The Arkansas banner., 1847-09-06
! pensIsn OfTTee.
sIar os.h. lsa7.

SsR:-The greai and unexpected increase of business in this office, renders q entirely out ct our power tO snswer paFticalsrly, and with as much promputude as we could de- sire, the numerous eonmunicaticns address. sd 10 this office; and although we eanno. anticipate all the inquiries thal may ari$e under the recesa sets of Congress granting land, scrip, and pensions l0 certain persons who have served, or may serve, in the war with Mexico, nnd can therefore frame no circus1r that can supersede the necessity of correspondence wish agenls. soldiers, and others, who sends claims 10 the Department. yet we have deemed t advisable lo issue uh.s circular. so prevent unnecessary inquiries in many cases, and to satisfy the numerous claimants who send papers here, that we are doing all that we can so expedite lhesr bssi- ness.
 Ali claims arc taken up in the order in which they arc received here. Reports. in writing, are maale lo the persons who trans mil or present the papers. Bu, as claimants are often uneasy if their claim. are not im- mediasely attended to. Il very frequently hap pens that. in short tune after papers are sent to tho Department, letters ste sent to urge immediate attention. This conrse, So far from expediling and investigation, relaItls II. because it increases the labor of those who are employed here, and, in some ins,an- ces, occasions mistakes, and consequently dissatisfaction to the parties concerned. l. is. therefore, respectfully requested that eve " applicant wlil wait reasonable time be- fore making application to know what has been done in relation io his claim. Bni should any reason exist for sopposing that unnecessary delay has taken place, or tha, the papers have beeu lost or destroyed, and ,he claimant, or the attorney employed, should deem Il proper ,o ask information, this letter wiil be sent, with brief answer written on the margin.
 When the regulations of the ith of March. 1877, was first published, u was supposed that the surgeons certificates upon which soldiers were discharged would he easily procured. It has been discovered, however, that the soldiers ,lid not in some cases retain them, aud that duplicates were not transmit ted, as the Army Regulations direct, to the Adjutani Generals Office. As nothing was said Tn the regulations concerning such eer- tiiicates, for the information ofclaimants un- der the 9lh section of the act of February II. 1877, that if in every instance in which a volunteer soldier was discharge on a sur geon's certificate, that paper must be sent to the Pension Office with the claimants affi- davit. unless it has been otherwise disposed of, In that case satisfactory evidence must be exhibited as the nature and origin of the claimants disability. The testimony of commissioned officer should he obtained # possible. 1T not to be had, the affidavit of one or more credible witnesses, certified to be. so by the magistrate who may administer the oath, should be produced.
 The official character and signature of the magistrate who may administer an oath must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office The certificate must accom- pauy every case, and be attached to the paper on which the affidavit IS written. No affida- vt taken before notary public can be ad- mitted as evidence.
 The relinquishmen, of the right 10 bounty land must be signed bv the claimant, if he wishes to receive scrip in lieu of land, and the relnquishment must he witnessed by some who writes a legible hand.
 Volunteers in some cases have been dis charged from the service without ever having received certificate to that effect from the oi fcer who discharged them. Such cases have occurred where an entire regiment has been mustered ont ol the service. In sRch case the claimant must make the oath Of identity required by the regulations. and add to ,he statement as to his service the following words: s'i never received any discharge The regiment to which belonged was mus tered out of the service"
 No assignmen, of land or scrip can be made until after we issue from this office land warrant, or certificate of scrip, as the case may be.
 am, very respectfully,
 Your ob't servant.