The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-12-09

thus consumed has been less than onehalf Of what
anticipated when the several respectively passed
Although the labor and attention required great the
work has been accomplished in very brief period and
yet with great faithfulness.
The necessity of further power being given the Com
missioner Of Pensions to suspend diminish and discon
tnue pensions when the for granting them has par
TALLY or totally ceased is daily becoming apparent
The Commissioner should be clothed with authority to
strike the name OF the pensoDer from the pension roll
graduate the pension when he s satisfied OF the cessation
diminuton of the disability Of invalid pensoner
Cases OF this kind constantly occurring Upon an in
yesgation of this class of pensioners in portion Of sim
gle State during the past year II found that OF sixty
eleven baeess and the amounts allowed
to most of the remainder much larger than their
present disabilities would ente them to that II those
pensions properly graduated the annual saving to the
treasury In the examined would be three thou
sand dollars AS these life pensions the aggregate
nua amount paid is very large in comparison with what
it should be- and the number OF this cass OF PEN
sioners Is rapidly and constantly angmentng unless
measure Is adopted TO prevent it, the evil Will be
largely increased.
Experience and reflection convince me that the only
true principle upon which to base pensons is that of in
dgence The m4ritorious and needy pensioners now
poorly aided by the general government The pensions
ranging from three and half eight dollars per month
are manesy Insufficient to supply their necessary wants
especially where they compelled to furnish subsistence
for dependent families If the principle adopted and
reasonable increase made to the present ptance of those
whose services and wants demand it, the annu
ally appropriated would be increased but the dstr
button would be far just equitable and beneficial
There distinctions and Determinations between army
and pensions which unreasonable and should not
be permitted longer exist Both should be placed an
equality the be received the circumstances
under which they should be granted and the time they
should run and disabilities in the should be
of the character as in the other
On the 30th of June last there 1882 pensioners
and the amount disbursed for their benefit during the fiscal
year was 81 360694 81.
Every days experience proves that the present system of
confnng the advances pension agents. to the amount of
their semi-annual payments has had good effect am
persuaded that in when under the old system,
the pension agents not directly compensated by the
government for their services they indirectly paid
otherwise satisfactorily account for the large
amounts of pension money they generally had on hand
and above what actually necessary to meet the
current demands il be presumed that they would
they received none derived any benefit from the trust
that they would have rested content SO long without pre-
senting their claims TO Congress.
Notwithstanding the vigilance of The Penaion Bureau
and the numerous precautions adopted and the criminal
proceedings instituted and successfully prosecuted frauds
still being perpetrated many of which cannot be pre-
vented, punished when discovered without revision Of
the laws relating to such offences.
On the both OF September 1882 the number of applca
tons for bounty land pending and on the suspended
files of the Pension Office liable to be called up Tor re-
examination, 65, ,256
The number of new applications filed during the
year following was about 30676
During the neat year about l349l
And thence TO the 3oth September 100
Making in 867528
The number of issued during the year ending
The number Issued the succeeding year was.. 1875
During the next 3s 429
During the year ending Both September ls56.l39 l94
Making the 42I
The number Of pensioners added to the rolls between
the lst Of April, 1859 and the Both September 1856, is
1885, the aggregate of whose yearly pensions ST04
900 a. besides the Of 457 81 paid arrearage
Immediately on the admission OF the oiaims
These merely Of the results of the operations
Of TIC office They convey but faint idea Of the various
and complicated intermediate abors involved between the
receipt OF application for bounty land pension and
the final determination of the claim for besides the ex
animation and requently the reexaminatiou Of claim,
before II Is admitted many pension claims have been pre-
sented probably three times the number Of those admled
which have been examined and rs-examned and sl sus
pended rejected and these generally require the most
patient investigation aud research.
The number Of letters received the Office during the
past year lOsO0 and the number sent thence 3s7
extent Of correspondence probably without precedent
This vast amount Of business Is chiefly consequent upon
the execution Of laws passed during and subsequent to the
year 1884, via the pension act OF 3d February 1853 and
the bountyland law Of 81 March 1885, and the amenda
tory act OF l4th May, 1856.
The eld-wor Of the Mexican boundary commission was
AL accomplished stated in last report within the time
contemplated and largely within the appropriated
All the monuments agreed upon by the joint commission
have been erected and the line marked from the Gulf Of
Mexico 10 the Pacific and the United States is in posses
sion Of the territory.
considerable portion Of the boundary Is formed by the
Rio Bravo or Rio Grande and in the settled portion Of
the valleys which are best adapted TO agriculture the bed
Of the river sometimes changes and transfers considerable
portions Of land from side TO the other
The commissioners concluded and IL is thought with
correctness that except n the Of gradual acceons
the other bank Of the river the boundary would
remain where the river fIed II at the time Of the survey
and as shown in the maps, notwithstanding actual
changes In the Of the river case Of this kind is
threatened In the valley Of III Paso, and anxious in
qures have been made on the subject. The parties
making the inquiries have been referred the printed
maps and informed that any change in the river de-
tachng solid Of land does not change the uris
diction.
The Mexican commissioner according TO an agreement
with the American commissioner, repaired 10 this city
with eorpg Of assistants about the first Of July last
for the purpose Of constructing the maps required by
the treaty to show the boundary and here that
duty.
On the part Of our commissioner these maps will be
finished by the first Of March Already the services
Of many OF bis assistants have been dispensed WITH and II
u In contemplation 10 discharge the whole force Of
draughumen before that time and Of the employees
will be retained except such may be required to super
intend the printing Of the maps and reports descriptive Of
the boundary and adjacent country, the publication Of
which was ordered BY Congress at It's last session
The first part Of the report Is already in the hands Of the
printer and nothing retards its publication but the uece
sary delays In engraving the maps.
Notwithstanding the Senate In its order for the publca
ton Of the report and accompanying appendix Of the
boundary commission directed that the expenses Of pub
cation should be paid Of the boundary approprie
there will remain OF them untouched in the treasury some
eighty thousand dollars
No officer co.d have discharged his duty with more
ability greater fidelity than the commissioner to whom
were confded the interests Of this government And II s
proper to state that the utmost harmony has sted on
this commission between the officers c. Doth the qo-
Isnts and that al question: likely TO prodoe the least