Weekly national intelligencer., 1852-05-22

accomplished otherwise. draft, then, may with great
proprey drawn by the quartermaster IN New Mexico
upon quarermaster somewhere else, as Tor example, at
ST Louis and il would of be payable at St Louis
Indeed do not see how it could otherwise be drawn
Mr. HUNTER. That is precisely what said. know
that there is necessity for drawing these drafts but
saw that there ought be regulations to enforce the
drawing them inform the Department
The Department ought to know when drafts drawn
The drafts when drawn ought to be made payable at some
given place, and not float about as bills OF exchange
admit that the drafts are necessary in some cases
Mr.. PEARcE Then we agree upon that point but the
Senator perhaps does not understand exactly the dsanc
ton was making. said that supposed the Senator
not reported right and that what he meant to say
was, that bill drawn by quartermaster upon
another and instead of being paid by him. that the quar-
termaster had given order other quartermas
ter That supposed, was the Senator'S meaning,
Mr.. HUNTER. do not care much about words
spoke OF drafts being drawn quarterm&ster and
being paid by another did infer from what the Thire
Auditor teld that these drafts sometimes paid
not by his directions for instance there repeated
cases where bills had been drawn here and caid in New
York.
Mr.. PEARcE. Precisely; and if the Senaior had teen
reported saying that Ishoud have understood him. and
there would have been difference between think
the practice Is improper one think 1t confuses the
accounts and increases their compexiy preverts the
accounting officers from pursuing these accounts strict
ly and clearly otherwise they might do; ard am
very happy to say that understand the practice will be
put an end to- have, however, paper from tie GUAR
NrmaSter SQeartm6nt drawn up AT request IN regaru
10 this practice. The Quartermaster General says:
The practise originated during the Mexican 1t
not discontinued the termination Of that bot still
tinues, though to limited extent The officers in California
this Office paid in this place, New York, PHILADELPHIA
Boston, Baltimore by the dbursing agents Of the Depart
ment ION the request Of the hoder the erder in eoch
of the fuarermaster General They Invariably
sened here before the order for payment gver which in
all cases, endorsed on the face of the draft.
Drafts Of the officers Of the Department each othe-
M ne yuha draW
In few instances when the officer whom they
drawn has died been removed before they could be
ed for hey have been paid here the
special eder of the Quxrtermaser General he full set Of
change in each case being previously surrendered"
Tins statement have obtained from the Quartennaster
Generals Office 1t is possible that there may have been
Some particular which the account mentioned by
the Senator was correct.
Mr.. HUNTER spprehend that if the Senatcy will 60
to the Third Auditors Office he will find great many Of
those cases.
Mr. PEAKJE. Ifehere are good many they ought to
be looked into and this ought to be put end to- But
if this is an abuse it is mpropiety which is not
cknrgeabe to this Administration. want it
from On implication of negectng its duty. This prac-
tce was not introduced by the present Administration
We informed that it had been very much reduced by
them and have the pleasure of saying that the Secre
tary Of War is about to take steps abolish it altogether
The Secretary Of War is not to be held responsible for
malpractice Immediately upon its occurrence very
gross abuse may be perpetated and the who IS to
be held responsible for it is he who erpetrated it. The
superior officers of the Departments only to be held
when with full knowledge of such abuse
they tolerate it. What mean to say, then is that
suppose this system not to have prevailed far the
Senator thinks but whether it has prevailed much lit
tle it arose during the time of another Administration
The origin of the practice cannot be charged to this Ad
The knowledge Of it cannct be brought
home 10 the Secretary of War until very recently and
then followed the determination Of the Secretary to put
an end to il.
Mr.. HUNTER. hope the gentleman will inform me
when Secretary of War issued order put stop
it? Twas aware Of the fact that he had done So
and am glad to hear it.
Mr. PRARcE. did state that the Secretary of War
issued any order to this effect This is a matter which
has but recently been brought to his notice. and he has
informed me within the last few days that he is deter
mined to put stop to it at once by proper order The
Senate will recoec that the Secretary of War does not
audit accounts They do come before him in the or
dinary discharge Of his duty They go before the bureau
Of the Quartermaster General and from him the Third
Auditor; and, before stated they brought
to the notice Of the Secretary unless the head of bureau
thinks there IS special for bringing them to
his notice Thus may very well happen that NAL
tice may exist during the administration of most faith
full and zealous officer and may continue during his ad
mnsraten, without his being in any censurable
for it, Unless you gift him with omnscience he
know every thing that going in the different bureaus
Of his Department he cannot know in relation to their
operation than his subordnaes communicate to him
and it Is their duty inform him of any thing that
quires his attention.
virginia 10 certain uenclen-
ces said lately to have from California / have
made inquiry about the point and think the Senator is
somewhat mistaken in regard to it. Accounts may have
come in from California but do not how deficiencies
could in. The when they come in paid
II is very ue however that for payments made
applicable to the service Of prior year may come in
during the current year. and may be found to have d
mnshed the funds in the hands of the dsbursng officers
TO limit the amount at the command of the Depart
ment applicable 70 the service of the year That
true and do know that body here would
be TO blame for it. unless that of things could be
ticipated The truth is however that paid for the
service Of year always falling upon the sppropria-
tons for another year. Under the system Of accounts
tabshed by the authority Of the Government and which
has prevailed from the very beginning the of which
IS almost lost in obscury, it happens and cannot but
happen that expenditures for prior years are not made
known 10 the Department until they become charge up
on the appropriations Of the current year.
IL we look at the system Of receipts and expenditures
in the ouartermaster Generals bureau shall how
this thing works Yet much has been said about the
enormous expenses in the Quartermasters department
the Senate viii perhaps be surprised see that there has
been regular dminuton Of these expenditures since the
have in my hands statement Of the expenses of
the department for the years ending June
Both, l649 June 30th 1850, and June 30th, 1861 and
the estimates for 1852. have also statement of the
funds which went into the hands Of the
for disbursement during these years submit the paper
as more satisfactory than my statement of it.:
Statement Of funds phch rent into the hands Of Qrarsemas-
ters for disbursement
In the year ending June 80, 1s49-
Balances in their hands July J. sll2I747 II
From sales OF property.. S2l,343 62
From military contributions 62,473 38
From the Treasury 0,502 ~
80
In the year ending June 30, 1850
From sales and rents...... $l09,O3e 02
From civil fund Of California sos,534 70
~. IT,. LEAF A.