Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1828-06-18
Che Constitutional ga1tlte.
REPORT ON RETR ENCIIalENT.
CONTINUED.
9TH. WAR nEpAPTn1rNr

In TINS branch of the public service your committee
perceive that the beneficial effects of the organization
OF the department under its late Administrations and
o! me industry and intelligence Of the excellent officers
winch were called 10 the head OF the era. branches
OF the staff distinctly visible in the rigid enforce
'nent OF accountability in all the expenditures of the
Army.
As relates to the number OF clerks attached TO the
department, the Secretary gives as his opn;on that
they cannot be reduced with regard TO the pubc
service Whether this opinion be correct il is diff
cut Tor your committee to form correct estimate as
Tue force necessary 10 conduct tie business of the De
psrtmenti point connected with the Administrations
Whlch must, IN great measure, be left TO tho sound
"isc'etioh OF It's chief But they cannot ref ain from
expressing some surprise that whilst the business Mt
Tue department has greatly decreased in some az lis
branches, particularly in the Bounty Land and Pen
hon omces, Tie number OF clerks employed il is
believed, are great they were nine wears apo
when The act granting pensions 10 the officers and SOL
ers OF the Revolution, aud those granting pensions
and bounty lands to the soldiers 1.-THE late war had So
greatly augmented the business of those offices.
1our committee consider that the business then was
at least two!od what il at present In
al the dninution Of business system of reducing the
NUMBER o, clerks had been commenced, your
'ee understand under the late Administration of the
department. by retaining from filing vacancies as
fhey occurred, some of which however have been fill.
ed oy the present Secretary, although it cannot be
oonoted that there has been considerable dimn,,ion
81 business since lie into Office
Your committee have been led into q comparison of
t'e relative expenditure of tie late and present A-
iinnstraton of the Department, by the letter OF the
secretary, which accompanies this report and regret
10 state That the improvement which he confidently
asserts TO be In progress has been sustained by the
examination.
The Secretary states '.tlat the committee will learn
win pleasure that the administration OF this Depart
n'ent as continually for years past tended TO re-:
dnction of IFS expenditures. Yomau::es TO Inc sails
action Of the committee, this ecupamcal tendency
nave caused synopsis TO be prepared of the dsburse
inens for the last nine years divided into three psrs
frOr to- Al
second from '22 10 '2i, and the third from c5 30 '2
by referring TO the heads subject 10 the scr eticn
al the Department, it will be that tho amount OF
disbursement has been essened. The item of the
Qnarermasrer Department, in the irst period was
slS3l ,O15 10; in the last $500 ,03 3d. and although
e great number OF troops the first period be
taheh into The account, yet after making the proper
allowance for tins cnulstance, still the relative saw
ing must be o6rous.So, also, with tie couingc
"t the Army In the first period, this item Of es pendi
fuEe amounted TO 1901 90 Of; in the latter 10 $50
vi SO; and in comparing the first year, 10 in the
INST sefes with the last year in fie last SERIES ~?
will be found, in the former case it amounted 10 Sra
90 ~ and, in the latter, to SlO,922 81. So, also
w'th the contingencies of the Indian Department. In
tne second period, before which lie CONTINGENCIES
we're blended with the pay of Agents. SC alounted
70 S3i5959 So; in the last, to 292 500 3 showing
saving IN that branch Of expenditure, Of S23i59 %,
IN three years.n
letter, that lie institutes the conparison TO prove The
diminishing expenditure of the De2artinent--no, be
tween the expenses of the three irs; years ofte pre-
sent Administration, and those of three last wears
a lie former but with the years 1919 1870 and
compared With those years, tho surcrior ECONOMY
witch he attributes 10 tic present Administration
might seem 10 be established; but it is obrions that tie
comparison IS not calculated to make an muression
according TO the real state OF tue case.
Passing the importaut fact that tic number be.
'o'g1S to the military establishment during The frs,
period, was upwards OF ten thousand whilst in tho last
IL was only SIX hGUsa nd four hundred, tie Secretary
he ore,
ELECTED under the late administration of Tic Dcrarl-
nrent, through the OF It's improved orraniZat;on
Eyhci took place In those years, which have bern SC
IeccG by h''n TO compare the disbursements under ie
present and late Administrations
II IS well known that when his prcdcC sssUr came in
20 otlce' the greatest disorder existed IN the Depart
meIt; but that through his industry and energy aided
ny ihe faithful officers he placed al the head of the
Eeycra branches of the stan, anses were c,rteciel
"nd Tie Department Placed ia a condition greatly i'm
proved ~ which condition il was passed over 20 tic
qrcsen! Secretary,
The Committee HonId refer 10 lie -erct Of 80 Iaic
Secretary. under thc resolution cf The House lst
Sess On ,'h Congress, vol ), ~ S. as conta,inn n
ininnte statement Of the comparative expenses Of the
army, Tor ose years, which fully shows the rariI i'm
%roYerncnts which we're then in progress Trey viii
present from the report only few general reslrs.
Inc expenditures oil the Army for the cars 1919 1920
900 1871, we're, respectively, follows },GG5 775:
S3,O6l 1884, and S2,327,552: snoring reduction Of
tire last year, Compared with the first OF $50
Tie poiot under consideration will rerIpaps be more
strkngly illustrated by the fact established saiisaclo.
lily in the report that e expense OF N,e
IN the year 1919, SJ5 for each Individual, incu-
ding officers and men actually in tho service; While il,
1920, II was reduced to SGl5, and, 1921, 10 eG7-
making difference Of &l47, in the expense per man
between the first and tile last e these years Iy pass
ING over 'hc period Immediately preceding the com
ueHCcncn OF the present Administration aud tab iu~
thesP three years OF progressive 1proy as the
basis OF comparison, the credit which fa " duc TO
me preceding Administration B ATTEMPTED 20 bp trans,
In 70,
Tie improvement Of which the .5ccrcfaty speaks has
really been effected under the present Administration
comparison ought 10 be made between the periods
which comprehend tine three last wears Of The late
Administration, and ihc tiee FIRST 0flhe present which
having been omitted by the Secrearr, the committee
viii proceed 10 present..
The table accompanying rs letter docs not show
me expenditures under tue heads Of appropriation; but
taxing those which they contain, will he found That
tue aggregate expenses of the years 1895 &c and w.
IS stated IN the table, S512f,JCG whist those
1922, 3 and y, amounted TO S@O55,2l3; making a
difference ofSl 066 Oo8 against tie present Adrinis
ration, and showing considerable increasing ,osio.l