The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-07-30
sI.35s,s23 IS

Total as above. ........... 81, 1858 ,S23 95
Now, il is to be recollected that the only de-
Efficiency complained of as crippling to any ex-
tent the operations of the Department, was in
the branch of the service under the direction OF
the Quartermaster General, whose business it
is to provide means of transportation for the
troops and military supplies, TO procure horses
for the artillery and cavalry, and supply forage
and equipments, 10 eloihe the men. 10 furnish
tents and camp equiPage, and generally to pro-
vide an infinite variety of articles necessary to
the existence of an army as such, as well as TO
its operations in the field. Now, as early as
the 18th Of April last, the Quartermaster
General reported to the Secretary of War that
the appropriations for these objects were en-
tirely exhausted. How then does the above
balance appear to the credit of that Depart
ment} And how were the indispensable wants
of that branch of the service supplied during
the two and half months that interviewed be-
fore the new appropriations became available
on the LIST instant2 They were supplied, first
by applying thereto some old unexpended bal
ances of former years; and second, by loans
from the pay and other departments payable
,chen the appropriations for the current year
should become Grailable This balance of
S37 ,230 90 is the remains of the money thus
obtained; and the Quartermaster's Department,
instead Of having an available balance to its
credit on the 30th June last, was in fact in
debted on that day several hundred thousand
dollars for loans from other Departments, be-
sides having accepted drafts and outstanding
obligations, swelling the demands against the
appropriations on the LIST day of the current
year to more than 81, 10000.
So long as the Quartermaster's Department
was without funds, even though there were
twenty millions of dollars in the Treasury sub
ject to the order of the War Department for
other objects, there would be no means appl-
cable to the service of the former embracing
the numerous particulars above mentioned, as
well as the purchase and support of horses for
the light artillery companies SO especially re-
ferred to by the Union; and, as such was the
fact, it disposes at once of the whole argument
of the Union.
The assertion Of the Union, that "the cash
means at the disposal of the Department are
two millions more than Mr.. CoNRAD's esti-
mates,' is entirely erroneous. The estimates
laid before Congress at the commencement of
the last session exceeded twelve millions of
dollars ouer and ADORE the u,lerpended bal
ances remaining IN the Treasury, while s'the
cash means at the disposal of the Depart
ment," including those balances, do not
amount to twelve millions, and excluding them,
to even eight millions; so that, instead of two
millions more, the available means are four
millions less than Mr.. CoNRAD's estimate; and
not only so, but even these limited appropria-
tons are liable to the heavy demands above
mentioned, which accrued during the last
year.
Bearing in mind, then, that the whole diff
fculty arises from the insufficency of the APP
preparations for the Quartermaster's Depart
ment, the account stands thus:
Estimated for the expenditure of the Quarter
masters Department for year commencing July
lst, 1851. Observation-Disclosures. S4,790 900
Appropriated for that year S2,435,OO0
From which deduct liabil-
tiles the 30th June,
1851, .................. l,l30,000
Leaving available over and above liza
bilities ....................... 1905 900
And showing deficiency in the APP
preparations for the Quartermaster's
Department Of. .................. $3,4S5 900
Which Congress was duly advised of in adj
vance by the Department but refused to pro-
vide for.