New-York daily tribune., 1858-09-06


sudden ebullition Of rage and excitement, but was
the consummation of plan long contempA'eu,
and perpetrated at length most deliberately ana
coolly. Now that We are all of u, II IS 10 DC
hoped. camer it il well to consider another cir
cum.tance in relation to jhis extraordinary event
for which there has been offered yet no satisiae
tory explanation.
Through the day, on Thursday ii it was not a.
positively known as anything IN future could pe'
there wa. st least the very strongest Prooapiii'!
that the work of demolition would be completed
ON the ensuing evening. There were probably very
few who did not hear the rumor. that were riie u
that effect, and positively II calculated uPon'
in at least one class of the community, that the IT.
porters Of the Press went down to the island u
report proceedings as confidently "a they wouid 90
10 any regularly appointed and advertised meeting.
The general expectation was not at fault III
days sun rose upon the sInoldering RUNS ana 'le
burning piers of all that remained OF the Quarantine
Not hand wa. raised to stay the destructioh'
Violence reigned unchecked, and almost unreouhed'
rs if the work were one which, however distress
ing aud painful and shocking, the safety and Well
being of society demanded, and which the organ
ized government had lent itself to accomplish
Now. why was this Are we really and truly in
A state Of revolution, where the constituted au-
thorities have neither the will nor the power to in-
terfere with the will and power of the people
And do these authorities mean to he understood ~
recognizing the proceedings of the rOtOus Staten
islanders as perfectly in accordance with abstract
right and the sacred right of revolution! Staten
Island is within the district under the care and sl-
peryision Of the Police Commissioners; but It
seems that those officials took not the slightest
precautions against riot of which, if they were
not. everybody else in town was, thoroughly
warned, and which was expected to take place
with almost much certainty as the fireworks IN
the Park Not policeman was sent to the scene
of diaster and distress, nor were there through
the day any steps whatever taken, except IN the
removal Of few smallpox patients either by the
authorities in this city or by the officers OF the
Quarantine, TO rescue the sufferers in the remain
ing Hospital from the openly threatened repetition
of the fearful scenes Of the night before. The
Quarantine establishment moreover, is the prop
crty of the State. Gov. King, as it is now We'll
known. was in town; and as he was ap
prised Of the destruction which had already
taken place, it is incredible that he could
not have foreseen its probable completion.
Are we to conclude that that distinguished and
excellent gentleman is oblyious or careless of one
Of the most onerous and serious duties OF his
Office? or did he think this one Of those justifable
outbreaks of an outraged people which it were
best not to NEEDLE with Have we indeed reached
that point where the Law is powerless, and Its
guardians and appointed executors stand idle and
mconcerned, leaving the people unchecked, un-
controlled, and unglided, to act for themselves,
whether for good for evil, by popular violence
If it be So il were We'll to BE- apprised of ii. Riot
breeds riot IA certainly as harvest follows the
seed. time. The destruction of property, the
irhuman outrages upon the sick and helpless at
Quarantine, will be followed by new outrages and
new inhumanity somewhere else when the mob
shall have, or think they have some new griev-
ance to redress For violent remedies, even when
applied with the best Intentions and followed by
corresponding results, must have also violent con-
sequences. 1t would be as criminal in us To
forget this as il would be in conyaescent
from fever to forget the danger of rash ex-
posure. If, then, have neither City nor
State Government to protect us from the hOr-
rors Of incendarism and midnight yioence
or it, on the other hand, il is evident that law OBJ
noxous to powerful class can only be executed by
popular outbreak-ior We are tossed here on the
horns of such a dilemma-then the sooner We rec
ognize and understand this condition of things the
better. In that our only protection lies i'll
that last appeal Ia the virtue and strength OF the
people, while thanking God that this last element
as We may hope, of conservatism is left us. The
people are still left, whatever may become Of gov
crnmentS, and they are still 50 powerful in their
strength and, We trust, so mighty in their virtue
as to be certain in the end to preserve the body
polite from all assaults. The events Of the past
week are too serious to be made the occasion Of
mere passionate defamation, and rejecting men,
when the first glow of indignation atiuhumsnity and
outrage shall have subsded, should pause 70 ask
lesson which it is we'll for US to appreciate and
take to heart, without waiting for some newer and
more terrible compulsion. Mobocracy for evil
purposes must be suppressed, at no matter
what sacrifice Of life or treasured interests;
mobocrscy which may honestly be moved
with good intention, should also be sup
pressed with strong and unyielding hand; and
when that is done, If are wise, We shall care
fully and thoughtully consider its causes aud con-
sequences. And still more are We bound 10 reflect
most sadly and soberly on a mobocracy which
neither State nor Municipal Government ventures
even to pretend TO interfere with.
The Commissioners of Emigration, il is said
-. l., IN rnhtil1 h.