The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-01-28

commissioners who made such erroneous -reports--
The may be acknowledged but their correction
is not allowed
The adoption of the course proposed would il was
stated render reference to the originals only necessa-
ny when comparing copies to be certified for judicial
purposes and in the event Of the accidental desrnc-
ton Of the original reports, be the means OF pefpe'a'
ating the evidence they furnished As intimately
connected with the benefits anticipated from the pr
posed indexes and subject Of great Importance ~
office would then be enabled TO make such fe'si''
upon those copies from one report 10 ano'ns,'
would show all the proceedings which may nave D''''
had, at different periods upon each c'a'' "nno'' -
gard to the different in which they We're enter
ed and thus be prepared give the official history OF
cac'i case whenever required.
These are all matters Of much Importance, not only
10 facilitate proper legislation, and ensure accuracy
and pronp.ness in the performances Of official duty
but in many instances necessary the protection Of
the rights and interests ofthe Government and indl
viduals.
| The benefits to be derived from such completion
of the works Is thus specified, among the con-
sideatons urged in the report of 1886, to show the
necessity of such reorganization Of the Land OF
ce and increase Of its force, as would give to the
principal clerk in this branch of the business four
assistants.
Congress sanctioned this report by giving the and
required and it must be presumed for the purposes
specified, and we now have TO inquire what progress
has been made during the last four years in placing
the bureau in its contemplated state Of efficiency?
What number of cases then reported as confirmed,
but not patented have been since carried into grant
1 ~ h,va haeu cd n
arcss but il may be safely said that the number of
,.s,s. confirmed since this report OF
1886 greatly exceeds the number patented during the
same period and thus therefore there has been d
minution in this part Of the business
To obviate some of the difficulties under which that
bureau then laborng and to enable the Office to
give that information which furnished in the re-
ports upon land claims il has been that certain
indexes considered being Indispensable Now,
it is believed that none Of those indexes have been
since prepared, and hence, after the lapse of four
years the office, with all its enlarged means, is now
in better condition in this respect than il then was
and that now as then, in many eases, the infor
nation that does erst cannot be afforded for tcdnt Of
proper inderes."
The Importance of copying the reports into books,
examining and certifying them and then making such
references therein would enable the office to trace out
all the proceedings which may have taken place at
different periods upon each particular claim, is also,
must be perceived from the then advanced a
work of much Importance, and SUCH one to which
the special attention of the Commissioner in the
case Of the indexes, should have been long since d.
reced yet this also has it is believed been totally
neglected
hat ,borJ, off
ter how industrious, would not be equal to the per-
Torrance of all these duties particularly any
siderable portion of his time required to be de-
voted to other duties, not IN the least connected with
the regular business of his bureau. He is properly
responsible for any unnecessary delay in performing
his duties and for the due performance of theirs by
he assistants allowed him, but if the requisite force,
under the implied pledge contained in the report Of
1886 has not been assigned to these duties, the
trolling officer must he accountable.
That this contemplated and necessary force has not
been thus employed is asserted, although il appears
that the number of clerks established by law, and for
the special purpose of performing these and other spe
CITED duties has been reduced, and for the alleged
reason that there not employment for all Of them
Yet this reduction is made occasion for complacent
selfgratulaton, while the particular objects for which
the unemployed clerks authorized -four years ago.
remain unperformed, to the great injury and embar-
rassment of the public service
| Why the records and the business of the office,
have been permitted TO remain thus dcranged and
barrassed so long after Congress provided such ample
means for pcrfectng and removing Them it is not for
me to explain. The true may be given by
those who have been invested with the power and
CHARGED with the duty and II is now with them ia
meet the responsibility incurred by the manner in
which the power has been exercised and the duty
performed. PIONEER.
HON. WIN. G. RIVES.