The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-02-11
THE METROPOMHTAN POMnCE
ATROCHTYs

In this number we have published the
main provisions Of the scheme called the
Police Bill 1t is meas
ure of vengeance coneocted for the pun
ishment of the people of Vicksburg and
Warren county, because they were not
willing patiently to suffer the villainy
perpetrated by corrupt and faithless of
fcials. This is the sum and substance,
the origin and meaning of the scheme.
Its authors have adopted that method OF
saying to the taxpayers of the city and
county, you would not submit to be
q robbed and rode over, booted and
g spurned, by ignorant and thieying
:. officials. You would not permit your
g homes to be invaded By lawless mob
+" with murderous intent and because
+" you repealed them and protected your
q hearthstones and your wives from
q slaughter, and worse than slaughter
g take that r
And because the white people Of the
State have not withheld their sympathy
from their brethren Of Warren county
and the city of Vicksburg, the whole
State is to be scourged with the instru-
n ent of vengeance prepared especially
for that county and city. Warren coun-
ty, the bill provides, shall constitute, "a
Police district for the State"-any por-
ton of which is liable to be overrun by
the force organized under the law.
Nothing could be conceived more anti
Republican and despotic than this meas
ure. 1t vests supreme powers III the
hands of the Governor, and makes HIM
practically despot. He appoints the
Commissioners who are to organize the
military establishment, and removes them
at his discretion. There is no limit to
his power, nor check upon his preroga-
tive. He appoints whom he pleases
and dismisses at his will. And the
creatures Of his caprice, are to appoint
the officers who command the force. The
standing force is to consist of one hun
dred men, but it may be ipaefnitely in
creased at the discretion of the Metropol-
itan Board for special service-the Board
itself being the Judge of the necessity.
To support this establishment, special
tax is to be levied upon the property OF
the city and county The cost will be
enormously oppressive. The three Com
missioners alone are to receive $4,000 a
year. The officers in command of the
Police are to receive 81 800 and $500
per annum. Captains and Sergeants, re
spectively; and the patrolmen, or privates,
are to receive 500 month. The city
is to provide office accommodations fol
the Commissioners, and station house,
equipments, etc., for the force. The whole
cost cannot be less than s200,0 per
annum.
Especially is it designed as punish
ment and humiliation for Vicksburg.
Not only did her citizens rebel against the
wholesale thieving of which they were
the victims, but they elected a capable
and honest city government. This bill
takes away her chartered privileges and
reduces her municipal government to a
mere nullity. 1t abolishes her police de-
partment, and vests its powers in the
force created by this BILL 1t takes from
the Mayor the duties appertaining to his
Office under existing laws and vests them
in the Metropolitan Clerical Commission
er. In word, it does everything which
malignity, love of plumber, hatred and
revenge could invent to torture, humilate
and impoverish the community, or that
class of the community, who are designed
to be punished.
The first step of the citizens, no doubt,
will be to prevent, if possible, the execu-
ton of the scheme by a resort to the
judicial tribunals. What further steps
win be taken to prevent the imposition of
so intolerable burden, if judicial re-
course fails, time and reflection will de-
termine. If the taxpayers of the city
and county will stand together and are
true to themselves, not one cent of taxes
can ever be collected for the unhallowed
and atrocious purposes contemplated in
the BILL