The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-01-13
The Commissioners of Pensions and the
Bounty Land Warrants.

| From the following communication addressed
| to us by the Commissioner of Pensions we learn
that the issue of warrants under the late Bounty
Land law has commenced. 1t would seem
| from the Commissioners statement that he is
in no wise to blame for the delay which has oc-
Cured in executing the law. The papers OF
this city, as well as those of the country at large
are requested to publish this statement
PENSION OFFICE, January IL 1851
have seen with surprise a" Card, % signed John
L. Robinson, appended to pamphlet copy of a re-
port presented by him as chairman of a select com
mttee of the House of Representatives on the Boun
ty Land law of September last, which card con
slider it necessary to notice an act of public
duty.
The position which that gentleman occupies as a
| member of the House of Representatives, and the
evident design manifested to give the card and
report to which it ia attached as extensive a
circulation possible, call for some no
| tce to which the statements in the card itself
would not otherwise deserve. The writer INDUCES
in liberal spirit of complaint against this office
for its alleged tardness in the execution of the
Bounty Land law of September last, and gives his
constituents and the public the mournful intelli-
gence that they may "have to wait many months
before they get their warrants" sTherc is no
sufficient reason" he says, "why warrants have
not been in the of issue for over two months
past" but he "no evidence that the iss ue
will commence very soon" s'The officers whose
duty it is to execute the law he boldly asserts
manifest but little disposition to discharge their duty -
"They have force enough, according to their own
estimate; and thought is not yet authorized by act
Of Congress, they should employ it or dismiss it,"
1t is the privilege as well as the duty of public
IoNir 10 aud H..
especially in matters where the public interest is
concerned ana 10 not hesitate to say, upon my
personal and official authority ..s,t the author of
the " card" is totally mistaken in his accusation
that either the head of this Office, the chief clerk or
any of the subordnates have manifested anything
like indisposition Indifference in the discharged OF
their duties under the Land Bounty act of Septem
Der last.
When took charge of this bureau, a little more
than month ago, found means in active exercise
to give immediate and energetic effect to the require
ments OF the law. The law ITSELF With ample nstruc
tons from the Secretary of the Interior for the inor
nation OF all parties interested had been published
and extensively circulated through the country
Plates for the warrants to be issued had been or
dered by the same authority, with instructions to
expedite the work, and forward the Impressions as
early as possible to Washington
For some time past the mails have been groan,
ing with declarations from every part of the Union
and, additional force could be OBJ
tanned, it was employed in the preliminary opera
tions of registering, endorsing, and arranging
the accumulated mass of papers for subse.
quent action. Ii ia estimated that there have
been received to the present time nearly forty
thousand declarations; and we have only been
awaiting the arrival of the blank warrants from
the cngraver to commence issuing. Some Of the
warrants for hundred and sixty acres have
been received, and the issue as to them has been
commenced The others expected daily, and
soon they arrive the work will be prosecuted
| as rapidly possible.
Since have had charge of this burcau-upon
which, perhaps, much labor devoves as any
other under the Governments can say with truth
| that have witnessed more industry and dc.
voton to the public business than has been mani,
tested by all whose conduct il has been possible for
| me to observe personally
| JAMES f. HEATH,
| Commissioner of Pensions.