The morning call., 1892-10-04
SIX MORE ON THE LIST.
Another Batch Of Chinese
Registered.
LAW BREAKING HEATHER.
A Revenue Officers Opinion en- the Legal
Consequences Of the Attitude OF the
Six Companies.
Six more Chinese were registered yes

Six more Chinese were registered yes
terday.
Their names and locations are not given
to the press lest publicity might enable
those among the Chinese who are opposed
to registration to attack their countrymen
who have obeyed the law.
The Chinese Six Companies in their letter
to Collector Quinn. noticing his intimation
that they might become liable TO the United
States for melting their countrymen to vio-
late the registration laws. say that their at
tention has not been called TO any statute
making it an offense to compel their coun-
trymsn to disregard law believed to be
unconstitutional aud oppressive.
Referring to this contention OF the CHI
nese companies an officer who holds re-
spensible position in the internal revenue
service said yesterday:
"The attention of the Chinese companies
might be called to two sections of the Re-
vlsed Statutes which have very pointed
bearing on their action In defylng the laws
of the United States.
sit should be promised that no citizen.
much less an alien. has any right to refuse
to obey a law of the United States because
he believes it to be unconstitutional.
"All laws duly passed are of equal valid
ity and equal obligation, and any one who
Violates them does so at his peril.
Neither the Chinese Six Companies nor
their attorneys can declare nited States
statute unconstitutional. Only the Supreme
Court can do that
section 1884 of the Revised Statutes says
that any person who ineites, sets on foot,
assists or engages in any rebellion or insur-
rection against the authority of the United
States or the laws thereof or gives aid or
comfort thereto shall be punished by I'M
prisonment not more than ten years, or by
fine of not more than ten thousand dollars
or both.
'What Is instruction?
1.-THE photographers define 10 as an open
and active opposition 70 the execution OF
the laws.
''The Chinese Six Companies are clearly
liable under this section, for by their own
admission they are engaged in an open and
actual opposition to the authority of the
United States in advising their countrymen
to violate its laws.
Section $40 Of the Revised Statutes
says that IL two or more persons eonspire
either 10 commit any offense against the
United States, or to defraud the United
States in any manner or for any purpose,
and one or more parties do any act to effect
the object OF the conspiracy. all the parties
to such conspiracy shall be liable TO a pen
atty Of not more than $4,000, or to impris-
onment for not more than two years, or to
both fine and imprisonment, at the dis
erection of the court.
"Chinese laborers are obliged to register
before May 5. 1893, under penalty of fine,
Imprisonment and deportation.
Therefore it is an offense against the
United States to fail 10 register before May
5. 1898.
"rhe courts have held that it is eonspir-
acy TO advise persons to violate the law.
This the Chinese companies admit they
are doing at the present time.
whether their offense will be complete
before the end of the period mentioned in the
statute is question for the law officers of
the Government TO consider.
1T would seem clear, however, that after
May 3, 1898, the chiefs of the Chinese Six
Companies would be liable to indictment
under one or both of the statutes named"