The daily union., 1854-10-26
!. OFFICIAL NEGLIGENCE OF THE WAR DEPART

OFFICIAL NEGLIGENCE OF THE WAN DEE AM
MENT."
Our attention has been called to the following article IN
the New York Courier and Enquirer of the goth instant
bearing the above caption
To the Editors Of the Courier and Enquirer
Being sspoor devir of claimant, take the liberty 10
address you behalf of myself and others OF the
nity and advise you of the great attention we ana our
receive from the War Department under Its present
/ suppose must call ir.
On the 9th of August last an amendment passeo eos
rectng the Secretary War to place ON his In hs oe
rolls of those who served shore IN Call
during the late that they should DC eheu "
and receive the bounty the soldiers VINO served
the Mexican war"
ceiyed when state this day there have been steps
taken by this same hea have such rolls filed that the
claimants under this amendment receive the land war
rants due them for the service referred to.
1t is three months and my patience Is pretty
nigh waiting Tor this official servan of ours to
do the duty assigned him by Congress- end satisfy the claims
we have upon the department
Repeated application the 'ocer for some satisfaction
relative to this business meets with attention. and thus
publicly address you that knowledge may be had
ergec manner attending the public business of this de-
partment.
1t is time we had some kind hospital provided for pub
bneactors instead of placing them in office, Who when
in pay attention to nothing else but calculating
their chances for better uages and trying to make up
karacer for another situation.
QUARTERMASTER.
The circumstantay of this charge the apparent
cision with which the writer gives the date of the acts
cites the provision in it imposing certain duty upon the
Secretary War; and arms that step has been taken
to execute it, induced to make some examination
into the matter and to lay the result before our readers
The eamendmen referred by the writer must be the
4h section Of the appropriation act approved August
g. 1854 We have been unable to find any other act d
recng the Secretary to place on file rolls OF persons who
served in California; and there was certainly no act passed
or approved late the 9th of August which is the date
given by Quartermastcr The act we refer to- however
contains no such provisions that cited by Qaarermas
ter and none that mention searen at all and IN preeld
inr to give quotation from the act "Qnartermaser is
guilty of Il marked falsehood
The act reads follows.
csc A. And be further enacted, That the Secretary o
War be- hereby authorized and directed 10 fece'
and cause to be placed the files of his snch ad
dtiona rolls of the battalion OF volunteers
ed by Lieut. Col j. G. Fremont in California duly autnen
by the proper officers have not heretofore been
received fled and to cause such o tnc
ter rolls be made in regard to the periods Of
and terms of service and the omission CT Games OF the mem
bcrs of said battalion, upon satisfactory proof ne may
deem right and proper and far practicable TO cores
pond with the pay rolls of Major r. B. Reading paynastei
of said baaon with respect to the period OF service &c
that all who served in the military service OF the cneo
States in California during tie lete with Mexico wheth
or under the command Of naval tsry officers, may be
entitled to all the benefits of all the acts of Congress prov
ding for the enrolment of volunteers in the Mexican war;
That no payment shall be made in consequence
of this section beyond the heretofore appropriated
10 Stat, p. 5s2.
The plain requirements Of this act are that the Secretary
shall receive the rolls when they presented to him duly
authenticated required by the aw and shall examine
evidence and make corrections when error shown by
satisfactory proof 1t is not hS duty to hunt up the rolls
or evidence necessary to warrant corrections and this VIZ
presume he has done but we venture to assert thai
he has acted promptly upon every application that haf
been sde TO him by any person interested we are will
ing to take esaa with the Courier and Enquirer, Or its
correspondent this point and to admit the charge
oHical negligence" if single 'asf can be shown where
sn application made under this act to the sec;efy OF al
Sas not received attention