PROVINCIAL CONSTABULARY.
L ARC:E majorities are passing the County and District Constables Bill through time House of Commons, and the Lords will certainly give the measure a welcome reception. Whigs in power have done many things pleasing to Tories, but none more acceptable than this. Time cause of the bill's success may be read in its title- " For the establishment of County and District Constables by the authority ql the Justices of' the Peace." The Justices of the Peace are country gentlemen, for time most part Tories; and they are em- powered by this measure to appoint Chief Constables with salaries of 300/. a year or of 000/. a year, according to the population of the county to which they belong: if the population, exclusive of boroughs, was under 300,000 at the last census, the smaller sum is to be paid—if over 300,000, the larger. For every 1,000 inhabi- tants one Petty Constable may be appointed:- The expenses are to be defrayed out of the County-rates. This sketch of the leading provisions of the bill shows that its practical operation must greatly increase the local influence and authority of the Justices at Quarter-Sessions—a class of persons who have not gained the respect or confidence of the community by their ordinary use of the power they HOW possess. A corre- spondent of' the Globe, who desires that the men should be ap- pointed directly by the Crown—meaning the Secretary for the Home Department—dcscribes some of the mischiefs which may arise from the delegation of the authority to time Provincial Ma- gistracy— " The liberty of the subject will, indeed, lie in dam,er, if exposed to the illegal am] oppressive acts of an unrestrained Police, ignorant of their duties ; fre- quently owing their situations to poiltival or party intrigue, Ond Many q whom would be broken-down tradesmen, ruined publicans, disehorged servants, or dependents ?Ton those who appointed them; each acuity in his own vicinity, where In enn best promote his Mill private interest, or yraqy revenge. Such a votive would he but a perpetuation and aggravation of the pwsent country 1mm:dainty sy sh.m. The delinquencies of such men, imi many cases, would be winked at. And when their misconduct was brought forward they would be judged by their patrons. The slightest knowledge of human nature forbids Slit hope that, in such a judgment, political bin,, party favouritism, prejudice, interest, would be excluded. And if the Magistrates themselves should be supine or negligent, their own misdoings would he kept concealed by passing over those of the Police, whirl] woul,l result from them. The Magistrates ought not, and they cannot wish, to he placed in this situation."
The " present Country Constable system " is as bad as it can be. The Minister, in introducing this measure, easily demonstrated the necessity ofimprovement. But who have had the making of that " system ?" The preamble to the bill recites acts investing large powers in the Magistrates for the appointment of constables ; and it might have been stated as a principal reason for passing another measure, that those powers had been inefficiently, indiscreetly, and corruptly exercised. But the enacting clauses, extending the authority so misused, would have read awkwardly after such a "whereas."
If not to the County Magistrates, to whom would you commit the management of the Provincial Police ? To the Home Secre- tary ? Time centralization of authority is unpopular; and, when it is considered in how many ways the Government has been and is about to be strengthened—that the "influence of the Crown," by a variety of new contrivances, including that of loaning and grant- ing millions—is ever increasing, without any prospect of a reverse process—it hardly will be denied that grounds for jealousy exist.
Still, to place the Country Constabulary directly under the con- trol of a Minister liable to be questioned on all points in the House of Commons, would be something of an approach to responsibility. The Minister would have comparatively few local interests to con- sult, and would listen but in a moderate degree to applications of parties desirous of quartering their dependents upon the public. We should prefer almost any plan to that which increases the „authority of the County Magistracy.
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