The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-12-09


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duty Of the department, If not absolutely required. to
cause he public money 10 be always IN the treasury. or
IN The custody OF The assistant and deposaries
dessf ased BY law. until regularly withdrawn for the
pose 81 disbursement IN accordance with appropriations;
aud that all powers vested in the department in relation
TO ne COLLECTION e-keepng transfer and disbursement
BY its ocers Tha, plan has been adoptsd and
to- and no difficulty or Inconvenience has arisen from
The working OF the SYSTEM and il is believed
arise.
The 9th section Of the 10 provide for tho better or
ganzaon OF the treasury, and for the safe keeping,
transfer, and disbursement Of the public money requires
&c be safely kept without oaning using deposiiing
in banks exchanging for other funds" The section
mol only reques The assistant reasures. &c., to perform
the duties specially imposed BY the act but also requires
them perform all other duties which shosd be imposed
by Congress or by any regulation OF the Treasury De-
parment made in conformity TO law The disbussing
\ agents OF the several departments Of the government be-
ing hou safe places OF deposit for the public money
intrusted to them. it was deemed night and within the
provisions and the spirit OF The law to require The treasurer
and the assistant reasures and deposaries designated
by law 10 receive deposes from the dsbursing agents OF
the government and 70 pay out the same on their checks
regulation to that effect was issued and s in operation,
and accompanies this report II 10 great convenience
10 dbursng agents and also secures the safety OF The
public money The privilege OF depositing has not
yet been eabraced by all the dsbursng agents, and il
has been suggested that OF them deposit with banks
and brokers' under an erroneous idea that the act does
apply 10 them is believed that such deposltcs are
10 contIayenion OF the law No loss would be likely to
occur prosperous times bnt in adverse times. the
money might no, be 70 ss, The " public liz de-
disbursing agents avail themselves OF It's advantages, the
assistant al The principal ports where the pub
lie money collected and discussed, will require an ad
ditiona clerk. at compeles. salary, to act for the
sslanl treasurer in Of necessary absence. ,, II
Ia the Treasury Department. The accounts of all cot
ectos, dsbufsng agents, &c., rendered and settled
The law requires collectors 10 render their accounts
quarterly, but authorizes the Secretary 10 require Them
oileter Upon examination, II was found that the ac-
counts Of collectors Of the customs rendered quar-
erly, but did moi generally reach the department until
about the TERMINATION Of the succeeding quarier and were
not settled By The accounting ofhcers ior some seven.
eight, nine, even more months from the end OF tho
quarter for which they rendered This left unset
lied accounts with collectors OF customs for al least
two-ihifds Of The annual from that
$50 900 o0oand left in the hands OF some OF Ihem
large amounis until the settlement OF their acconnts-
The prompt rendition and settlement OF these accounts
being deemed Of vital importance 10 hs correctness OF
the same and The safety OF the j was thought
that change should be effected, II possible Upon IN
qury and investigation, il considered that these
counts could be rendered monthly, and settled within the
succeeding month. regulation 70 that effect was is
from and after the ls of July, 1853, which accompanies
this report The accounts for the months OF July, Au
gust, and September were rendered. and settled under
cep those Of the Pacific coast and some small districts
on the Atlantic, were rendered and settled within the
month OF October The TACT thus asceftained that
is entirely practicable to have The accounts all 90 rem
dered and settled within he month"; except those on the
Pacific coast, which will require about two weeks
longer t
There are other reforms as the of keeping
the books, and the statistical Information to be derived
from the custom houses and the registering oil II IN THIS
department. that may be introduced with advantage to the
public service but which time and care are required 10
bring about and enforce properly.
Attention was also given 10 those branches o the de-
partment where the accounts OF dsbnrsng agents and
Others owing money to or having claims against the
that the official corps dsoganized, and some OF the
bureaus very much out OF ode and greatly in arrear
with The business conhded 10 them. .sss5
The table w, which accompanies this report exhibits
the aggregate OF accounts rendered and unsettled IN each
office in the month OF March, 1853. and the amount OF
them which outstanding The books oi the Soci-
tor OF The Treasury This table shows that there were
accounts unsettled to the aggregate OF s32327Ot o.
and that there had been se,ed an aggregate OF $50 $780,
l34 So leaving balance OF Sol.o2i. .549 so sill out
standing but OF these. there are Sa9l8.S02 80 on The
books of the Solicitor OF the Treasury, most OF the ac
pose OF closing these large balances. the accompanying
letter sent to the first and second Comptroilers OIL
the Treasury and the commissioner o. ea.,on.i ne
ls42 after the duties became payable in cash. the duty
bonds remaining unpaid TO the debit o the several coll
ecors passed TO The debt OF their successors and
continued nber their accounts and embatass set
tie nens. Ga the OH September last. the commissioner
Of customs directed 10 credit the collectors accounts
with these bonds, and open account for them on the
books OF the treasury. rhese bonds constitute an add
ional outstanding the books Of the Solicitor All
claims due The United States, alter failure or refusal TO
pay. pat in suit in the dsrc. where the parties or
some OF them reside, and. except post oce quits. 30
upon the books Of he Solicitor OF the Treasury, and are
collected under his direction.
These uncolleced Claims including duty bonds, on the
books OF The Solicitor have from the
mencemenl oil the government and now amount to Tho
large aggregate OF S2l,2t7516 50. No commission or
compensation allowed To district attorneys Tor Their col
lecon and authority givea 10 the Secretary upon The
subject: to diseocumber the accounts o these accumu
laiing balances. II is submitted 10 Congress that au-
thoriy might be given allow compensation for The coll
lection OF these debts and 10 compound Tor them when
the parties are unable TO pay in full and there IL no
snd and TO have the lost balances carried TO IN appro-
pirate account tse
II was also ascertained that many dsbursng ohcers
had rendered their accounts within ths three months
required by law, whilst many Of the accounts 10 the
Tnird Auditors Office had been in the Office unseued for
one, two three four, hve, and even more yeas, and
the work was greatly behind in most OF the on1ces IL
was determined reform the condition OF these obccs ~
5000 practicable The FIRST object TO be elected was
the prompt Transaction o The current buslness, ana Ine
employment OF large force as could be spared 70
bring up the arrearages.
The Third Auditors Office, under the newly appointed
Auditor, r Bur charged with the settlement Of pot-
ton OF the accounts Of The War Department, WAS greatly
in asrear HI required TO ascertain The state Of ~
business and put il in the best possible condition ~ he
nesting OF Congress- and make report up TO that ume
His report the 3lst of Oetober ls53 y hesewln s9o-
m,,rd and exhibs the condition in which he found his
ofce and that which ii had reached on that day. IL 10
due TO Mr. Bnr TO state that. besides the labor perform
ed AZ exhibited in his report, more correct principles OF
ou ming and settling have been introduced. aad that
he entitled 10 the credit OF the reform he has made
he condition OF that oce. appears BY additional
report is al this lime. such Mr. Bart anticipated. and
now Office has brought up ts arreasges and il ca
pable OF promptly acting upon all the business connded
10 il. sa8.-. ;.
The business con6dsd to the Second and Third Audi;