Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1888-07-06

soldiers Who resigned their coih III
the q. S. service at the beginning of the war
between the States. Oae of such applicants
is Commodore Page,o Notfolk, who has sent
. petition to Mr.. Villas, in which he says:
Your petitioner Richard l.. Page, citizen
of Virginia, residing at Norfolk, respectfully
represents that he was commissioned OIL
Ger in the United States Navy and served
in the war with Mexico, engaging the prln-
cipal battles there fought, by reason OF
which he is entitled TO become pensioner
under the late Act of Congress known as
the Act to pension the soldiers and sailors
of the Mexican war; that he has made sp-
nlication therefor in due form to the proper
official Of the government but ne has been
denied all participation in the benefits con-
ferred by said Act as will appear from the
| written opinion of the Honorable w. f..
Mclean, Acting Commissioner of Pen
sjons. herewith fled. That the grounds
upon which said opinion are based
are briefly stated in this that
YOUR petitioner was not honorably dischar-
ged from the service of the United States
the fact is that in 1861 be rendered his
resignation and entered the service OF the
Confederate States This act has been made
a cause for dismissal OF the service and the
bar to the claim" now in view of the fact
that this question was determined in the
matter of the United States Va. Lieutenant
North. submitted Nov. Goth, 1884, U. s. III,
page $40, See the opinion of the court IN
which Chief Justice Waite said: Those OF
the regular army or navy who We're engaged
in the military service Of the United States
in the war with Mexico, may be said to have
served out the term of their engagement or
have been honorably discharged within the
meaning Of those terms, as used in the ACT
As. when the war was over or when ordered
or mustered out If the service. Being In
the army or navy, the engagement was to
serve wherever they were ordered for duty.
| This engagement to serve in the war with
Mexico ended when they were taken away
from that service by proper authority
Contrary to the opinion of the honorable
s assistant commissioner, your petitioner SUB.
mits that tbs same should be reversed and
/ he tenders this his appeal for said
I purpose and prays the benefits thereof"
l Upon the advice of Judge Hawkins, OF the
Interior Department., to whom the case was
appealed, Secretary Villas at first reversed
| tile decision of Commissioner Black who had
approved that of his assistant; but in conse.
ouepce of the fuss MIR. Black kicked up
about it the Secretary. as stated in this cor
respondence yesterday. revoked his reversal
and suspended proceedings in all such cases,
thereby exc uding the applicants from the
benefits of the bill. This morning Repre-.
sentative Browne, of the Accomsc district,
Virginia, called OF the Interior Department
| to see Mr. Villas III respect Of the matter.
He was Informed by the Secretary that pro-
| ceedings in all such cases had been suspend
ed, that he had no lime to devote to their
consideration, and that they would continue
to be suspended. Mr.. Browne, on his part,
said that il the suspension was not suspend
ed in a few days be would know the reason
WHY, and for that purpose would Introduce
a resolution in the House iIquiriug by what
authority Mr.. Villas can set aside law of
Congress az Interpreted by the Uni
ted States Supreme Court. Mr.. Villas
seems to have an inveerste aDtipathy to
e1 rebels" He is the man. it will be re.
mem bered, who, when Postmaster General,
told Representative Gibson, OF West Vir.
q mia, that no ex Confederate holding a
minor position in that department could be
promoted.
The House to-day resumed the considera-
tion of the Mills bill. tie section under de-
bate being that relating to iron. Inc
prevailing impression on both sizes of the
House is that vote on the bill will be
reached within tie next ten days, and that
it will be passed. Mr.. Randall will certain
IL vote against it, and its opponents say hive
other democrats, but the friends of the bill
say not more than two, if so many. By the
time mentioned the Senate bill will be
ready. and on tba. only short debate, il
any. is expected. The Senate bill will pre-
vide for large reduction in the tariff ON
sugar, for The entire removal of the tobacco
| he Of tcv frni
brandy and the whisky used In the arts
General Malone is still here. Hs has
been called upon By many of the prominent
republicans in the city and by all the repub-
licens in Congress from Virginia except MIR.
Yost. He seems to be recognized by the re.
pub!icaps here as the head of bis party in
his State, and is thought by most Of them to
have been badly treated at Chicago, as they
cav the following OF the kickers is insignih-
cant. They also say it can hardly be ex'
pected that he will be very active in his
efforts this fall if Mr. Brady shall be allowed
to retain his place as the Virginia member
of the national committee, and that proba-
bly, Mr.. Brady will be requested by the other
members of that committee to resign and
tsllow man in more accord with the party
in the State to be selected in his place. The
General, since he has been here, instead of
relractipg u word he has said against Mr..
Blaine, reiterstts it all, and says he ia war
ranted in doing so by the manner in which
Mr.. Blaine has treated him and the republic
can party 10 Virginia from 1880 down to the
present time.
The House to day passed bill by vote of 179
to to forfeit the unearned railroad land grants.
! This is democratic measures and should the repub-
lican Senate concur, which is doubtful will restore
to the Government about sixty million acres Oval
liable land, about twenty million of which will be
taken from the Northern Pacific Railrosd.
Among the reports presented in the Honse this
morning was one on the bill making drunkenness
| in the District of Columbia a criminal offence
The bill provides that any one seen on the streets
of this city under the influence of liquor will be
liable to arrest and to be punished with fine or
Imprisonment, or both. The report was not only
favorable, but was unanimous.