The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-12-14
OFFICIAL DOCUMENT.


Department since the annual report Of November,
1851.
The tabular statement marked presents the
number of pensioners the rolls Ut the United
States and the District of Columbia, exclusive OF
navy pensioners, of whom a separate report will
be made. From this statement il appears that the
whole number is Is s6S-less by TAB than the mum.
Der reported in 1901.
to the rolls since the last annual report; and state
mept will show the number of deaths returned
in the same period OF time.
The statement ID shows the number OF customers
paid in the hrst and seco..u quarters OF the year
1852; aud that matkf... 10 a statement derived
from the books q. the Third Auditor, exhibiting
the balances III the hands Of the 'veral pension
agents az lie date of their last retur,.s
Ihe sum expended account OF pensions
SAGE the lost annual report, as far the same
can be ascertained at the Treasury Department, is
one million five hundred thousand do!iars-em
oracing m ny claims allowed before the last
port but not paid until the present year. The
pense OF the system is not materially changed,
isit likely to be until the corrective hand of iegis
lation is applied to some ui lite abuses
Revolutionary Pensions.
The whole number pensioued under the act of
IS h March, 1918, which was passed for the relief
of officers and soldiers in INDECENT Giro umstan
was 20, 4S5. of whom 046 now on the rolls
and only 33s have received payment in the first
and second quarters of the present year.
Only los persons have been pensoaed under
the act of 10Th May, 1928, which was passed for
the benefit OF officers and soldiers Of the coutnen
tai army who served to the end of the war or
that number the names of 1913 still the rolls
but AZ only have been paid in the first and second
quarters Of the year.
Under the act of the 7th June, 1882 which
greatly ex ended the system, 80 ,066 persons have
been pensioned since its passage, and the number
now on the rolls is 1928, of whom ,495 have re-
oeived payments in the first and second quarters OF
the year,
Uidotcs Of Revolutionary Men.
The act OF ith July, 1886, not only provided for
revolutionary widows, but for the widows and
phans ofccrtnIn volunteer and militia troops who
died in service since 1918 The whole number
pensioned under the act, which now, with few ex,
captions, is confined TO the widows of those who
rendered revolutionary service, is 5, 1863 of W hom
97S remain on the rolls.
The act Of Tth July, 1885, gave FIVE years pension
20 revolutionary widows who married before the
LIST January, 1894. Under it. II 400 have, from
time to time, been enrolled, but 62 only have been
paid in the hrst and second quarters Of the year.
The number pensioned under the act Of I'd Feb
ruary, ls4S, for life or widowhood is 5000, and
under the act of 29th July, 1915, which extended
the period of marriag the year 1900 the number
pensioned is 975. There are now on the rolls I'm
der both these acts, $3.50 pensioners, of whom
200 were paid during the first and second Guar.
ters IF the year.
.Merican War.
The act OF 2lst July, lS4S made provision for the
widows and orphans of those who were killed in
battle or per he'd by disease, in the Mexican war.
The number pensioned under the act Is $50, and
the number on the rolls ia l,l22,
Iualid Pensions
Inc whole nuInoer now the rolls under the
several Invalid acts, 10 9s6, being an increase of
OFT compared VIA the last annual report of which
number 4,2s2 nave been paid in the first and sec.
ohu q"'f"'s Of the year.
Nary Pensions.
separate and detailed report on this pa rticuIar
branch, bearing the same date, is herewith com
IDunicated
An additional years experience, since nv last
annual report has confirmed me in the opinion
then entertained and expressed, that a revisiou of
Fhe Pension lave by Congress, the only competent
authority, ID rendered necessary by the uncertainty
which surrounds the systeGl-in that branch of Il
Paruc ulariy which recognises the rghs of de.
scendants OF revolutionary men. 1t ia niiest that
the same mas been sustained more by a series of
authoritative and sometimes conflicting decisions
than by any fixed and positive statutes on the sub.
Ject. There may be danger that what wao intend
Cd as personal gratuity only for services render.
ed may acquire, by precedent and usage a de.
ecennsble quality wholly inconsistent with the
original design.
Some suitable legislation is also necessary TO
Suhfo against the frequent frauds and impositions
practiced upon the Government in the procure.
ment oil invalid pensions. Notwithstanding the
vigilance constantly exercised, it is difficult to pre-
'eat evaslons or punish violations Of the law The
dct of Sd March, 1879 which required biennial ex
enina'ions of invalids in order to show that the
disability continued, or that the pensioner was
reticred 10 health, was. l believe, incautiously or
unintentionally repealed by the Get of July 1892
Its re-enactment with additional and more strin
gent provisions, if not absolutely necessary mi ght
furnish additional guards to protect the Cavern.
ment.
II may not be irrelevant to mark, however, tina,
have never considered the repeal of the net above
referred TO az implying any legislative sancon of
the principle that admission tue rolls conferred
continuous right to an Invalid pension if the die.
ease or disability for which such pension was
granted had ceased to exist; and in this view of
ooth the reason and law of the case have been
sustained by recent decision Of the Department
In acverung to the obvious abuses prac,ced in
some branches OF the pension system, and cape.
claily In that which originated in the grateful re.
bemorunces of revolutionary services, but is
100 frequently perverted TO purposes of private
gain and extortion, il would be unjust to overlook
a particular cnss, whose claims are as much ad
dressed TO the Justice to the sympathies Of thr
country. refer to the widows of army officers
who have from time to time been pensiuned for
ehort periods and under particular acts but whose
pensions have expired, and remain unrenewcd
Whlist the more fortunate survivors in q differe
branch of the service have been placed en- a Der
manent footing. am ut loss to perceive why auch
great discrimination should exist between the two
arms OF the national deferce, in which both have
ehared equally CANCERS and hardshipe disease a nd
death, and both have left widows and orphans in a
state OF dcstitution. Nor have been able to dis
cover any just reason for the distinction in the
90 history OF the navy pension fund, which origi
mated IN the proceeds of captures bestowed upon
the navy and was properly applied go long as
IL continued an available fund but which fu rnishcd
no just ground for withholding relief from the be.
r'aved families ot army officers, to HON the be-
nents OF capturein time o! war have always been
denied.
military Lana Bounty.
ne execution of the act of 25th September, 1850
has been Oily advancing since the spring Il
lS5l Up TO the present t,re, the number of ca
fecelvedand registered amount to-. 300, coo
OF which there have been admitted. .l40 05S
Now at the rolls for examination.... 1881
Suspended for further ProJf........ 55Ill
-200, 00t
Warrants are issucd daily for all admitted cases
and the quantity Of land required To satisfy tho
issufs to the let instant amounts TO 1886, 32C
The applications now received under the act o
1850 amount to n daily average of one hundred.
In the execution Of this. Of other laws, it has
Teen necessary TO prescrbc rules of const uction
which, in their nencral application have produced
Cos"s OF individual hnrdship. ] refer, 10y way o
'xlmpie, 10 the instance OF warrants which la V,
lapscd TO the Government by reasons or the una
workable o,ly in the ca cuiIUu of tho act. Ia Tia,
casc OF sjldi'r, or widow, whose claim haz beer
regularly preEcutod, tuI who die before the war
rat Cou d issuc, and who leaves special Re q
tive entitled "a receive, jGgtite wnUld seem 10 re-
nnfTp hat INV tN1f.. Il