The republic., 1851-07-08
Pension cmce- Bounty Land Warrants I'm
der the Act OF 1850,

Having observed in some of our exchanges,
and especially in some that seem to lend ready
ear to all kinds of rumors prejudicial to Govern
ment officers, that complaints are still made
about the irregular issuing of warrants at the
Pension Office under the act of September,
1850, we have taken pains to inform ourselves
OF the matter from an official source, and now
present TO our readers and others who are in
terested the facts which we have gathered on
the subject.
The Pension Office has again and again pro-
mulgated the rule of the Department, that all
applications for bounty land shall be finally
acted on in the order Of .iiiie in which they
are presented; and this rule has always been
observed, except in few extreme cases, when
its observance was impossible. Hindrances,
for example, have sometimes prevented ready
access to the rolls Of particular service; some
times the vast numbers of claims received at
particular periods have become deranged or
misassorted by accident; and 50 many appica-
tons have from time to time been suspended
for various causes, that the order Of presenta-
ton has often been necessarily broken, and
could not be restored without correspondence
with the parties, additional proof, &C., sc.
These exceptions do not violate the general
rule, that all fair and legal applications are
acted on and warrants issued an regular turn.
The charges which have been sometimes made
OF corrupt conduct and collusion between some
of the officials in the Pension Office and inter
ested agents without, in order to favor partic-
ular applications, are believed to be utterly
suppose they are true, justice and honor re-
quire that the evidence Of such dereliction
shall be forthwith punished.
We are authorized to say that applications
for bounty land for services in the war of 1912,
which were filed or received in the Pension
Office from the third to the SeUenth day of De-
cember, 1850, are now in course OF exami-
nation; so also are claims for services in the
Florida and other Indian wars which were filed
from the thirtieth Of .Norember to the siuth of
December last; so that claims for services in
those several wars are nearly in the same state
of forwardness. The applications by the Off
GERS in the late war with Mexico are somewhat
in arrear in consequence Of the misapprehension
ofa clerk by whom theywere registered; but they
will be brought up for examination in the course
| ofa few days. Weunderstand that, notwithstand-
ing the sickness and necessary absence always
| occurring at this season of the year, when some
| of the Government employees are compelled to
have their families in the country, the warrants
issued are in full proportion to the force in the
| Pension Office, and that the zeal and industry
of the clerks are not surpassed in any of the bu-
reaus. The number of applications for bounty
| land under the act of 1850, we are informed, is
now upwards of 10000, and may possibly
| reach the number of 250000, as estimated by
| the Secretary of the Interior There are,
| doubtless, many old men and widows claiming
| for services in the war of 1912, to whom the
bounty would be acceptable, especially if it es-
capes the vigilance of mercenaries until Con
gress gives it an assignabe quality but when
| it is recollected how tardy Congress was in
granting the boon, miracles ought not now to
| be expected of the Pension Office in favor OF
! these claimants. No one can justly find fault
with the miller'S rule, which custom makes the
common law of the country for all classes and
| in all kinds of business.