
closures for the guardians of public
morals The police had regular gradu-
atcd tariff OF hush-lnoncy for each par
ticular offence, and made periodical as
sessments as regularly rs a landlord col
lects his rents. \ movement to brighten
liquor dealers from testitying by making
revcngeiul seizures was tried. but public
sentiment was too strong for that game.
II looks rs though the whole system must
be cut up root and branch.
The evidence discloses the fact that this
constabulary not only fattencd by selling
indulgences for the very vices it profess
ed to war against, but that it had grown
so insolent as to threaten and defy the
power that created it. The chief Con
stable aspired TO the sway Of a dictator.
The speech of Senator Monroe, in the
Massachusetts Legislature, shows what
the people of Maine escaped when they
strangled the growing monster of the
State Constabulary. We copy it below
Nh PRESIDENT: think, sir, that whatever
may be the opinions Of Senators as TO the justice
or pronretv Of having that section of the law
take effect under ordinary circumstances, they
Will agree with me now that when the State
ConStabulary is prOsttuted TO such purpose as
il has been within the last tWenty-tour hours.
if is at least matter worthy of consideration to
the Legislature of Massachusetts whether it
shall continue 10 have effect. This State Con-
stubularv Mr.. President, has been interpreting
law good many years. The thlei Constable
has been saving aS to whether laws shall be en-
forced, or whether they shall remain nulhty
on the statute book. He has been discriminate
ing between individuals. He has constituted
himself license board in effect, and he has
said to men i'll the liquor traffic, - \ on sell or
do not, at my good pleasure
That fact was notorious. 1t was palpable.
1t existed in the community so that no man had
the hardlhooa to rise anywhere and deny it.
Well, sir. we heard more than this. We heard
that this State Constable allowed men TO sell or
not, As they paid money to his deputies. That
was Il matter OF common rum0r, OF common
statement. and it scarcely met any more denial
than the other And il finally came to this,
that Senators rose here and stated ii within
their knowledge. 1t became papabe,
Obvious and open to the Legislature, that this
body was induced to offer Il resolution of i'll
quiry. They were induced to appoint special
committee to consider this very subject. That
committee undertook to hold sessions in regard
was that men did not dare to testify before them
because they Were afraid of the State Con-
stables.
That matter was talked over, and the Legs
lature said I'VE won't be DISTRACTED III this
way" Wen, when the committee proposed in
their session to ask this very aid of the L.egis
laturc IN order that they might inquire as to-
and elicit facts in regard to this subject; and
the first man 10 get up and oppose it was this
Srita t.l 10 10 I.tl a1i xntlI
before that committee. Well, he was defeated
there and he was defeated in the Legislature.
This Legislature passed an act which should
exempt men from consequences which might
result from their eliminating themselves by
testtying. And now what has the State Com
stable done i'll view of that action? Why, sir,
he appears in the committee room rs he has a
right to do, and conducts his ease but he
watches every man that appears there 10 testify,
and for what: We got strong, convincing"
damning proof that he WAS engaged in these
operations with which he is charged, and what
was the result OF 1t? The very next day man
whose properly was never before lnleriered
WIN was seized me constlhle Went 10 nm
ami LOOK 4l lhe liluof Ill MS possession. ne
wanted TO lhtmldate DINERS so mat they should
not testify. lie says "1 on testify what you
know, notWlthsllndinS thc Legislature has re-
moved dlSaoilltleS, hod power IN my hands
TO take away all your property, ana II snail be
taken away rs lar as the law gives me the
power. ms state constable mas put himself
above the law IN TINS respect. lie has said to
this Legislature that although you think you
have so arranged the provisions of law. that
You can elicit the facts you desire, propose to
90 beyond You. | propose to hold my power
in terrorem before these men, and say they
shall not appear mere. IL they appear, they ap-
pear at Their pert, aud they shall incur my
vengeance. That is the result, and submit,
Mr. President, 1t calls for our action. More
than that. Here : wholesale liquor dealer in
Ia aItI Et tpft ., lpg1 M,,1,
Jones told me personally a long W lille ago that
it was his intention never to interfere with
wholesale liquor dealers. And he never has
intertered with them. The wholesale liquor
trafllc has gone on. and 1t Is Il matter OF no.
toriety that it has not been interfcred with. But
here Is Il man who has more concern, perhaps, |
for the interests and safety and welfare of the |
State than he has Tor his own special private |
pecunlaly matters, and he has undertaken TO
see that facts are elected. lie has taken part
IN endeaNoling to expose the lnIquly.
And Yesterday, for the first time in the Conn
of Massa .hlsetts n wholesale linuor
dealer was disturbed and Disturbed in accord
ance with the threats of Major Jones. because
he dared TO aid in bringing out facts in REGARD
to his defendant Now I saw Major Jones has
TO hold This rod not only over dealer
Int over Senators too 7 will state a }ittle in
cilent in regard to myself Feeling some
natural sentiment of manly INDIGNATION Mt soc
mo an officer Of this Commonwealth "a nrocti.
tinted TO personal purposes as this State Con
stabularv is (Senators will remember) in the
early part of this session. made ga few re-
marks about it: and gentleman came TO me
afterwards and said SHOW did YOU dare TO talk
in that way.. .sWeII." said I. st don't know
that if requires any great moral couraue :,
siWhy." said he ..hayen't Won got friends amono
the liquor dealers in your district: Ityou have
they will suffer for it," I laughed nj him. then
but. sir. it wasn't week before, in that part of
this State known as RoXbury, where reside,
thc State Constables came and went through