The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-12-05

business therein, and not greater than the aver
age oil the annual increase Of expenditures for
Jude ial purposes
The pauper lunatcs and agricultural Stats
ties, the estimates are the same as last year.
Under the head of public buildings, the est-
mates for the next fiscal year are $5277O 80
less than they were for the present year, not
wiihstandlng they embrace items to the amount
OF x5l,83i III to meet deficiencies in the appro-
pratons for the present fiscal year.
The estimates for the next fiscal year amount
to S4l8,5O4 II
Deduct iherefrom the amount of the
deficiencies, chargeable TO the pre-
sent year 5l,S34 II
And the amount properly chargeabe
10 the next year will be 1906 670 90
The estimates for the present fiscal
year amounted to 48l ,375 90
Add the deficiencies above stated 5l,834 II
And the amount properly charge
able TO the present year will be 1888, l09 IL
which is $780, 39 II more than is now estimated
for the next year.
For the penitentiary the estimate for the
next fiscal year is $1,000 less than that for the
present year.
For the Mexican Boundary Survey, an appro-
pration of 100000 is asked, large portion of
which is chargeable to deficiency of last year.
explained to the Finance Committees of the
Senate and the House at the last session of
Congress.
The Pension bureau has charge of pensions
and land bounties.
The Whole number Of pensioners of all class
"a now on the rolls is 1861, of whom l3,467
were paid during the first two quarters of the
present year, the latest periods to which we
have reports. The lumber added to the rolls
during the year was 2,287, and the number of
deaths reported 1865. The whole amount ex-
pended for pensions during the year ending 30th
September, 1851, exclusive of navy pensions
il about y ,439 848.
Ofbounty lands, the Secretary states that in his
last report the whole number of warrants issued
to soldiers OF our last war with Great Britain
was stated to be 28,978. Since that time
warrant has been issued for 800 acres IS have
been issued for 100 acres; and So for 40 arces
each. There are still 45O claims suspended for
further evidence.
There have been 80, LAG applications filed for
bounties under the act of lIth February. l847.
granting lands or scrip to soldiers engaged in
the war with Mexico. In all 1885 claims
have been allowed, and warrants or scrip issued
to the parties entitled. The warrants and scrip
issued since the last annual report are as fol-
lows, viz: 1920 warrants for 100 acres each;
223 warrants for 40 acres each; SO certificates
for 500 each; and two certificates for 1926 each;
and 6,l9l cases are suspended for further evil
dence.
The bounty land law of 1850 DOM tes lands
to probably not less than 100000 persons, after
making proper allowance for those who have
died leaving representatives entitled to claim.
Between the 28th of September and the 9Th of
November, 1850, 9,4l8 applications were fled
On the first of November, 1851, the whole num-
Der received was about $4,000; and, as they
are still coming in rapidly, it will not fall far be-
low 10000 at the commencement of the SEES.
sion of Congress.
The duty of acknowledging, registering, en-
dorsng, filing, investigating, deciding, and issu-
ing warrants for such a vast number of claims,
involved great labor and responsibility, and the
Pension Office has been greatly straitened for
want of sufficient clerical force. But notwith-
standing all these difficulties, of the $4,000
claims which had been filed on the st of No
vember, 1851, 10000 had been examined and
$4,000 carried into warrant; $4,000 have teen
rejected or suspended for further consideration.
The number of warrants now issued daily ex-
ceeds 400, and by the meeting of Congress the
aggregate number of warrants issued will be
about 10000.
The secretary AYERS that the invarable rule of
the office has been to act on cases in the order
of ther presentation, and that no case has been
laid aside except for some defect or informality.
The secretary invites attention to valuable
suggestions by the Commissioner of Pensions,
viz: LIST. Confinement of theSenson laws to
those who rendered the military service, and TO
the widows and minor children of such as are
dead; %. The adoption of more efficient pro.
visions TO prevent fraud-eitng that, of two
hundred and thlrty-one recent applications for
invalid pensions from two of the Western States
only sixty-one were just 81. To make the war
rants for bounty land under the act of 2sth Sep.
tember, 1850, assignable and, 4th, the enact
ment of law making it felony to forge, utter,
or publish as genuine, any forged land warrant
or other eviience Of claim against the United
States for land, or any endorsement or assign
ment thereof.
The secretary recommends, in view of the
great increase of the business of the Pension
office, the appointment of an assistant commits
sioner OF pensions. He also recommends the
graduation of the salaries of the clerks accord
ing to the nature and value of the services rem
dered by them respectively
Of the public lands, the quantity sold during
the last fiscal year was $40. S47 40 100 acres.
for which the sum of S237o947 as was re-
ceiyed. The quantity sold during the first
quarter Of the present fiscal year was 473,I4O
65-l00 acres, producing S6VI, SOL. The guam
tity sold during the CORE pondiog quarter ofthe
last fiscal year was 266,s79 GO 100 acres, tie
proceeds of which amounted to S3a9 $40 O6:
thus showing a considerable increase in the sales
of the present over those of the last fiscal wear
The quantity Of land located during the last fiscal
year, with bounty land warrants, was 2.454,00O
acres, which, added to the quantity sold for cash.
makes an aggregate Of 4,3O0 SAT 49IO0 acres.
Had the quantity located with warrants during
the last fiscal year been disposed Of for cash, at
the minimum price, the aggregate of revenue
from sales of the public lands would have been
$5,A3S,447 as The whole number of warrants
issued up to the lst of November instant, under
the Mexican war bounty land law Of Ilth Feb
ruary, lS47, Is SQ7sl. OF these 66,sIs have
been located and returned to the General Land
Office; and Of this latter number $4,000 have
been patented. The whole number of warrants
issued up to the same period, under the general
bounty land law Of September %, 1850, is 81.
20l and of the 3.7OS which have been located
and return TO the General Land Office, $50