The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-12-05

InpaAd Psnsinns.

Invalid Pensions
The whole number OF pensioners OF this class now on
he rolls Is 5,35e OF whom GIT have been added during
lhs year.
Meriun Var Pensions
he act OF 2st july lS4S and the suppleme act OF
ga February lSa9, and the joint resolution of 2Sth Sep
tember, 1880. gave pensions the widows and orphans
o. soldiers killed in the Mexican who died from
disease contracted in the service Under these laws 75o
persons are now receiving PENSIONS showing increase
OF s9i since the date OF my last report.
Navy Pensioners.
II has heretofore been the custom to report the statistics
relating to pensioners of this class the Secretary of the
navy navy by whom they were communicated 10 the Presi-
dent But believing that it would be satisfactory
TO imbody all the facts relating 10 the entire subject OF
pensions in single report, have deemed il proper
embrace this class with the others.
appears, from the report of the Commissioner of Pen
SONS that the number Of invalid pensioners OF this class
now on the rolls TOO 30 having been added during the
4sl being an Increase during the last year of o. and
that the number OF orphans is 3Sll having been added
since the last report The aggregate amount required
70 pay pensioners OF this class now on The rolls is
prgnia Half pay and Commutation CLAIMS.
The half pay claims examined and allowed since the
dale OF my last report amount to 490, including the
SUN OF So2s9 ol, which had been previously adjudica
No action has been taken on any Communication cases
during the year Congress having indicated purpose to
further proceedings until the close OF the session,
as TO afford them an opportunity of expressing their will
on the subject.
Bounty Lands.
Donations of public lands in consideration of military
service have been made under different laws to various
classes o soldiers The FIRST grants OF this kind were 10
Soldiers of The War of 1912
In my last report the whole number OF warrants issued
to soldiers OF our last with Great Britain stated
to be as97s Since that time the following additional
warrants have been issued viz for S2o acres: 50 for
100 acres and SO for 40 each There still 450
claims suspended for further evidence.
Mertean Var
There have been aOl46 applications filed for bounties
under The OF lth of February lS47 granting lands
or scrip TO soldiers engaged in the war with Mexico. In
all, SO 955 claims have been allowed, and warrants or
scrip issued 10 the parties entitled The warrants and
scrip issued since the last annual report are as follows
viz:
1920 warrants for 100 acres each
223 warrants for 40 acres each;
63 certificates for 500 each; and
certificates for $25 each.
6,l9l cases are suspended Tor ianher evidence.
The Bounty Land Law of 2sh Sept, 1850.
This act is much more liberal and comprehensive in its
provisions than any previous law OF similar character
II gives TO all persons ving and 10 the widows and
minor children of such dead, who have been acu
ally engaged in the military service of the United States
in any from 1880 10 the close of the Mexican war;
for the period oil month more, bounty land, grad
uated quantity according 10 length OF service. II all
repre- sented by persons entitled the benefits Of the law
number OF claims would not be less than uc hundred
and ftty thousand and. assuming eighty acres as the
average grant 10 EACH The quantity OF land disposed OF
would be Joriytoar ,ndiaons Of Making proper
allowance for those who had died leaving representa-
tyes entitled 10 caim the former Commissioner OF Pen
sions estimated the number OF applicants at fro hundred
and fy thousand The result has proved that he did not
over-esmae the number Between the 2s,h of Septem-
Der and 9Th of November, $780, 9,Ils applications were
filed On the lst of November 1851, the whole number
received about 1000 and, as they are still coming
in rapidly, will fall far below 10000 at The CON-
mencenlent OF the session OF Congress.
The duty OF acknowledging, registering, endorsing,
filing, investigating, deciding. and issuing warrants Tor
such vast number OF claims, involved great labor and
responsibility 1t was necessary IN the rs place. to pre-
scribe forms of application and modes OF proof by which
they be established The next step was 10 col
ec arrange and classify the rolls OF the different com.
panes. extending through period OF near sixty years
that the claim OF each applicant might be compared with
them and his identity and term OF service accurately as
certantd.
No provision had been made By law 10 enable the of.
fee TO dispose of this immense increase oil business
Hence at first, the "decaraons were merely tied up IN
bundles in the order IN which they were received and
deposited in a for saie-keepng until arrangements
could be made for their examination. For some nonhs
the receipts ranged from 1000 10 1900 per day There
was consequently, large accumulation OF them before
the necessary preparations could be made for investigating
their merits and issuing the warrants
Under these circumstances, and knowing that iardy
execution OF the law would defeat the purposes OF those
eft OF its provisions, felt warranted IN assuming the
responsibility OF increasing the force OF the Pension Ohce
With reference 10 that particular service. ms course
approved by Congress It's last session. and appro.
priatons promptly made not only 10 pay the clerks
who had thus been employed, but Tor suli further add.
ton TO the force ~
With the view of ascerianing how many additional
clerks would be necessary To keep pace with the number
Of applications called the late Commissioner Tor
estimate oil the probable number which would be submit
ted during the year He could OF course form his opIn-
ion only from the facts before him relation 10 other
laws of q similar nature. From these data he concluded
the number presented within the hrs year would be
about fifty thousand, or one. fifth OF the whole.
Guided in sone by his estimate, but sli de.
srous OF max ing an allowance for contingencies, asked
for number clerks sufficient 10 adudlcate and issue
warrants Tor 900 claims, which granted IL was
soon found, however that the number of applications
posed As far the means at my disposal would al
low, ] have endeavored TO meet the emergency.
Some additional clerks have been employed. Oilers
who could be spared for time from my own Office have
been detailed do duty the Pension once, and the
clerks Of that bureau have been required TO work an
hour longer in each day Than has heretofore been Gus
omary In all these efforts 10 advance the progress oi Tue
business received the cordial corporation not only OF
the head of the bureau and bis efficient acting ehef
clerk but of the large body of his assistant clerks en-
gageI on that business who have manifested The most
auabe zeal in the discharge OF their respective dues
The fret warrants ISSUED about hrst OF feo-
rusry last For some months the number sent out eacn
day was comparatively small, because many oi the
clerks were engaged IN acknowledging The receipt OF
claims, corresponding with claimants, ana Fegsehhs'
filing, and preparing the Tor adjudication.
Notwithstanding all these difficulties OF ne iotoOo
claims which had been filed on the lst OF november,
Il had Ioa, pI nd