Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-06-10

niy increase this difference. The whole amount Of
inc expenditure Of the present Administration of
'nc department in the years
1885 s,ssss, r. T.. IT Sees. 18Th Com vol No.
1877, 57o7,s9o K. II. i.t Ses,. 2oh Con > NJ. iss
"ak'1s total of ss,essasi whilst those of the y..r..
asso v ys I'd s ss , 1ss Com Co." Ne Me-
'-s,'ios Es' p I'd SEES. 18th Con. Nee
| S',o-',4'o' against the present Administrator.
me committee can perceive no iustifablc reasoo
'or us increase. The present Administration re-
ceWea Inc department from its predecessor. not
o"y Ia high'y improved, but in condition sill
improving, as will be apparent from the disburse
mehts OF the years 1922, 3, IL in which the en-
Pehaiture OF each succeeding year is less than the
preceding, but which is renewed in the two first
years OIL me present Administration What marks
more strkingly this contrast between tho exn.nii
,ic vi me TWO periods is the fact that consdera-
pie reduction i'm price has taken place within the
,as' 'hres years, of most Of the articles which en-
Ter INTO the supplies Of the ARMY which onght 10
nave oeen followed by correspondent reduction
Its expenditure instead of an increase as IS the
iae.. mhiie presenting these results your COM
zee. pound to state that they have every yea-
son TO believe that the officers at the head of The
several branches OF the staff, who are charged
WIN the details have performed their duty with
hdeiity and strict responsibility has been inyarIa
cny, ehoree co. no neglect or falling off being per-
ever may be the cause of the increased expendi
'ure, IL cannot In fairness be traced to their neglect
your committee are constrained to remark that
some OF the Office contingencies of the Denarf
Inent OF War appear to be large They notice. the
sum OF 81 .l65 20, paid for newspapers: and for
printing, $7,679 81. They subjoin the following
statement OF the contingent expenses of the War
Department for two equal terms of three wears:
Late Administration. Present Administrator.
1929 1903,
| IS2iS 1907
! your Committee will forbear to exhibit state
ment oil the expenses for surveys az that s,,b;ecs
mas so recently engaged the attention of Conpress.
put In looking into the specifications of this account
they are satisfied that no effectual remedy can be
applied 10 an expenditure so liable to abuse unless
the appropriation itself is made specific for each
object contemplated TO be SURVEYED
| ne allowances made to officers for extra dutv
l'tio"Sh IN many instances high, appear to have
"eh generally made IN reference to the PRINCIPLES
oil pre-eXisting usage AS this is a branch of ex
penditure essentially liable TO abuse vour commit
Zee think that the House ought early to direct the
attehtion oil the Committee Military Affairs to
- =" ,.'e mean uine' your committee have pre-
pared, ana VIII hereafter report a bill repulatnr
me allowance OF forage 10 the officers of the Army
"hch WIZ be convenient and beneficial TO the
ana operate saving TO the Government.
| \ our committee will now proceed TO xhbit The
results OF their inquiry into the CONTINGENT ey
penses OF the Indian Department, the management
OF winch dsvoives discretionary trusts OH the Sec
rotary OF War, important and various
he average amount per annum of this annro
pfiation may be stated at 50 900 dollars
The relation which the Government of the u.
states bears TO the various Indian tribes creates
'he necessity OF numerous and large expenditures,
winch cannot be toreseen, and therefore cannot he.
spcciiled IN any appropriation law.
10 meet ,hese exiSencies il has been the prac-
nIe Oh congress- 10 appropriate sum in gross, and
p,a.c II u'er me discretion and control of the Sec
Rotary o. War prescribing the mode and manner in
which the same shall be drawn from the nubl;c.
! Treasury and accounted for.
Such Is the nature OF the service in which this
/ 4. In ha ny faI tlNak
placed in the integrity of the agents emn,oved r..
Government for It's faithful appropriation than unon
any mere system at accountability which has been,
heretofore prescribed, or any which the commit
lee can suggest they recommend as partial reTn
edy, specihc appropriations The rule inportant
IN All pubic expenditures, and in none more thar,
,hat OF the indian appropriations ought never 10
be departed from by the disbursing or account;no'
oihcers OF The Government, and that is money an
propiiated Tor one purpose by Congress- should me-
yer be applied TO object totally different fro,n.
mat embraced within the letter and spirit OF The
act OF appropriation. 1t is believed that many l.;
stances OF disregard Of this principle will he fona
10 exist In the accounts which have been submitted
/ to the committee. ''''oo
r or instance. when Congress appropriated
$4,000 Tor the contingencies in tbe Indian r.
partinent, ii could not have beer the Intention ~
That BODY that the Secretary Of War or rather mia
Clerk at the head Of the Indian Office couid AZ h;s
diScreuoh' apply any portion of ii TO the employ.
Inent OF an additional Clerk in the Indian Off;re1
witness the payment made TO Mr. Thomson
OF $3.50. "o'"Ps'h,
The expenditure of $780, by a clerk in tI;s nc.
flee, in the purchase OF books which treat of mol
ucs, Statistics history, biography, and theology lie
! napie 10 ue same objection. If il be competent
ioI the clerk IN this Office 10 purchase books ami
pay ior ten out OF The contingent fund for the In
oian Department, II is equally within the CONNIE
'ency q unbIidled discretion Of every other cIerk
who may desire to constitute "a library i'm bis one
at public expense. ' ''''e
! Another striking Illustration of the rn;s,,n,;c,
ton and perveIsion of this fund will he seen IN IN
account ana amount paid to DR. Siblev or Io,;st
lana, viz $l,79S The facts of this case arc b;sf;
these "py
About the period, or shortly after the accu;-
sitlon OF Louisiana, DIR. Sibley was resident n hos
country ahd, IN some way, was employed by the
government as Indian agent factor, part Of the
tine al four dollars per diem; afterwards ot vcJ
= salary OF Si,ooO, aud four raons per day I'm Au-
gust, 1921 MIR. Sbey wrote to the Second A,ditor
NAT - the then member of Congress from tho
SAFE (of LouisaDa) had a power of attorne,, .,
papers. VI "'' n''
! Or Slbley's relations with thc Government =,
agent or factor had ceased many years I'm Isos
ms accounts, as appears by The papers, were sef
tied, amt balance Of 1854 OS found due bv nm,
Not until the year 1921 probably in the Spring NJ
4 mat year, were The items hereafter referred In
ever presented 10 the Department Tor payment II,
= They were not then allowed or paid
Ills demand consists Of the following itens
Fo or t uansc'iDins answers $3.50
| go I2O
Three copies Of La Harp's Journal zoo