New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-05-19

1.-The people OF the State OF NeW-fOrk, repre-
scented in Senate and Assembly" enacted, at the
late Session. certain important changes in the laws
whereby said People are governed. One OF these
changes affects the granting OF licenses to sell In
toxicatng Beverages; another provides for re-
moyal of our Quarantine establishment; another
modifies the Police system of this City and the ad-
Joining counties; fourth provides for change in
the constitution of our Board of Supervisors, and
there are one or two others of some consequence
That each of these acts was the perfection OF Wis
dom, no one will pretend; but that they were duly
enacted by the legislative organism of our State,
no one pretends to question. That, as whole,
they were wise and good acts, calculated to cure
or mitigate admitted and fragrant evils, and that
their general influence, should they be permitted to
take effect, will be salutsry, we are confident nlne
tenths of all who have dispassonatey read them
must believe.
But this is free country, and any man who doesn't
like q law is at perfect liberty to dislike 1t. lie
nav also, if he sees TT declare such act unconsti-
tutional; but this declaration by no means relieves
him from the general obligation to obey it. An
unconstitutional law is, of course, void; bat he
who .houd venture to defy statute, and being
arragned for such violation should plead his belief
that laid act was unconstitutional, would be de-
risyey told by the Judge that no such excuse would
avail him. he must obey the laws as they are en-
acted until a competent tribunal shall have pro-
nounced them utilities If he ventures to disre-
gard them before, he must bear the penalties OF
aw-breakDg.
The Quarantine Act of last Winter was passed
in obedience to an urgent public necessity. 1t was
Staten Island that immediately clamored for a re-
moyal of the Quarantine; but her demand was
lust one and the Legislature readily acceded to it.
Three worthy ctizens-Of New-YOrk, Brooklyn,
and Staten Island respectively-were appointed
Commissioners; and they, being unable to obtain
Sandy Hook of the State of New-Jersey made
temporary location of a Summer Quarantine on
Seguine's Point, Staten Island.
Perhaps this was an ill,jud9ed location; say if
you will, that it was corruptly made, though We do
net think so. What is the proper course for those
who object to it, Shall they appeal for revision
of the judgment to the Commissioners, the Judges
the Governor, the Legislature the People, Such
is the Od.fashioned mode of applying for redress in
orderly, law-governed communities. The new
fashion is--Raise midnight mob, arm them with
matches and faggots, and have them burn down the
buildings on which the State has just paid fifteen
or twenty thousand dollars and then tell the author
tiles to rebuild them at their peril-that they will
be burned as often as erected Is that the sort of
rule that the People of New-YOrk choose to live
underl
The Police case is scarcely less fragrant. This
SeQuine's Point arson and the refusal (say if you
please, inability of Messrs. Wood and Matsell to
afford police protection to the new Quarantine
buildings, prove the absolute imminent necessity of
some such comprehensive police organization as
the new act provides. Suppose Westchester
County mob should attempt to tear up the Croton
Aqueduct, what would the Mayor do about it In
the absence of the new Police Act, he would be
poweress; under that, the rioters could be prompt
ly charged by all the police force of the city, This
is as il should be- and every year, as the Citys inter-
ests more and more overflow into the neghborlng
Counties, will the necessity for such an act become
more urgent and pspable.
The Mayor ard his hackers have right TO dis
obey the new Police act so far as may be necessary
to make case on which to test its constitutonaty
in the cOurts-so far, and no farther. Beyond that
they are under the same imperative obligation to
obey this act that the humbest citizen is to obey
any act whatever. Let any citizen persist in