Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1829-07-17

GU ieVet !" reply I'D tue late Register oil
the Treasury, that the deficiency in the
accounts o: the latter, amounts to about
81 900. In the letter of Mr.. Npurse, il
will be recollected, he stated that he had
charged commission Of 9 IL per cent.
on ms disbursements as agent for paying
the contingent expenses Of the several Off
GERS Of the Treasury Department. This
compensation was claimed on the ground
that the services performed. were entirely
out OF the line of his duty as Register Of
the Treasury, and that government had a
doPted principles and regulations making
compensation for similar services render
ed by other officers. I'm reply to re.
quest that the accounting officer might be
directed to settle his account upon this
principle, the Secretary Of the Treasury
observes, that so far as he is informed
there is no precedent for the allowance
claimed, though a considerable portion OF
the disbursements have been made through
similar agencies; that the practice has
been adopted to avoid the multiplication
OF accounts with the Treasury, and the
unnecessary labor of issuing warrants,
and passing them through all the forms,
Tor small sums; hut that the accounting
officers are the proper judges of the law in
relation to the settlement of accounts, and
if they find authority for allowing the
charge, 1t will be their duty to allow it.
Boston Bulletin and Republican,
TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
18th June 1929.
SIR-Your letter of the 5th inst was
not received unlilthe Sth, and the pressure
OF other business prevented an earlier re-
ply. You inform me, that you have char
ged = per cent. on the amount Of your
disbursements as agent of the Treasury {;
and you request that | will give directions
to the accounting officers, TO settle your
account upon the principle you have stat
ed. have to observe, that, so far as
am informed, there is no precedent for the
allowance you have claimed, although, as
is we'll known to you, considerable por-
ton OF the disbursements at The seat of go
vernment, are made through similar agen-
cies. A list Of them is subloined, which
will exhibit, at one view, their amount and
general character.
This practice has been adopted, to a.
void the multiplication of accounts with
the Treasury, and the unnecessary labor
OF issuing warrants and passing them
through all the forms, for small sums
Previously to the act Of 7th May, 1892,
the Treasurer Of the-U States was made,
by regulation, the agent for the military
and paval service of the government; so
in each of the legislative and executive de-
Partments and subordinate branches, some
officer or clerk is designated to pay the sa-
lar;es, and contingent expenses; and the
actual labour of making the contracts, end
examining the bills for large portion of
the expenditure, for which you have been
the nominal agent, viz. in the other branch
es OF the Treasury department, has been
performed by others But / cannot learn
that any commission has ever been allow
ed at the Treasury for these services. The
duties are, or may be performed wIhin of.
hce hours, and all the expenses attending
them, are paid for by the government in
clerk hire, stationary, &c. The whole la
Dor OF Keeping the accounts, Is not more
than must have bee" performed by each of
the accounting officers, and the register
and the treasurer, if the agency did not
exist; the arrangement has, therefore,
been made, rot to increase expense, but to
slave labor, whereby single clerk could
perform in one office, what would have
employed several in different Offices.
You will, therefore, perceive that these
services, resulting only from modification
OF the business of the officers for general
convenience, and so equally distributed :.
Inong them, are not in their nature extra
and caunot be regarded as demanding
special compensation but should the al
lowance you claim be admitted, the same
rule of justice would require similar al
lowaDce TO all other agencies of the same
character, extending back to the origin OF
the government.
| feel persuaded that your views of the
subject must have undergone some change
since our conversation about the last of
May, as you did not then propose to make
specific charge ola commission for your
agency: You expressed your regret at your
removal from Office, as it had rendered YOU
less able to make up the deficiency in your
accounts, which you. admitted was about
$1,000, and desired that some indulgence
should be extended TO you; and, as
ground for this request, you remarked that
yon had property sufficient to pay the de-
hclt, andactnaIIy designated certain parts
that you would apply to that purpose You
also observed that you bad sustained some
losses IN the disbursement of money under
your agency, and inquired of me whether
dad not think it reasonable that some al
lowance should be made for your trouble
in that particular | declined expressing
an opinion on that point, but requested
you TO assist in making the accounts, and
to state in writing the grounds upon which
you expected any allowance ofthis nature;
that they would be duly considered and
1T the accounting officers could not admit
them, your application could be made IN