Year: 1871

The Internasioaal and the Police-The In


judcious Order OF the Commissioners


Revoked.


The Commissioners Of Police yesterday re


voked their injudicious order directing the


Superintendent to use all the power of the


force to prevent the proposed Sunday demon.


stration of the International societies, and in


structed that officer instead to adopt such


measures as may be necessary to preserve the


public peace on the occasion. Some discus


sion took place before this action was decided


upon. Commissioner Bosworth maintained


the right of the Board to enforce the Sunday


laws, which he regards as prohibiting such


demonstrations on tue Sabbath, but ex-


pressed the opinion that it would be unde-


sirable to do 80 at this time at the
risk Of riot and bloodsbed. He declared


that the societies would, in his belief, have


bsen satisfied to give up the proposed Sunday
parade and to have held their demonstration
on another day Of the week but for the posi-
ton taken by the ''secular press, which had
condemned the order Of the Commissioners as
violation Of the rights Of citizens and had
| advised the InternationaIs to meet on Sunday
In defiance of the police. Mayor Hal, who
was present, dissented from the opinion that
memorial funeral procession was prohibited
by the Sunday laws and was Of opinion that
those laws were not applicable to the city Of
New York. He also advocated an appeal to-
the State Legislature for an act regulating
nTT1poQajnno In xf3c itu <aJ thos
draft of bill for that purpose.


The statement Of Commissioner Bosworth,
that the secular press had urged the Inter-
NATIONAL societies to defy the police and dis
regard the order Of the Board is Incorrect so
far as the HERALD is concerned. While we
condemned the stupid and injudicious action
Of the Commissioners as it deserved to be con-
demned, we advised the Internatonals to
avoid any conflict with the authorities; and to
hold their demonstration on some other day
than Sunday. Nevertheless, we regarded the
police order as . violation of the rights Of the
citizens and as an unjust discrimination
against the International societies.. Other
funeral. demonstrations, with professions,
music and banners, have been constantly held
in this city on Sundays, without any interfer-
ence on the part Of the police, and we believe
that the interneddling of the Board in this
particular case was instigated by prejudice
against the International and its objects, and
not by any peculiar regard for the sacredness
Of the Sabbath. That we were correct in our
judgment of the injustice and injudiciousness
of the order is shown now by the action of
the Commissioners In backing out of the posi-
ton they had too hastily assumed; for we
cannot suppose that the terrors of the Inter-
national or of the secular press" would have,
driven them from clear line of duty. We
prefer to believe that the tardy reversal Of
their action was the consequence of convic--
tion that the ground they had taken was
untenable, and we only regret that they were-
not more prompt and candid In acknowledging.
their error.


The result. is gratifying triumph for the
Internationals, who have evinced good tenn
per and sound judgment during the progress
Of the controversy. 1t remains tor them to be
as modest in, victory as they have been patient
during the struggle for their rights, They are
now more imperatively bound than ever to
see that their demonstration is peaceable,
sober and orderly one, and that no act is suf-
fered that can offend public decency. They
may make their proce ssion as imposing
as they please, but they must take care
that they respect in their arrange
meuts the convenience Of their fellow citi-
zens who do not belong to their order.
They will no doubt have large body
of men to handle, and they should see
that system and regularity are observed
In the muster and parade. 1t is to be hoped
that every man in the procession will abstain
from intoxicating drinks, and, above all, that
they will avoid any chance Of collision with
outsiders or with the police. After the crusade
that has been made against them their conduct
will be jealously scrutinized on this their first
great public demonstration, and they owe it to
the cause they represent to do no act that can
bring reproach upon their association. We
congratulate them upon the reversal of the un-
just and arbitrary police order, and we call
upon them to show by their peaceable and
orderly behavior that no necessity for the in
reference of the force with their proposed
parade ever existed. Let them next Sunday
do honor to the dead Communists and credit
to the living Internationalists at the same time.


THE DANGER to the republican party of
split which cannot be healed is thickening in
the Senate from day to day. Let it come and
let us see what is the strength and what is the
game of the anti republicans. The
time is at hand for action.


THE WOMAN SUFFRAGIsTs are in state of
great CONSERVATION. While the Wyoming
Repeal bill has been banded from the Legisla-
ture to the Executive of the State, vetoed by
the Governor and then passed by the House