Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1820-02-08

they were of the description of persons,
and performed such military or naval
service, as is contemplated by the act
dition OF life. as to properly, which Con-
eress intended. Ii IS believed that, I'M
der the first description, the object of the
act has been effected; ana thai very few
frauds have been attempted, and oflhose
it is believed that none, or very few,
have proved ultimately successful.
Great pains have been taken TO collect
all of the documents which could sup
ply the place of those which were de-
stroved when the War Office was burnt
and, with this view, a correspondence
was opened with the executives OF the
original states, to obtain copies of those
which were preserved in the archives of
their resneotlye states. Where the de-
fccts oftiose.in the.dcpartmeni have been
supp lied, greater caution has been OBJ
served as to the proof of service. twill
be proper here TO observe that at first,
occasional errors were committed in de-
term ming the character OF certain regi-
ments or corps; and some were con-
sidered continental, which, on full in
quiry, proved not to be so. Where
such errors have been committed, they
have been corrected, and those impro-
perly admitted have been dropped from
the list of pensioners. Ii is believed
that the act has been less successfully
executed in regard to the condition in
life, as to property ofthose who have OBJ
tanned pensions. A very great number
of communications have been received
by the department, from respectable
sources, which represented many of the
pensioners to be in more afiluent cir
cumstances than that which the act con-
| templated. a memorandum was direct
ed to be made OF all such cases, in order
that such as seemed 10 require it, might
be inquired into. In some cases, where
there appeared to be satisfactory proofof
fraud or mistake, the pensioners have
been dropped from the roll The i'm
positions or mistakes, if they exist, as it
appears probable they do to a consider
able extent, have taken place, notwith-
standing the continued vigilance of the
department. Imposition, as to the cir
cumstances of the applicant, was early
unprecedented and, to guard against it,
the oath ofthe applicant, and the certi6
cate of the nudge, as to his reduced cir
cumstances, Trough not expressly re-
CURED by the act, were required by the
regulations of the department But it is
obvious, where the Judge has been care
less, or has been imposed Cd by the APP
plicant, as to his property, the depart
ment can rarely have any means in its
power to prevent the CONSEQUENCE, but
from the informal information or impress
sion of such persons as NAV feel an in
terest in the correct execution of the
act. Even facts, thus communicated,
have usually been received after the
pension has been granted. There is
another difficulty connected with the ex-
ecution of this part of the act, of still
greater magnitude. l refer to the va
rious constructions which different iudg-
cs give to the words, in such reduced
circumstances in life as TO need the as
sistance of their country for support"
It is believed the difference in the con-
struction has been very great; nor has
| it been possible for the department to
give specific instructions to them as to
| their construction, as the necessity of
the applicant does not depend simply on
the amount of property which he may
| possess, but on many other .circum.
stances. His health and bodily strength,