The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-01-10


ana me law treated ~ nuiity IN all executive action
| after lis repeal
must repeat my recommendation 10 prohibit officers
connected with the survey and sale of the public lands
from becoming purchasers. The evil flowing from It's per-
mission obvious that IL would only necessary
4 TO draw attention 10 il 10 Induce It's prohibition
Much difficulty has been experienced in the execution OF
the laws granting the swamp and oyerowed lands 10 the
several States In which they lie Some patents have been
issued whilst others have been suspended for further In
qury and Investigation. Efforts making settle and
adjust all the claims and il hoped this will be done
TO the mutual satisfaction of the States interested and the
governmsnL The acts OF Congress upon the subject
not free from ambiguity but they indicate generous pol
icy towards the Slaes and entitled TO- and should
receive, liberal construction.
The commission ascertain and settle the private land
claims 10 California will be able 10 complete its abors
within the period fixed by law and, ] happy 10 say
without making further draft the treasury lie conduct
in the discharge Of It's duties has been highly cedabe and
4 given universal satisfaction
Under the Of july 27 1854 board Of commissioners
was appointed and convened AT Vnccnnes in the State
Of Indiana and adjust the itlea to lands in
that State under the several Of Congress making and
confirming grants to settlers bnt the sixth section re-
quircd il 10 close its session the st Of September last
II was unable TO finch The business couded TO it. and II
therefore becomes to revive the old board or
/ ate a
The latter is perhaps the better course and il sup
posed thar will be sufficient who should
be appointed for limited period, with authority de-
eide upon such claims from any cause have not been act
| ed upon
New land districts frequently carved out of old ones
and the acts made TO take elect from their passage
4
tce prevent sales their Offices Of lands in The
districts To obvate this difficulty, and not to with
draw unnecessarily from the market the lands in the new
districts previous 10 their thorough organization II IS
proper to provide by general law that he new offices
shall 20 into operation for months from the passage
Of the law establishing them unless IN the Judgment o. Inc
President earlier period is necessary
The affairs Of the Pension Office have been conducted
with great efficiency and signal ability It's business has
largely increased and rendered the abors Of the Comms
soner and his subordnates arduous and Most Of
the difficulties have been overcome and branch Is
to date except that having charge Of bounty lands granted
by the act Of Congress certain officers and sol
der who been engaged in the military service Of the
United States Strenuous and unremtting efforts have
been made promptly execute this act Some complaint
the apparent want Of promptitude OF the Pen
sion Office but the facts lucidv stated in the accompa
nyng report the head of that bureau clearly show that
there the slightest foundation for it. The amount Of
preparatory labor very great to perform which with
desirable despatch beyond the OF the force n
the Pension Office had to detail in aid Of it many of
the clerks from the Land Office Such has been the Com
mssioaers success that law being carried into
efficient effect than any Of like character ever was before
The whole work will be completed In less time than was
anticipated The number of applications to the 10th
ultimo 225,944 those examined number $4,000, Of
which 59s92 hare been allowed, 24CoS suspended or
eted and the number warrants issued 55sl covering
1 65IS320 acres.
In the outset the department directed the applications
be taken up for examination in the order in which they
presented TO protect those al distance who
could neither employ agen here The same rule
prevails in regard 10 pensions.
The Commissioner of Pensions upon his being satisfied
oil the CESSATION oi tile Ui lnyHlu pensOneI
and after the latter has had ample opportunity to show its
continuance and fails negects TO do should have the
power suspend the of the tension strike the
pensioners from the roll No doubt can DC entertain
ed that many whose claims based upon this ground
drawing their pensions semannuay, although since
the allowance they have entirely rscovercr nature OF
the disease contracted in the Mexican and which has
much heightened the roll indicates this Certainly
Of them have been restored TO good health but failed
10 csmmuniea,e the fact TO the Pension Office thorough
investigation Of This would probably produce
strange Developments and lead to singular and inter-
4 esring disclosures.
The pension laws are 50 crude undigested ard conflict
ing that II Is morally impossible 10 execute them satsac-
toy They possess neither uniformity equality just
ness Their defects obvious and glaripg that
sorry examination VIII satisfy the most skepuca OF me
oessiy o. revision IL would be hard task to devise
more inconruous or pexing sysiem than The present
complicated one
IL NAV become advisable TO fall back upon the old prn-
cpe OF which every having any claim 70
hussEity would cordially subscribe. II it resumed
aud the mertoous and needy soldier his widow or minor
chidren could receive enough to supply their necessary
wants would raise the slightest objection TO such
manifestation OF the public gratitude Now they are ia
pt Of few dollars month, which all know, is entirely
insufficient for the ordinary purposes IL pensions
confined 20 this class and their grauities prop r
enlarged tbe system would with universal approval
beg leave again to bring TO your notice the statute linn
itnE TO two years prosecutions for perjury and forgery
committed in pension aud land cass Many criin
inals have this plea and escaped The vigilance Of The
the cuprir before the time for ,he iusu-
ton Of criminal proceedings has expired There
nine convictions during the last year aid like number
) Of prosecutions pending.
The number OF pensioners the rolls OF the several
agencies for paying pensions the thirteh day O
june last l4ss and the disbursed during the ssi
!, fscsl year was 81 ,5o5ll2 a..
The in the hands Of pension agents have at length
f been reduced what Is required for the sema
ments allowing small margin having been reduced, IN
the aggregate from $94ssT5 So the 3lst March, 1853
to S23ou9s 3s on The 30th June inst
in my last report | remarked that, from the large
amounts il had been customary for them 10 have hand
doubted that they bad been fully compens. ted
for their services The information obtained IN
that opinion The present compensation, when the agents
governed by The existing stringent law must be suh'
cienf the offices eagerly sought after, and the du
: ties were faithfully performed
Ny attention early drawn the fact that advances
q considerable had BEEN made TO the agents sp
pointed for the payment Of army pensions under The ac
18th MAY 1898 and 18th june 1891 Each OF these act
contains clause making the requisite appropriation io
the payment Of all the claims which may oe admitted IN
der III and hence IL has been necessary TO ask fol
yearly appropriations from Congress In these as IN ohe
cAses Advantage has been taken Of this circumstance
make the advances referred TO- and, on examinanoni
was found the 10 the hands OF the agents ex
81 ceeded nndor one what would be required TO be dis
bursod during period OF several quarters and under th
! other, Of several years
drawing the money from the treasury IL eyiden
that no part Of had been appropriated except such por
ton only as was actually required for current unde
tho law Instructions therefore given 10 discontinue
the practice o making such advances and to require thos
already made 10 be refunded treasury The resul
Of this action s exhibited by the following statemen
= Amount collected and repaid into the treasury,
n under the act OF 18th Nav, s2a from LIST Ju-