Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-12-02


DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
The report of the Attorney General Is un-
der the law submitted directly 10 Congress
Int AZ the Department Of Justice is one OF
| theexecutive Departments, reference tothe
work done is appropriate here. A vigorous
| and in the main an effective effort mas
| been made TO bring TO trial ana punish
ment all violators of the laws, but at tho
| same time care has been taken that frlyo-
Ions and technical offences should not be
used TO swell the fees Of officers or to ha-
rass well-disposed citizens. Especial at:
! tention is called to the facts connected
with the prosecution of violations OF
tho election laws and OF offences
against the United States officers. Inc
| number of convictions secured. very many
of them upon pleas OF guilty, VIII, II Is
hoped, have O salutary restraining lnfu-
| epce. There have been several cases where
postmasters appointed by me have been
subjected 10 violent interference IN the
| discharge Of their official duties, and TO
persecutions and personal violence OF the
| most extreme character. Some OF THESE
cases have been dealt with through the
Department of Justice and IN some cases
the post-ofiices have been aDoiSheu vi sus-
| pended. | have directed the Postmaster
| General 10 pursue this course IN
all cases where other efforts tailed
10 secure for any postmaster not
himself in fault an opportunity peacefully
10 exercise the duties of his office. But
such action will not supplant the efforts OF
the Department Of Justice TO bring the par
ticular offenders to punishment, r
The vacation by judicial DEGREES OF
| frouduIeut certificates of naturalization,
upon bills in equity fled by the Attorney,
! General in the Circuit Court OF the united
States. is a new application OF a tauiilar
eouity jurisdiction. Nearly one hundred
such DEGREES have been taken dufing the
wear, the evidence disclosing the TACT that
n very large number of fraudulent
! certificates of naturalization nave Deen
| issued. and in this connection L peg
10 renew nv recommendation that the
laws be so amended as 10 require q more
| frll and searching inquiry into all the facts
necessary 10 naturalization before any GER
tificates are granted. II Is certainly not 700
much 20 require that an application l0r
| American citizenship shall he heard with
NJ much care and recorded with as much
| formalitv as are given to cases involving
the pettiest property right
GAMBLING.
At the last session ! returned without
my approval bill entitled " an act 70 pro-
| hbit book-making and pool-selllng IN tire
| Dietr;ct Of Columbia" and stated my OBJ
| lection TO be that il did not prohibit, but
In fact licensed what 1t purpOrted to pro-
hlbit. An effort will be made under exist
ing laws to suppress this evil, though II IS
not certain that they Will be found ade-
quate.
POSTAL AFFAIRS.
The report of the Postmaster-General
shows the most gratifying progress in the
| imnortant work committed 20 his direc-
| ton The business methods have been
| greatly improved. A large economy IN ex-
| Deuditures and an increase OF four and
three quarter millions IN receipts nave
been realized. ---,oo oo
The deficiency this year IS Sj,7S6.3OO, as
| AGAINST SG.3jO,1S3 last ye1r, notWlthstand-
inc the Great enlargement Of the service.
| kIail routes have been extended and
| ouickened and greater accuracy and as
uatch in tho distribution and delivery
have been attained. ..
The report will be found to be full OF IN
tere.t and suggestion not only TO Congress
| Int IN those Thoughtful citizens who may
be interested 10 know what business me-
thods can do for that department Of public
administration which most nearly touches
Tho passage of the act TO amend certain
sections OF the Revised Statutes relating 70
lotteries, approved September -, 1890, has
been received with great and deserved
popular favor;
The Post Office Department and the De
|
the enforcement of the law with syste-
matte vigor. and already the public mails
| have been largely freed from the fraudu-
| lent and demoralizing appeals and htera-
ture emanating from the lottery companies.
THE NEW SHIPS.
The construction and equipment. Of the
new ships for the navy have made very
satisfactory progress. Since March 4, 1859,
nine new vessels have been put IN commits
sion. and during this winter four more, In
Guiding one monitor, Will abe added. 1he
construction OF the other vessels autho-
riZed is being pushed, both IN the Govern
ment and private yards, with energy and
watched with the most scrupulous care.
The experiments conducted during the
year to test the relative resisting power o.
armor-plates have been so valuable rs TO
attract great attention IN Europe.
The only part Of the work upon the new
ship that Is threatened 10y unusual delay Is
the armor-plating and every effort Is beng
made 10 reduce that to the minimum.
1t IS a source Of congratulation that tho
anticipated influence Of those modern
shells upon the esprit de corps OF the officers
= and seamen has been fully realized. Con-
fidence and pride in the ship among the
crew are equivalent 70 a stationary BAT
= terv. Your favorable consideration Is III
. vited TO the recommendations Of the Sec
, rotary.
INTERIOR MATTERS.
The report Of the Secretary Of the Int
, rior EXHIBITS witt great fulncss and clear.
ness the vast work of that department
and the L -tactorg results attained.
The suggestions made by him are earnestly
, | commented 20 the consideration Of Con
. gress. though they cannot all be given par.
ticuar mention here.
: Tie several acts Of Congress looking tC
the reduction Of the larger Indian reserya
+ tons, TO the more rapid settlement of the
q Indians upon individual allotmeuts. and
a the restoration 10 the public domain OF
a ! lands III excess Of their needs, have beer
i largely carried into effect so far as the
= work was conhdei TO the Executive.
. Agreements have been concluded since
! March 4, 1889, involving the cession e
a the United States of about II, 10000 acres
/. of land. These contracts have. as re-
!, CURED by law, been submitted to Congress
Il for ratification and for the appropriation.
Z necessary 10 carry them into effect. Thes,
contracts with the SissetOn and Wahpeton
. Sac and Fox. Iowa, Pottawatto mics anC
= Absentee, Shawnees and Occur D'Alen'
4 tribes have not yet received the sanction
Of Congress. Attention is also called t,
the fact that the appropriations made IL
the case OF the Sioux Indians have no
p covered all the stipulated payments. Thi
% should be promptly corrected. IL al
/ agreement Is confirmed all of its terms
}, should be complied with without delay
n and full appropriations should be made.
- LAND SETTLERS.
g The policy outlined in my last annua
Al message in relation to the patenting o
lands to settlers upon the public domain
D has been carried out in the administration
IL of the Land Office. No general suspicion
d or imputation OF fraud has been above,
K TO delay the hearing and adjudication o
10 individual cases upon their merits. Tn
m purpose has been TO perfect the title o
l. honest settlers with such promptness tina
p the value Of the entry might not be swal
IL lowed up by the expense and extortions L
p which delay subjected the claimant.
Of The average monthly issue Of agncultu
IF raj patents has been increased about 81.
10 thousand.
Is PENSIONS.
The disability pension act. which wa
III approved on the 9th of June last, ha
y been put into operation as rapidly as wa
u practicable.
a The increased clerical force provided wa