Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-17
@. II. Berry & Co.,,
Tenth and Main Streets.
MIR. Richardson's OFFICE.
Method of Determining Whether IL
L. Abolished 10 he Fixed To-Day.

neNnOH III btNtH
Is Abolished to he Fixed To-Day.
The manner of procedure by which 1t
is 10 be determined whether the office
OF Register Of the Land Office has been
abolished will be settled to-day. Mr.. j.
w. Richardson, the Register, and Secre-
tary Iawless. upou whom the duties of
the office Will deyolve. If IT IS abolished,
consulted with Attorney-Generai Monta-
que yesterday as 20 the character of the
proceedings to be instituted TO determine
the status of the Office. The subject was
informally discussed at length, and Mr..
Montague Will render an opinion to-day.
There are several methods of procedure
suggested. One is for Mr.. Richardson to
demand his salary, which the Auditor
will refuse, whereupon the former will
seek to have a mandamus issue TO COM
pei payment. Another method is 10 have
Mr.. Lawless institute quo w%arranto pro-
ceedings i'm the Supreme Court, thereby
compelling that tribunal 10 decide as to
who shall discharge the duties of the
office. 1t has also been suggested that
Mr.. Lawless and Mr.. Richardson make
up a case in which the validity Of an
official act Of the latter is 70 be the point
at issue, and which the Supreme Court
Will be asked to determine.
Both Mr.. LaWlcss and Mr.. Richardson
have received several letters within the
past few days requesting documents re-
quiring the official signature Of the Reg
lister, and neither will furnish them, for
neither knows which has the authority
10 do so. 1t is, therefore,, important that
the courts decide the question with as
little delay as possible.
DELEGATES APPOINTED.
The quarantine convention Of the South
Atlantic and Gulf States recently held in
Mobile suggested that there should be
held in Atlanta on April 18th a convention
of health and quarantine officials, for the
purpose of perfecting, systematizing, and
securing greater uniformity in the rules
governing health ana quarantine matters.
Governor Tyler has forwarded to Hon.
Charles A. Collier, of Atlanta, chairman
of the Committee of Arrangements, the
following list of delegates 10 represent
Virginia: Mr.. j. 5. Barbour Thompson,
Of Culpeper: Or. Isaiah II. White and Or.
w. r. O]ppenhimer. Of Richmond; DR.. +.
S. Hope. Of Portsmouth; Dr.. A. G. Jones,
of Newport News; DR.. Lawrence Ingram,
Of Manchester; DR.. r. +. Field, Of Nor
folk; DR.. L. A. Waugh, of Lynchburg, and
Dr. r. b. James, of Danville.
Among the visitors at the Governors
office yesterday were Mr.. and Mrs. J.
LearmOnt. of Montreal. Canada. They
are stopping at the jefferson. :
WANTS TO SERVE VIRGINIA. I
Adjutant-Genera Male has received a
letter from an old friend, who is now do
ing civil engineering work at Greyton,
Nicaragua. saying he Is ready to enter the
service of Virginia as soon as war is de-
clared. The letter states that all the
news of which Greytown is in possession
Is that the Maine has been blown up in
Habana harbor. General Male says that
while he lives where newspapers are more
common than in Nicaragua, he is forced
TO admit ne knows no more than his cor
respondent.
General Male is receiving numerous let
tiers asking queries regarding military af-
fairs. TO which he replies directly, or re-
fers 20 the Governor, his co~mmander-in-
chief.
Quartermaster Edward II. Evans, Of the
Second Battalion (Colored Infantry, of
Petersburg, has passed a successful eX-
animation before the Examining Board.