The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-01-30
GOVERNMENT GOSSIP.
Interesting News of the Various
Departments.
BY Southern Associated Press.

that the peusion Office had 10 right
to reduce tue pension Of Judge
Long, of The Michigan Supreme
Court, and issued maudamus on
the Commissioner of Pensions, dl
recting him to restore Judge Longs
pension to the original figure.
The opinion is similar to that de
livcred by Judge Bradley in the
same case III January, 1884. A
mandemus was then Issued against
tho reduction OF Judge Longs pen.
sion TO so Il month, but on account
OF an error IL the proceedings, and
The act of Decembar %, 1o93, pre-
scrlbing certain forms of notice IN
cases OF reduction, the pension had
been restored and there remainnd
no issue except that Of costs. \ lit
tie later Il suit was brought
III equity against the Commissioner
asking al injunction prohibiting the
reduction Of the pension, III which
the same law was involved. Tins
case was also decided (by Judse
Cox III favor Of Judge Long be.
cause the notice OF reduction given
was not thirty days, MS required by
law. In the matter of law, how
ever, Judge Cox decided contrary
to Judge Bradley's decision o! last
January. On account of the techui-
cality Ill the notice given, the case
WAS not clear enough to take to the
Court of AppeaS, and another pc.
iltion tor writ OF mandumus was
filed.
This ie the case in which Judge
Bradley rendered his opinion to
day. Judge Bradley feels strength.
eued III tue views to which Judge
Cox could not agree aud makes
several suggestions additional to
those IN bis original opinion. These
are that the Issuance OF certificate.
giving Judge Long pension OF S72
mouth, was justified by law and bv
tue pensioners disability; that Com
missioner Lochren had no power
to review and reverse the &C
ton of his predecessor upon
the same state of facts for
alleged error Ill Judgment and no
power TO change Judge Long s
status on the pension rolls, and TINT
Commissioner Lochren, having no
discretion III the matter, the court
has right to command the commits
sioner to revoke his order reducing
the pension.
Secretary Smith was made party
to the action with Commissioner
Lochren. but Judge Bradley dis
missed the petition as TO HIM, hold
ing thAt no junction was performed
by HIM Ill the revocation OF the pen
sion certificate, and that no net is
essential to be performed by him TO
restore Judge Long to his right.
The case will probably be taken TO
the Court OF Appeals.
Inquiries have been made OF tbo
law division of the postollic.
department AS to the legality OF the
system sought To be enforced by
country newspapers regarding the
collections OF back subscriptions.
and the taking of the papers from
the postoilicc or letting tuem re
main there, if the subscrlptlons
were paid. The Assistant Att1rnev.
General has made u search of the
statutes ami decided that there il uo
federal law covering such cases and
mat newspaper Subscriptions are
governed 10y local laws like uuy
other private contract.
The United States fast mail leaving
Washington At l:Ol to-day aud the
Washington and Southwestern YES.
ubnle limited leaving III l0:43 y. M.
yesterday over the Southern rnlI.
way, were flied with delegates TO
the NationaI American Woman Sut
ifhSe Association, which meets IN
Atlanta. January 81. While all of
'he f-hsiorn States were well repre-.
sohted, by far the strongest con
lihRent was from the New Euglaud
States.
Assistant Attorney General Thom.
as o! the l'ostoi!ice Department. TO.
uaS uecIued that II merchant who
gives TO each purchaser of 81 worth
oi goods IL numbered check and
places numbered clocks in "A music
DoN, 10 DE gwen rs prIze TO the
party holding the check HAVING Tia
corresponding number to the nn,n
Der III the box, is guilty of runuiug
lottery scheme.
On Thursday next the force Of
Census Office will be reduoed
flity clerks will be dismissed. lenv
ing "nout zoo. who Will be dropped
from time to time rs tie work 10
completed. The divisions now left
are the population and vital stats.
tics.