The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-12-13
seement Of is aeeounls, ana respee,rully recon-


mend that the addition be made.
/ The QuarterrDasler's Department, and that OF The
Commissary Of Subsistence, have been increased
agreeably 10 the acl Of Congress, and The duties OF
both these branches Of the public service have been
| discharged with intelligence and activity.
The duties OF the Paymasters Department have
been discharged with singular fidelity and injustice
10 the officers engaged Ia their performance. ! beg
leave to suggest the propriey and usefulness Of
creating an intervening grade between The Paymas-
Ter General and The paymasiers: that OF Assistant
Paymlster General, with the pay and emolnmenis
OF lieutenant colonel. The good OF this valuable
branch of the public service would be much pro-
NOTED BY such measure A provision was struck
out of the bill for the increase and organization OF
the army, for giving small per ceniage on disburse
menls 10 officers engaged in paying the militia
The pecniiar and embarrassing nature Of this ser
vice, which occasions avoidable losses would seem
TO render such provision just and proper.
!, will be seen by the report OF the Commissioner
Of Pensions, that the number Of persons on the pen
sion rolls amounts to II $40 that there have been
,46l deaths during the year, ending the 30ih OF
September last and the addition to the pension rolls
Ia the same year has been 1854. The addition TO
the list Of widows pensions will increase the
peDdiiure about 81 1872, 000 and to meet payments
now due, the sum of 900 viii be Immediately
required, as no appropriation has yet been made for
paving the pensions granted by the act OF July 2,
1888. Arrears are, therefore, due all such pension
as have been entered on the rolls under this act.
These arrears will be due on the 3lI Of December
next, and justice 10 the claimants requires that an
early appropriation should be made for their pay
ment.
respectfully recommend that the early attention
OF Congress should be called to the compensation to
be granted to The pension agents for dscharging The
duties Of their Office The performance of these
duties is attended with labor and expense and very
considerable responsibility, and il is unjust 10 exact
il from any one without remuneration. The agents
have been induced continue pay the pensioners
in the expectation that an act would be passed for
their relief II this is not done this Department will
G.,l lar
the pension laws.
Connected with this subject is the inconvenience
which has been experienced in carrying into effect
the provisions Of the law passed at the last session.
providing that the amounts Of pensions unclaimed
for certain period, after becoming due and pay
able, shall be paid only at the Treasury The ope-
ration OF this law has proved very harassing 10 the
accounting officers charged with the duty il enjoins,
and very inconvenienl 10 The pensioner. The period
Of eight months fixed by 1t for the unclaimed pension
funds TO be returned to the Treasury, and 10 be
claimed here and drawn out through the Pension
Office and that of the Third Auditor, is too short
Small pensioners living distance from the agency
were in the habit of going there not ofiener than
once year; whereas they are now obliged to go
there more frequently, to their great convenience,
or 10 employ an agent to receive their pensions,
either al the neares, agency or at Washington. The
great burden thrown upon the Office Of the Third
Auditor by that law, will be better understood BY the
letter OF that officer herewith submitted.
beg leave again to call your attention TO the subject
oil frauds and mposons practised both upon the CO.
vernment and the ignorant and unwary pensioners,
whereby the benevolent intentions Of Congress towards
the veterans Of the Revolution and the sufferers BY the
late war are frustrated by unprinciped and designing
men, The law passed July 4 1888, will occasion an
expenditure Of about million aud half of dollars
IN the year 1889, and it is to be feared that not
more than one half Of that will reach the objects
whose disresses il intended to relieve; the rest
will, too, probably, be swallowed up by usurous agents.
or wrested from the Department by fraudulent appca-
tons These practices ought to be checked by law
imposing severe penalty upon persons who found
guilty OF them
independently Of the removal OF the Cherokees, the
operations o'he Indian Department within the last year
have been extensive aud important. The entire Creek
nation with the exception Of small number of fupi-
lives among the Cherokces and Semlnoles has emf
grated and formed permanent settlements beyond the
Missouri nver or The Chckasaws, not more than two
hundred remain east Of the Mississippi Il is estimated
that about three thousand Choctaws still live in their
old country and they will probably continue there until
the titles set up by them under the treaty of
$780, are satisfactorily adjusted BY the interposition
oil the authorities OF the State OF Indiana nearly all the
Pottawaames residing within its limits have recently
been removed, The emigration OF the Ottawas Chip.
pewas and Pottawatamies in Illinois, has progressed
| slowly; nearly fifteen hundred yet remain there A
small band OF Appalachcoas has been removed. About
four hundred Seminoes emigrated 1886. and ffoen
hundred IN 1897 and 1898 the military movements for
the removal of the residue still continue to be vgor-
ously prosecuted, has already been explained At
the close Of the present season, there will be- in the
States and Territories, about twenty-five thousand In
dams, who desirable should he removed as early as
practicable to the West. They are the New York In
dans, the Wyandots in Ohio, the Miamies in Indiana
the Ottawas. Chippewas, and Pottanaames in Illinois,
the Wmnebagoes aud Menomones in Wisconsin, the
Ottawas and Chippewas in Michigan, and the Semi
noles in Florida In compliance with the resolution Of
the Senate. condtlonsy raying the treaty with the New
York Indians, that instrument and the amendments TO
1t have been submitted them for their assent and that
OF all the bands except the Senecas has been obtained
and It is believed that these will not withhold their
assent eventually, There is reason to believe that
treaty OF cesson and removal may be effected
with the Miamles which will relieve the State Of In
diana from the ncumbrance Of it's Indian population
An exploring party of Wnnebagoes has been autho-
rzed to vlsi, the region beyond the Missouri and but
little doubt is entertained tina, they win there find tract
of country suited to their habits and wants Similar
parties OF Otawas and Chppewas, and Of the Chippe-
was OF Saginaw have examined the same section OF
country. aud fonnd locations with which they believe
/ their people will be satisfied. There conflicting
parties among the Wyandots, which render the com
pletion of any thing more than an arrangement for
partial removal improbable at present The nforma-
ton received from the Menomones holds out the
prospec; that treaty might be made with them for
the REIMBURSEMENT Of their possession in Wisconsin,
should Congress authorize the measure
Commissioners have been appointed 10 examine
claims, for the payment Of which provision made in
the treaties with tho Mlamies, tho Chppewas the Sioux,
the Sacs and Foxes and the Winnebsgoes. ratified
the last session. and instructions issued for the
ton Of other stiPulatons them The commissioners
inrusted with The duties Of carrying into effect the
ty with the Cherokees of 1885 have steadily pursued
their ahors 1t is supposed that all the claims, except
those for reservations, have been investigated More
than one million of dollars have been paid to them and
their creditors in the coded country and upwards
million have been RENTED to be paid them on their
arrival West account Of claims allowed in their ia
vor In conformity with the treaty, patent has been
issued and will be shortly transmitted to them for the