National Republican., 1883-03-22
DEPARTMENT DUST.

Secretary FOlger returned to Washington
yesterday morning.
Two hundred and thirty-six land patents
and Ala pension certificates were issued yes
terday.
1t is expected that Postmaster General
Howe will return to Washington some time
this week.
Hon. L. NJ. Marble, commissioner of pat
ents, says he has no intention Of rendering
his resignation, and stories to that effect are
without foundation.
The postoiice at Elmwood, Lunenburg
county, Virginia, is discontinued and the mail
carried to Fort Mitchell.
1t appears that Gilbert Meyers, of Memphis,
who was debarred from practicing in the de-
| partment of the Interior on the sixteenth
instant, has been rcinstated.
Tho receipts from internal revenue yester-
day were 1884, ,67S and from customs SS22, ,055.
| Tho national bank notes received for re-
demptiOn amounted to S276,00O.
| DIR. +. O. st. Clair, chief of the consular
bureau of the State department, will leave
Washington in few days for the West In
dies ON business for the department.
The Treasury department has under con-
sideration proposition to have a series of
gold certificates issued from the subtreasury
at Chicago distinctive from the New York
and Washington issues.
The Postofiice department has directed post
masters to urge upon the public the import
ance of writing the street numbers or post
office box numbers upon mail matter in order
to facilitate its delivery.
The bureau of statistics has published cir
cular showing that the value of exports of
domestic provisions, tallow, and dairy pro-
ducts, for February 1883, from the United
| States was $9,457, ,73l against S9,246, ,5S2 during
the same month of last year.
The commissioner of tho general land office
has ordered the settlement and entry, after
due publication, of the lands heretofore with
drawn for the grant to Arkansas for the Little
Rock and Fort Smith railway not needed in
the final adjustment of said grant.
A question was submitted to the director of
| the mint AZ to whether an officer of the mint
could legally accept the Office of mayor of a
| city. The director replied that under an
| executive order issued in 1873 the acceptance
of such an office would vacate the federal
office.
Gen. Raum, commissioner of internal reye-
enue, has returned to this city from New
York. He says the circulars in regard to the
reductions of the tobacco tax will probably be
ready to-day First Comptroller Lawrence
expects TO have his opinion ON the tobacco re-
bate question ready to-day,
The 1rm of c. q. Williams & Co., of SPRING
field, L., was yesterday declared by the Post
office department to be engaged in conduct
ing scheme for obtaining money through
| the mails by fraudulent representations and
promises The postmaster at Springfield has
| been directed to discontinue the delivery TO
the firm of registered letters or money orders
Secretary Folger has returned to tho city
very much improved in health. He arrived
hore yesterday morning form Fortress
Monroe ON the revenue cutter Ewing He
| did not visit the Treasury department. YES
terday morning. Judge French, who is act
ing as secretary, says he has no information
as to when Secretary Folger will resume per-
sonal charge of the department
Chief Postoillce Inspector Parker publishes
u circular for the information of pOstoilice in
speCtOrs which embOdies the decision of a
| United States district court in Illinois. In
the case of United States VS., DIR. Charles Gay
lord, in the United States district court south
ern district of Illinois; trial at Springfield,
fall term, 1852; indictment under section
1898, Revised Statutes; verdict, guilty; sen.
tence, three years confinement in the south.
ern Illinois penitentiary, On motion OF
defendants attorney to quash the indictment
on the ground that the statute did not pro,
hibit the sending of sealed letters, and that
the sending of such letters did not constitute
! puDllCallOh OF lho writing thoreln lnCloSed
Judge Treat decided: "Since this statute has
been amended by the insertion of the word
writing am of opinion that all writings
whether inclOsed under "a sealed envelope OF
not, signed or unsigned, that are of indecent
obscene, or lascivious character, are non
mailable matter and covered by the statute
As to the question raised regarding what con
stitutes publication l shall hold that tC
inclose writing in an envelope and mail il
to another would be publication Of that
writing. The motion to quash the indictment
] is Oyerruled"