The daily union., 1852-12-15
BY ROBERT ARMSTRONG.
OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS
ACCOMPANYING THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE,
Report OF the Commissioner OF Pensions.

Pension OFFIcE November 25, 1852.
S,s have the honor TO submit herewith report OF
The various operations OF This branch OF the department
since the annual report oil November, 1851
The tabular statement marked presents the number
o pensioners on the rolls OF the United States and the
nislrict OF Columbia, exclusive of navy pensioners, OF
whom separate report will be made. From this state
menl il appears that the whole number is ls.s6s-ess
bv 743 than the number reported 10 1851.
Paper exhibits the number OF pensioners added TO
the rolls since the last annual report and statement
will show the number OF deaths returned in the same
perod OF time. ,
The statement shows the number Of pensioners paid
IN the first and second quarters Of the year 1852 and
thai marked is statement derived from The books OF
he third auditor, exhibiting the balances IN the hands oil
inc several pension agents at the date OF their last re-
The sum expended account OF pensions since the
,s, annual report, far the same can be ascer-
,a;ned at the Treasury Department, IS one million hve
hundred thousand dollars-embracng many claims al
lowed before the last report but mol pad un me pres
All year The expense OF the system is not materially
changed nor is it likely be until the corrective hand
Of legislation is applied to some Of It's abuses
REVOLUTIONARY PENSIONS.
The whole number pensioned under the act of 18th
March, lsls which was passed Tor the reef OF ohcers
and soldiers in INDECENT circumstances, was 2o4s5, OF
whom Oa6 are now the rolls and only 339 have re-
ceiyed payment in the first and second quarters OF the
Only 6s persons ba We been pensoned under the act
of 18th May 1925 which passed for the benefit OF
officers and soldiers OF ihe continental army who served
tha pndO
are still on the rolls, but AZ only have been paid in the
frat and second quarters OF the year.
Under the act OF the 7lh June, 1882, which greatly ex
tended the system, o66 persons have been pensoned
since its passage and the number now the rolls is
AS Of whom 4o5 have received payments in the first
and second quarters oil The year.
WIDOWS OF REVOLUTIONARY MEN.
The act OF the 4h July, 1886, not only provided for
revolutionary widows, but for the widows and orphans
Of certain volunteer and militia troops who died in ser
vice since 1873 The whole number pensoned under the
act which now, with few exceptions, IS confined to the
widows OF those who rendered revolutionary service, is
5l63, OF whom 97S remain on the rolls
The act of 7h July, 1898, gave five years pension to
evolutionary widows who married before the sl Janua-
rv 1894 Under II, II 400 have from time to hne been
enrolled but 1872 only have been paid IN The rst and sec
ond quarters OF the year -,
The number pensioned under the act OF I'd February
1s4s for life or widowhood is 5000, and under the act
nj oeth july ls4S which extended the period OF marriage
10 the year s0o the number pensoned is 97o There are
now on the rolls, under both these acts aso pensioners
Of whom 1900 were paid during the hrst and second
quarters OF the year.
MEXICAN WAR.
The ACT of Dist July ls4s made provision for the wild
ows and orphans of those who were killed IN battle or
perished by disease, in the Mexican war. The number
pensioned under the ac s 1850 and the number on The
rohsl,i22.
INVALID PENSIONS.
The whole number the rolls, under the several
invalid acts is $3.50 being increase oil 527 compared
with the last annual report OF which number 4232 have
NAVY PENSIONS.
A separate and detailed report on this particular
branch bearing the same date, herewith communica-
ted.
An additional years experience. since my last annual
report has confirmed me IN the opinion then entertained
and expressed that revision of the pension laws by
Congress. the only competent authority, is rendered ne
cessary by the uncertainty which surrounds the system
nha branch of particularly which recognises the rights
OF descendants o revolutionary men, IL IS manifest that
the has been sustained more by series OF autbor-
atve and sometimes conflicting decisions than by any
fixed and positive statutes the subject There may be
danger that what was intended as personal gratuly
only for services rendered may acquire by precedent and
usage, descendabe quality wholly inconsistent with The
Some suitable legislation is also necessary 10 guard
against the frequent frauds and mposons practsed up
on the government in the procurement oil invalid pen
sons Notwithstanding the vigilance constantly exer-
csed, 1t is difficult to prevent eyasions or punish VIOLA
ons OF the law. The act o 81 March, 1919, which re-
qued biennial examinations Of lnvalIds, in order "a
show that the disability continued that the peasone
was restored TO health was, believe, ncauilously OF
unnientonally repealed by the act OF july 1882 liz
re-enactmen with additional and more stringent provs-
ions, il not absolutely necessary, might furnish add'
tunsl guards 10 protect the government
Il may net be irrelevant 10 remark, however, that
have never considered the repeal OF the act above refer
red to implying any legislative sanction OF The pnn.
cpe that admission 10 the rolls conferred continuous
right TO invalid pension the disease or disability or
which such pension was granted had ceased 10 exist
and 10 this view OF both the reason and law OF the case
have been sustained by recent decision Of ihe de-
partment
In adverng TO the obvious abuses practised in some
branches OF the pension system, and especially IN that
which originated in the grateful remembrances OF reyo
lutonay services. but is now loo frequently perverted
purposes OF private gain anu extortion II would be
unjust 10 overlook particular class whose claims are
much addressed 10 the justice 10 the sympatbes OF
the country | refer 10 The widows o army officers,
who have from time TO time been pensioned for short pc
RODS and under particular acts but whose pensions have
expired and remain unrenewed, whilst the more fortu-
naie survivors in different branch OF the service have
n at foofi | aua at lncc IN
perceive why such great discrimination should exist be-
tween the two of the national defence 10 which
both have shared equally dangers and hafdshps, dis
ease and DEATH and both have left widows and orphans
in a state OF destution Nor have ! been able 10 dis
cover any jui for the distinction in the history Of
the navy pension fund, which originated in the pro-
ceeds OF captures bestowed upon the navy, and
properly 90 applied long II continued available
fund.- but which furnished just ground for withholding
relief from the beresved families oil army officers, 10
whom the benefits Of capture in time oil war have al
ways been denied.
MILITARY LAND BOUNTY.
The execution OF the OF 2sth September $780, has
been steadily adv sncng since the spring Of 1851 Up to
the present me the number OF cases received and regis
tered amount TO 100000
OF which there have been admitted 140,O5s
Now at the rolls for examination 4s3l
Suspended for further proof 55,lll
Warrants are issued daily for all admitted cases. and
the quantity OF land required to satisfy the issues 10 the
lst instant amounts to $780, $40 acres.
The applications now received under the act OF 1850
amount TO a daily average of one hundred.
In the execution Of this of other laws, II has been
necessary to prescribe rules oil construction which, ~ theif
general application, have produced cases OF individual
1 Irafer hy of exa IN n