Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1822-02-07


RODS of time described in the resolutions, and
exhfoit the names. stations, and professions of
the persons, by whom such examinations were
made, as tar as they are known To this De-
parimeut.
l have also the honor to transmit copies of
the reports of the state of those Offices, which
have been made from the ist of January, 1918.
to the 3lst day of December, 1921, as far as
they have been received.
PrevIsouy to the year 1916, the Land 0lii-
ces had been examined by persons residing in
the vicinity of their location. As the exa,niu-
ers were generally the friends and neghbors
of the officers, whose hooks and accounts were
to be examined, and most commonly unac-
quaintcd with the forms in which they were
required to be kept, the reports made by them
furnished but little of the Information which
1t was the object of the Department TO obtain
They were therefore annually made, rather as
matter oil form, IN compliance with the in
functions OF the law, than from conviction
that the information obtained, was of any in
trInsic value to the pablo service. Ii may be
proper also to observe, that during the whole
interval OF time from the establishment OF
those offices to the year 1916, the annual re
ceipts from the public lands were incousder-
able, compared with what they have been
since that time. The inducement to incur
ton of which the nature of the case admitted,
was not SO strong, asst has been since the great
augmentation which has occurred i'm those re-
ceipts.
Under the influence of these considerations,
In the year 1916, the late Mr.. Dallas, who
was then the Secretary of the Treasury, di-
rected that the principal land Offices in the
state of Ohio, and Territories west of it, should
be examined by one of the clerks of the. Gen
eral Land Office. The same person was per
mitted to examine them in 1917, upon the as g:
surance ofthe Commissioner that his absence
from his clerical duties would not he detrimen-
tai to the public service. For this service he
received in both years, at the rate of three
dollars per day, during the time he was thus
employed, III addition To his salary as clerk,
which was not affected by his absence from the
Office.
Since that time, the Offices have hecn cy-
ahmed ny persons uncOnnected with the
Department, who have been compensated for
their services at the rate of SIX dollars 4 ,ay
whilst engaged in the examination, and six dol
lars day for every twenty miles travel per
formed IN the execution of this service. II
mas been the practice to- furnish them with a
letter of credit Ia the Receivers, who advance
10 them upon their bills such sums may he
necessary to deiray their expenses The
relief TO the purchasers of public land, has bro't
| upon the land officers, has prevented them
from making their returns, which will, when
made, Shew the amount that has been re,eiy-
ed by the gentlemen who have examined the
Land Offices, during the year 1921. Until
| these returns are received, their accounts can.
not be adjusted but the compensation which
will be allowed will not exceed the rates
aforementioned. Owing to the delay which
occurred in transmitting Instructions from the
General Land Office, the gentleman who has
been employed TO examine the southern oil
ces, has not yet forwarded his reports.
The gentleman who examined the Land
Offices In the states of Ohio, Indiana Illinois
and Missouri, in the year 1921, whilst engas.
ed in that duty, effected very important ser.
vice to the Treasury, by obtaining collateral
security for very large amount of the public
money on deposit in the Bank of Vincennes
at the time that that Bank stopped payme.p
The expectation that he would be able to eff
feet this service. formed a strong inducement
to accept his offer TO examine the Land Off
ces. For performing this service he has made
no charge, and will receive no compensation
no additional compensation has been received
IN any case whatever.
From the experience which has been ac.
CURED on this subject, no doubt is entertained
| DtseI
| pursued since the year 1915, is decidedly pre-.
fcrable to that which had been previously
pursued. When different person is en-
pIoyed to examine each Office, the Judgment
which is formed of the manner and STYLE in
winch the books are kept, will depend upon
the intelligence, the prejudces, or partialities
Oh the different examiners but, when the
same person examines a number of Offices the
| same intelligence IS exercised n each case tx.
empt, too, from partiaIity or prejudice, wher
the examiner is not neighbor or connection
OF the officer. The impressions produced
upon the officers themselves by the mode
winch has been practised since the year 1873
ProveIncontestiblyit superiority over the 9th
| er. An examination now is nOta matter Of form
The time the examiner is to arrive is nm
known When nc does arrive the cxamiua-
| non immediately commences, and is contintl.
cd, without relaxation, until it is COMPLETED
When the examination is made by the neigh.
hors OF the officers, the time Of examinafior
depends upon the convenience Of the latter, a.
| there IS nothing tD induce the examiners tn
| proceed To the eXaminatiOnat one time I'm pre.
ference to another.
1t is also an object Of some imnnrtanre that
the examiner should communicate confdrnfi-
ally many things that he would not he Willing
to incorporate in his report, and which il
would even he improper to incorporate. The
value Of such communications will depend en-.
tirely upon the knowledge which the head o
the department has of the character of tht
person who makes them.
have the honor TO be-, with great respect
sir, your 0bedicnt servant,
i VIM. II. CRAWFORD.
The Hon, SPEAKER
Of the House Of Representatives.
This letter and the documents, were order
cd to lie on the table.