Part 43 (2/2)

The a.s.sistance they have, on every occasion, afforded the civil power, and the sacrifices of valuable time which they have made, at the risk of health, and under circ.u.mstances where they were compelled to forego that ease and comfort, which, in many instances, from their opulence and rank in life, are attached to their particular situations--it is to be hoped will never be forgotten by a grateful Public.]

In order that improvements, sanctioned by such high authority, and the adoption of which are so important to the best interests of Society, may be fully explained and elucidated; a detail of the measures, which have been recommended, with general observations on the proposed System, are reserved for the ensuing Chapter.

CHAP. XVIII.

_The System of Police recommended by the Select Committee on Finance explained.--A proposition to consolidate the two Boards of Hawkers and Pedlars, and Hackney Coaches, into a Board of Police Revenue.--The whole Revenues of Police from Fees, Penalties, and Licence Duties, to make a common Fund.--Accounts to be audited.--Magistrates to distribute small Rewards.--A power to the Board to make Bye-Laws.--A concurrent jurisdiction recommended--also the Penitentiary House for reforming Convicts.--Other measures proposed after the Board is established--namely, a Public Prosecutor for the Crown--A Register of Lodging Houses--The establishment of a Police Gazette.--Two leading objects to be attained--The prevention of Crimes: and raising a Revenue for Police purposes.--The enumeration of the Dealers who are proposed to be Licenced.--A General View of the annual expence of the present Police System. Observations on the effect of the System recommended by the Finance Committee, with respect to the Morals and Finances of the Country.--Suggestions respecting a chain of connection with Magistrates in the Country, and the mode of effecting it.--Licences to be granted by select Magistrates in the Country, and by the Central Board in London and the neighbourhood.--The Functions of the proposed Board explained.--Specifications of the Trades to be regulated and Licenced.--General Reflections on the advantages likely to result from the adoption of the plan recommended by the Finance Committee.--Concluding Observations._

Impressed with a deep sense of the utility of investigating the nature of the Police System, the Select Committee of the House of Commons on Finance turned their attention to this, among many other important objects in the Session of the year 1798; and, after a laborious investigation which occupied several months, (during which period the Author of this Treatise underwent several examinations),[168] they made their _final Report_--in which, after stating it as their opinion, ”that the general tendency of our oeconomical arrangements upon this subject is ill calculated to meet the acc.u.mulating burdens, which are the infallible result of so much error in our System of Police”--they recommended it to Parliament to reduce or consolidate ”the two offices of Hawkers and Pedlars, and Hackney Coaches, into a Board of Police Revenue, under the direction of a competent number of Commissioners, with such Salaries as should bid fair to engage talents adequate to the situation, and as should be sufficient to command the whole exertion of those talents.--That the Receiver of the Police offices, should be the Receiver-General of the funds proposed to be collected by this Board.--That the superintendence of aliens should form a part of its business.--That the fees and penalties received at the several offices of Police, together with the Licence-duties and penalties, if any, which shall be in the collection of this consolidated Board, shall make one common fund, out of which all salaries and expences of the several offices of Police should be defrayed, as well as all those of the Consolidated Board, and that all payments whatever should be made by the Receiver, under the sanction of this Board, subject to the approbation of the Lords Commissioners of his Majesty's Treasury.--That the accounts of the Receiver should be audited and signed by the Board before being delivered to the Treasury, or the office for auditing accounts.--That the balances in the hands of the Receiver, after retaining what may be sufficient for current expences, should be paid into the Exchequer at frequent and fixed periods.--That Magistrates of Police should be impowered to distribute small rewards to Constables or others, for meritorious services, to be paid by the Revenue, after receiving the sanction of the Board: And further, that the Board should have power to make Bye-laws, for the regulation of such Minor Objects of Police as relate to the objects of their superintendence, and to the control of all Coaches, Chairs, Carts, Barrows, and the conduct of all Coachmen, Chairmen, Carters, &c. and the removal and prevention of annoyances, and the correction of all offences against the cleanliness, the quiet, and the free pa.s.sage of the Streets of the Metropolis, similar to the powers now possessed by the Commissioners of Hackney Coaches, and subject in like manner to the approbation of the Superior Judges in the Courts in Westminster-Hall.”--The Committee further recommend that two additional Police Offices should be established in the City of London, consisting each of three Magistrates, to be named by the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, and paid out of the General funds, and to have Commissions from the Crown, extending over the whole Metropolis, and the Counties of Middles.e.x, Kent, Ess.e.x, and Surry; and that the Commissions of the Magistrates of the other eight Offices should extend in like manner over the whole Metropolis, and the four above-mentioned Counties.[169] And finally, the Committee recommend that no time should be lost in carrying into effect the Plan and Proposal of Jeremiah Bentham, Esq. for employing and reforming Convicts, as a measure which bids fairer than any other that was offered to the Public, to diminish the Public expenditure in this branch, and to produce a salutary Reform in the object of the proposed Inst.i.tution.

[Footnote 168: See Appendix to the 28th Report of the Committee.]

[Footnote 169: It is not proposed in the Bill, now in preparation, hereafter stated, to introduce any thing respecting the City of London, unless the consent of the Lord-Mayor, Aldermen, and Common-Council, shall be previously obtained.]

Other measures are stated by this Committee as well calculated to facilitate the means of detection and conviction of Offenders, and to reduce the expence which is now borne by the Public, or sustained by private Individuals, in the maintenance of a very inefficient Police; while they seem calculated to lessen the growing Calendars of Delinquency, but which may be better matured after the consolidation of the Offices here proposed shall have taken place.--”Such as the appointment of Counsel for the Crown, with moderate Salaries, to conduct all Criminal Prosecutions, and rendering the Solicitor to the Board useful, either in such Prosecutions as any of the Public Officers might find it necessary to inst.i.tute; or in such Criminal Prosecutions at the suit of Individuals, as the Public Justice of the Country should render expedient.--Such as a Register of Lodging-houses in the Metropolis.--Such as the establishment of a Police Gazette, to be circulated at a low price, and furnished gratis to all persons under the superintendence of the Board; who shall pay a licence duty to a certain amount: And such also as an Annual Report of the state of the Police of the Country.”

In considering this Report in general, it is no slight gratification to the Author of this Treatise, to discover that all the great features of his original design for giving to Police its genuine character, unmixed with those judicial Powers which lead to punishment, and properly belong to Magistracy alone, have been sanctioned by such high authority.

In taking a general view not only of what is specifically recommended by the Select Committee of the House of Commons; but also of the Report itself, two leading objects appear to be in contemplation, namely--

1st. The prevention of crimes and misdemeanors, by bringing under regulations a variety of dangerous and suspicious trades;[170] the uncontrolled exercise of which by persons of loose conduct, is known to contribute in a very high degree to the concealment, and by that means to the encouragement and multiplication of crimes.

[Footnote 170: The Trades alluded to are these following,--vide Appendix (C) 28th Report of Select Committee of the House of Commons on Finance, page 45, 46, and 47.

_New Revenues._

1. Wholesale and Retail Dealers in old Naval Stores, Hand-stuff, and Rags.

2. Dealers in second-hand wearing Apparel, Stationary and Itinerant.

3. Dealers in old Iron and other Metals, &c.

4. Founders and others using Crucibles.

5. Persons using Draught and Truck Carts for conveying Stores, Rags, and Metals.

6. Persons Licenced to slaughter horses.

7. Persons keeping Livery Stables, and letting Horses for hire.

8. Auctioneers, who hold periodical or diurnal Sales.

_Existing Revenues proposed to be transferred with a view to a more effectual control, and to an improved Finance._

9. Hackney Coaches and Chairs.

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