Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-07-10
THE THIRD AUDITORS LETTER.
accompanying the Last Of Balances transmitted

THE THIRD AUDITORS LETTER
accompanying The Last Of Balances transmitted
to Congress.
TREAsURY DEPARTMENT,
Third Auditors Office, Nor 90, 1890.
Ss--In presenting the annual statement of
accounts lii the Office of the Third Auditor.
which have remained unsettled, or on which
balances appear TO have been due more than
three years" as directed by law it NAV be pro-
per TO offer some remarks as to the magnitude
vi the amount. rs well as to henumbcr of ac-
counts which appear to be unsettled at the of
fec. will be recollccted, that on the Goth of
April, 1916. an act passed authorisng the ap-
pontment of an additional Accountant of the
War Department, whose duty it was TO adj
Just and settle all the accounts in that Depart
nlont, existing at the conclusion of the late war
ana We're then unsettled" including, conse-
quently, every unsettled account in the War
department, from the commencement of the
present government to the Isl of July, 1918,
the period fixed upon. rs that TO which his SET
Elements should extend. This Office was sue
cecdcd by that OF the Third Auditor of the
Treasury, ON the Sd March, i1i7, with the adj
titional dulles attached, ofauditing the follow
llgaccOunts tiIr War Department. viz The
accounts Establishing the army, including those
at contractors stOrckeepers, and issuing COM
llssaues the accounts of the q,Iartcrmaster
epartment,hoihast TO money and public proper
~; the accounts for Notifications of ports and
harhors: the accounts for payments to invalid,
and revolutionary and hall pay pensioners 20 aud
generally, such other accounts of The War De-
partner; as were not specifically provided for. -
At the commencement of the duties Of aCidi-
f!onai ACCUMULATION the 3th of May, / 316, the
outstanding and unsettled accounts amounted
70 more ttqn forty Ltree millions Of dotiars: distr-
buted IN the hands ofscvera thousand persons
constituting every denomination of disbursing
officers, IN every department of the army
Such otthe accounts as had been rendered
Remained In the Offices OF Accountant of the
War Department, aud paymaster general, I'M
settled. These, on heing transferred to this
office, were found to be defective in a variety
oi particulars lii many cases no accounts had
been rendered for the money advanced in
others they had been rendered only in part (:
and in almost.ali cases, explanations and adj
dltional vouchers were necessary, before settle
nlants could be made.
1t was also found, that many of the debtors
VINO, had received public money from the prin-
cipal disbursing officers, whose accounts re-
1nalned unsettled, had not consequently been
charged on the Books, and it therefore became
necessary, in the first place, to investigate all
the accounts, to ascertain who had received
Inc public money, and whether the indvidu-
ais by whom it was 10 be disbursed had rem
dcred their accounts: for to have awaited the
regular settlement Of each account to ascer-
toin these points, it would have left, even to
FMS time, may persons umcalled upon for their
accounts, and the settlements made would have
been uncertain, as 10 their accuracy
IL this state ofthe business. it became ne
ce5sary TO open correspondence with every
receiver Of public money Volumes have
beea filed with such letters, and BIZ these and
Other means most successful result was pro-
duccd, IN bringing forward numerous accounts
tor settlement that had not before been rem
.dered-Slnce that period settlements have pro-
crossed as rQDlEsy az ne nature orMe accounts
lco,ad admit, and they have resulted in reduc-
n'E the outstanding accounts and balances to
the amount stated.
vi TINS amountit may also be observed, that
mGnJ OF the accounts nave been examined
and remain unsettled for want OF additional
vouchers and explanations, which have been
called for Others require but a short time to
complete, and several of the balances have
Been reduced Slace the statement tgas commence
Ell. But, independent OF the labGrs consequent
20 the settlement Of such immense accounts OF
iCnS standing, other dlties have required at
tentiOn, aGd which have interfercd with their
settlement. When this Office was established.
number OF paynlastsfs and other agents
WeTell serticc FOR he purpose of paving of
ne outstanding ciai1is d.!sin,s Che late war in
every part OF the country. Ihpsr officers were
speedily discharged and the outstanding claims
ordered to be sent 10 this office for settlement.
and they haye been settled TO the number of
several tbousands, Other accounts, also, (u1-
connected with the balances oustandins)to
large amount, and extremely y0ia.Giuous, have
uee1 examined ~ tlIa Office, of which num-
Der those OF the s"yeral states, for disburse-
lnenis during the late war, mag lie mention