Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-12-11

records of the Office, and with other facts known
tn them. and thus TO assist in detecting fraud, II.
any exist. In addition to this, a certificate OF
two respectable persons acquainted with the
party is made necessary, stating ms age, aho
the opinion, in the neighborhood where ne re-
sides, that he Is a soldier OF the revoluuon, anu
their con, urrence therein; and to TINS must De
added the CERT icate and opinion OIL the proper
court upon the whole matter.
Besides this course Of proceeding, which Is
applicable more particularly to the militia clai-
mants, very few muster rolls OF which remain,
the testimony of two persons actually acquaint-
ed with the services Of the applicant is necessa-
nv wherever he served in the regular army, and
his name is not to be found on a muster roll, as
in that case evidence Is necessary to reout the
presumption against him.
This system was adopted upon great conside-
ration, and it is difficult to see how the law can
be administered, if farther requisites are de'
manded. But experiences has shown that the
prescribed certificates are sometimes granted
without due caution, and that persons deeirous OF
converting the provisions of the law to their W
benefit. have been enabled to procure official at
| testations. and even the seal ofthe court, under
circumstances calculated to weaken, II not 10
destroy, the public confidence in these safe
guards. Seals have likewise been taken from
useless attestations, and afhlxed 10 others'a ho
direct forgeries have been IN the
preparation of the whole papers. And these
proceedings have been resorted to, not only to
establish the original claim, by placing the ap-
nlicant upon the roll. but also to establish his
right to each semi-annual payment, by proving
his identity. Ii is obvious thar a system depend"
ing, for its correctness, upon the conducto OF such
a variety OF persons and omcers, not response
BILE 10 the General Government, and where fire.
auently a natural sympathy or the claims
Of the time and war-worn veterans would
lead to much practical relaxation, must be liable
to abuse; although, till very recently, the extent
to which such abuses may have gone, was not
suspected. Some plan IS now necessary, by
which a denomination may be made-a plan
which, while it insures to the honest and gallant
survivors of the revolution all that they expect,
and all that the country has provided. shall, at
the same time, lay open the frauds which have
been committed, and prevent their occurrence
hereafter.
In the report OF the Commissioner DIMENSIONS,
his views upon the subject are given, which ap-
pear to me practical and judicious; and as such,
! ask for them your favorable recommendation
to Congress-. An examination at the residence,
or in the neighborhood ofeach person now draw
ing a pension, into the circumstances of his case,
appears TO me- to presentthe only %effectual means
of accomplishing the desired object. Under
taken by proper persons, ana conducted win
proper discretion, it could scarcely fail to con-
firm the grants made 10 honest applicants, and
10 U6ltCl tlOSC "ilSh law o'SH
obtained by dishonest ones. II appears to me
that the expense of such a measure ought not to
delay its immediate adoption. II is impossible
even TO conjecture the amount OF surreptitlous
claims. 1t may be far greater than the data
now before the Office enable us 10 estimate
And possibly, conjecture and recent disclosures
may have led to the suspicion that the ramihca-
tons of the system have been more extended,
and the abuses greater, than a rigid inquiry may
confirm. In the one case, the beneficial result
would be the relief Of the Treasury from fradu-
lent payments, and the punishment OF those
concerned in them; and in the other, it would
be satisfactory toknow, that whilet the bounty of
the Government has been justly appropriated,
il has not been improperly applied.
The provision OF Law for the establishment of
a Pension Office, a branch of this department,
expires, by its own Elimination, at the end Of the
present session of Congress. 1t is essential, to
q due execution OF the duties, connected with
the system of pensions and gratuities for militia.
nv services, that this arrangement should be re-
newed and continued. The applicants and gran
tees are so numerous, the aggregate amount dis
bursed so grea,-equalling at least three millions
two hundred thousand dollars annually; and the
doubtful! questions, both Of fact and principle, so
frequent and complicated, that unless a branch
of administration carefully superintendent, is de-
voted exclusively TO this service, the public in
terest must materially suffer.
Tic COUulSSlOutI " ihuio' <hhohS 10 Va
hibited, in detail, the transactions in the impor-
tant branch of the public service confided to his
superintendent. 1t is only necessary that |
should advert to the more prominent subjects
which have received, or require the action of the
Government.
The commission for the adjustment Of unset
tied relations with the Indians west OF the Mis-
sissippi, terminated. by the provisions OF the act
instituting it in July last. Important benefits
have resulted from the labors of the commission
ers, in the adjustment of difficult questions con-
nected with the Indians Of that region, and in
the treaty arrangements which have been en-
cred into by them. The country assigned for
the permanent residence Of the eastern Indians
has been so apportioned among them, that little
difficulty is anticipated from conflicting claims
or from doubtful boundaries. And, both in qua
lity and extent, there can be no doubt but that
the region allotted 10 them will be amply sufi-
cient for their comfortable subsistence during
an indefinite period of time.
An important council has been held at Fort
Gibson, by Col. Dodge and by Maj. Armstrong,
the superintendent Of Indian affairs, with the
cb;aE, oT coyoroI If tho tribes of that nIartar