The republic., 1851-06-16

/ ut0uSun0
claims for expenses Of raising volunteers for the
| Mexican war, and for horses and other properly
lost
Need refer you. sir, by way of example, to a
court docket of this magnitude, attempt to give
| an idea of the time it would require a chancellor.
even with thirty six commissioners, to decide such
number Of cases?
IL is true, the accomplished clerks in charge of
each branch OF business report to me upon the law
and the facts bearing upon each claim, but give
to each and every report careful and special per-
sonaI examination before signing it. have had
an addition Of tioeiue clerks upon accounts, and
have made reasonable and satisfactory progress
therein.
In reference to claims, there have been repo, Is
and decisions, within the last year. coceing more
than one thousand pages Of large folio books. Yet,
notwithstanding my steady and persevering ef
forts to dispose of them, it is difficult to les
sen the docket; for upon every adpsrse report
there Is an effort through members Of Congress
and attorneys to have examination, upon new
testimony, or upon an argument to the law and
| facts. Nothing but payment will satisfy claimants
or their attorneys; and not that in many cases.
| for there are frequent attempts made to procure
payment second time. Some of the claims are
| of thirty-six years. standing, originating in the
war with Great Britain, and consequently requir-
| ing very careful examination. Never, perhaps in
| the whole history of the Government, have there
been such perssUerng and bold attempts to get into
| the national treasury unIa,gfuily as at present.
am daily besieged by clamorous agents in per-
son. and assaied by uitpration and threats in epery
form; but have thus far endeavored to preserve
the equanimity and patience necessary to a faith
fal and honest discharge of duty.
| am at all times ready for the most searching
scrutiny into my official conduct, and have more
than once invited members of Congress (some of
whom deem it part Of their privileges to abuse
public ofhcers) to institute an investigation into
the management OF this bureau, fearing nothing
but the errors incident to a fAlble judgment
The practice OF attempting to browbeat and over
awe subordinate public officers by appeals to the
| appointing poUer has become matter OF serious
import. An auditor is in some respects judicial
officer, but he is by means under the same pro-
lection against outrage and wrong. He ia daily
subject to prsonal annoyances aud 10 rritfsn dsnu,
ciation and insult. do not expect to be exempt
from the penalties or incident to my arduous
position II is my fate to fill an office which
brings me into constant conflict with the interests
and passions Of men, and am very naturally an OBJ
ject OF dislike and prejudice to many of them.
do not feel my self called upon in every instance to
defend my motives and official acts against every
vindictive and disappointed man who finds me an
| obstacle to his entrance into the treasury. But
when the appeal is to you, sir, feel myself justified
| in attempting to make my defence ample and con-
elusive.
The late act Of Congress giving bounty land to
officers and soldiers has added largely to the duties
Of this bureau. now have twenty five clerks en-
ployed in making out certificates Of service in the
war with England and several Indian wars, and
hox rfnl, L.. III
since the first Of Nopenber last l send to the Pen
| sion Office an average of two hundred and fifty
daily. Pardon this prolixity. have thought tho
occasion not inappropriate to advise you of the
true condition of AFFAIRS and respectfully ask your
attention to the hurried statement now presented.
The accompanying page will chow the charac-
| ter and magnitude Of the duties appertaining to
| the office.
With great respect your obedicnt servant,
JNO. S. GALLAHER.
His Excellency President FILLMORE.
DUTIES OF THE THIRD AUDITOR
To audit and settle The ooicng accounts and Claims
/. Quartermssters' accounts.
2. Subsistence accounts.
| 3. Pension agents. accounts
4. Engineers accounts.
! s. Horses and other property lost, from 1912 to
! present date, act lS49.
| s.. Miscellaneous claims, under act Cd June,
lS4S, rslunding expenses in raising volunteers.
7. Revolutionary claims.
8. Special acts of Congress.
8. Arrearages of war of 1872.
10. Half-pay pensions to widows in certain cases.
IL. Bounty Land act, September 2s, 1850, certif
Gates Of serrice from the rolls of 1872 and sew
eral Indian wars Twenty five clerks.)
The ,chole nambr Of clerks now employed in this
Bureau-seventy-tw
JNO. 8. GALLAHER, Auditor.
THIRD AUDITORS OFFICE, May 80, 1851.
Sin: Will you be pleased to state whether ap-
peals from my decision, to you as Comptroller,
have been frequent or otherwise since your Undue
ton to office?
Very respectfully yours,
(signed) JOHN S. GALLAHER.
Hon. HiLANp HALL.
TRRAsURy DEPARTMENT,
SECOND CoMrTRoLLER's OrrrcE, May 30, 1851.
have no recollection of a single appeal from
your decision since have becn in office, and am
very confident there has been
(signcd) HILAND HALL,
Comptroller.
The Compromise and Tennessee.
The Union is strong on the Compromise,
and is for hanging and quartering without
mercy all the Northern men Of all parties who
do not stand up to the measures of Adjustment.
1t thinks the salvation of the country depend
ent on their observance in good faith. But how
tenderly it touches the Southern DEMOCRATS
who oppose the Compromise, and are in favor
of resistance" In Tennessee, for instance,
the DEMOCRATIC candidate for the Gubernato-
rial office, General TRoUsDALE, is an out-and-
ont anti ( Om promise man and ypt tho JTu;on