The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-07-25

GENERAL DUaYEE RISES TO EXPLAIN
Tho Governors Action To Be Final in,
the Matter.
WHAT WILL HE DOp

causing just now no small amount OF excitemens
among the rank and file OF the 'peeers," as well
as among the people generally. 1t Is conceded on
all sides that General Duryee has the public Inter.
ests at heart; that he Ia not endeavoring to intro
duce new system into the police department.
simply for eject, regardless whether he is In tho
long run, successful or not. On the contrary,
everybody who knows him believes sincerely that
his object is to
GIVE STRENGTH TO THE POLICE
as body at ali times and especially to add to their
efficiency, In case OF riot or disorder in such way
TO utterly dispense with the services OF the MILL
tia The General Is no peace man in the sense that
he has, like many others we wot or gained
his title by mere compliment Of red tape
courtesy or political iavoritism. He has
participated in hard-tougnt battles and
has seen enough bloodshed and carnage to know
that to talk shot and powder part OF the police
engincry is neither by-p!ay catch-popularity nor
nonsense. Indeed, had the proposition come from
MI. Smith, who loves
PEACE AT ALL TIMES AND PLACES,
and plenty OF II under all circumstances; or from
Mr. Charlick, who leans strongly towards Method
ism IN picnic times Of the year. from Mr. Gardner,
who has good idea about the value OF the butt
of musket as Carmellte monk has of "the latest
play' in the newest opened theatre, the general
public might have reasonably INDUCED IN good,
broad grin OF hlarity and talked the matter at
dinner time one OF the best jokes Of the heated
term. But the fact that General Duryee has hold
Of the plan puts quite another complexion upon
the subject
At first blush 1t does seem to one not well
versed in the details that 60 20 make up the
every day experience OF the ordinary policeman
| that the armng Of the police ought
not to be c0untenanced so long as they are not in
the eyes Of the law q bona ade part and parcel Of
m n n
the law by which the police officially live snd have
their being plainly states what their powers are,
gives no military powers, and that beyond the pro-
visions oil that law no one has the right to 60 to
make their powers still moro extensive. Yet
every question has Its two Sides and 1t is but fair
that
GENERAL DuRyEE's PLAN
should be judged according to his intentions and
not according to the suspicious and misgivngs OF
those who believe that at all events an armed
police In our midst is positive danger instead Of
an absolute protection against all those mob ills
and riots which great city like New York, under
the present cosmopolitan condition of affairs, Is
naturally heir to. In the first place 1t should be
distinctly understood that the Generals PROPOSE
tion does not by any means cover the entire Police
observation-disclosures is to say, he does not propose
that every policeman on tue force shall be part
of the military arm Of the service. Indeed, the
general impression has gone abroad throughout
the city. for some reason or other that we were Oh
the eve of the establishment in our midst OF sort
OF Rendarmery like that OF l'aris-a sort OF mill
tary cOnstabulary every member NJ wn.ch would be
at all times and places with sword ~ side and rife
at the shoulder. That where we now have dread.
full looking policemen meandcr.ny about our
A srIFF-NEcxED. IMPUDENT soLDIERY,
as ready to cut down with the sword shoot with
the rifle any dsturbers Of the peace as the most
blood.thirsty follower Of the Carliss Cure would
A HERALD writer, alter talking i1scoa with nearly
every captain In the Department. yesterday paid q
one M az con yfS @
the new idea" The writer told the General how
he had met with many gentlemen IN tae city who
were shocked at the idea OF arning the police,
and VINO were under the impression that where
now we have policemen with clubs solely we were
the streets day and night. The General laughed
very heartily on hearing Of the way his plan had
been misconstrued, and said =
Now my intention Is simply this--to have in tho
Department a body OF men who IN an emergency
MANoEUvRED AS BRIGADE OF SOLDIERS;
VINO VIII DC thoroughly disciplined, equal to every
occasion OF serious import able to use their rifles
and ut the same time always be so thoroughly
under control that the rifles will not be used at
haphazard, but by word OF command alone. The
idea that all the police are to be armed is wong
One My intention Is to pick out from the force say
sou men, VINO have been in the army-men who
panies under captains who have also seen army
service and have them thoroughly drilled. Every
musket by Captain Copeland, and the captains ana
sergeants to be drilled separately, so that they
up in the army You see" said ' the Generai.
"this brigade VIII be great gain In many re-
spects. You know what bother it is to
CALL UPON THE MILITIA CASE OF RIOT.
The Mayor or Police Commissioners have TO mako
requislon upon the MAJOR General OF the division,
colonies and the colonies In their turn notify the
adutan!s ana az, tnrou E them the commandants Of
goes tin the corporaIs get notice to no:
Az over the cty-here, there and everywhere.
Well, they get notined at last and assemble. In
The %oo ali at aud Sos P as time
the militia appears millions OF dollars worth Of
on o na hs
military brigade Iwant created in the Department.
Es ens s. IT y II e
ousy that he is wanted, rifle In hand, and in lew
minutes the entire brigade IS
ON THE MARCH FOR THE SCENE OF DISTURBANCE.
There Is no change OF uniform. When the
brigade assemblies, whence it goes and what dircc-
grand reserve force, held back as reserve
always ready, In serious emergency, to
in overcoming mob that threatened to be danger.
ous Now you have the idea" and the General
Strengthened himself out as no finished and looked
ongingly up at the ceiling, rs though he was in
wardly praying for riot, that he might show what
DIS DrigaMe iueas couiu 90 10 quiet the rioters
nerves. Thus much for an exploitation Of the plan.
and now for
THE FEELING OF THE POLICE
In regard to it. AS to matter OF such novelty IL
is not Surprising that among thrty-two CAPTAINS
and four times as many sergcants there should bs
found serious II not irreconcilable differences OF
opinion. the HERALD writer made a tour through
the precincts during the week, and was careful TO
note down all he heard pro and con- in relation to
the innovation. Among the patrolmen who had
served In the army there was but one SENTIMENT
that OF unqualified approval Not one OF them but
saw IN the plan prospect for future Advancement
ana iame yet TINS did not seem TO be the uppermoss
idea In their minds In regard to the matter Ihe
majority favored II because 1t would have, they
DeIeved, an ntnnidating effect upon the roughs--
that 49, III case or riot, the ugly elements or the
population would not only feel that they had to
nght the police already at hand, but that at anY
moment they might be set upon from what quar-.
ter they knew not by regular armed force, VINO
would be bound to show them no more mercy than
regular soldiers SO far as could be judged, during
the writer's percgrinations throughout the city.
the rank and file are all In favor Of the plan: those
who were In the army, on general military prinr