Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-01-08


these acts; but that all those pensions, including The
commissions of the pension agents a'lu III. -; ~
=. SIS5 300 o. were satisfied cat "t the Collections
mad. a. before shown, besides which Tie rum u
s1OSaa 20 not wanted ior Immediate Use, wds palo
| back into the Treasury
In view Of these facts, and 10 guard against re-
currence of similar state "t things, II Is rertctin
" suggested that Congress BIZ requested !" repeal The
approIriating clause III the acts alluded TO, 80 az IL
render il necessary hereafter tn rely upon annual
organizations for the means al executing them, as IL
| other cases.
| The accounts of the pension agents are ut present
adjusted by the Third and Fourth Auditors, the form
or having charge OF those for paying tho army and inc
latter those for paying navy pensions, su9Cct 10 TIC
reyisiou of the Second Comptroller of the Treasury
! Consequently, however faithful aud conscientious
these officers may be- perfect uniformity cannot be
expected in the adjustment of these accounts, al
though no good rcasun is apparent why the same
general principles should not govern i'll respect TO eaci
class of cases.
To secure such uniformity is quite desirable, and
this could be done by causing all the accounts ul
those agents to be audited lii Office. Ii Is also I'M,
urtant that these nccuuh,- before being submitted
the accounting officers Of tn Treasury should pass
under The supervision Of this Department, from
Which the rem'tanccs Ia the agents a:c ordered
The accounts growing ont OF the survey mi sale
of the public lands, Involving much larger amounts,
have, for years past been audited ut the General
Land Office, subject TO the revision oi The fifst
Comptroller of The Treasury, and the practice has
been attended with good results.
The accounts of the pension agents could i'll like
manner be- audited at the Pension Office. with great
convenience to the service and advantasa 1.-The Gov
eminent, sui ect 10 the sac revision a. a present,
and so be made to pass under the supervision oi TWO
Departments Instead of one, being adjusted by the
lmerOr aad revised by the Treasury Department.
Should this recommendation be adopted ali lie adj
dlti0u 10 which this Department would have within
itself sach information rs it is constantly iii need o
III the administration of its timanclnl affairs.
siliuiar suggestion is n.Gdc III RESPECT to the ac-
for the Indian service. which are ut present
adjusted by the Second Auditor subject To the revi-
sion OF the Second Comptroller OF the Treasury.
1t is believed that III, So ac;'nun;S could he audited
with equal convenience and benefit al Tue INDIAN
Bureau, subject, of coarse, 10 the same $40, nj
present, nni ;.,at similar advantages would thus he
secured III reference IL t:l III The Cases previous
~ alluded to.
THE MEsILti BOUNDARY.
The 6eld-work of the Mexi, AN b"uhdary survey,
rejoice TO say hns been completed. The promptilude,
dispatch, and eminent ability displuycd III liz recent
prosecution reflects the highest credit upon . Com
missioner. Under the severcst hardshps and great
est privacnS lie has run the line through country
GENERALLY destitute of every thing necessary to the
sustennncc of human life in remarkably short spuce
of time, and Yet left nothing undone which duty re-
quired. The appropriations made for this spechc
purpose hive not becu exhaustcd but large ohi"ice
remains unexpcu,ed. The office work will now he
prosecuted with vsor and finished sUoE as Practi-
cable.
A full report ofihe operations OF this Commission
when published, will exhibit much interesting lnor
nation relative 70 Ihc territory acquired ny tle ':ea,
uf goth December, 1853. IL contains about twenty
millions OF acres of land. The eastern portion ot II
is iravcrsed from north ~ souh by several stieas'
which, though not nuvisahlc, afford unfaI'g iaIi''
Ties for irrigation. Tile valleys 81 s"me q" iG streams
cultivated, ana produce wheat corn n',u '" 'G",,
uxurautlv though in general they aye better aaapt
-. 10 rrnZIrr Gold, silver, AM copper arc lo"u III
the hiI- but not i'll placer. ami 10 many PAGES .he
rcnains Of ancient Spanish mining opet"''"n' let
exist. The western portion o the country, "oiue'i'S
non the Colorado and ella rivers, presents strong
contrast, being hopeless DESERT 'h"uS" hh""" "
abound with silver ore. 80
This territory Is not so much Inc ahone oil hos'e
Indians as il is the avenue through which they pass
from their country north oths Gia, to the Northern
Sta,.s NJ Mexico portion oft however is occupied
hy srni.civilzcd nation of Indians, composed oi
,.5ut,.teracy of Pinos and Marir"pas lndans num-
bering il IL said, nbout two Thousand warl1ors.-
They ill the soil with mHch succrss, raising cotton,
wheat corn ani beans, and are said to be ever kind
aud friendly 10 American eniigrahts passing through
tIpir country 10 California; They are understand 10
SCI up claim TO the lnnd they occupy, under s"''
,rI,ra law If Spain or Mexico, aud manifest nue.
anxiety lest bv the transfer u territory 10 the United
States their possession nny be disturbed or injurious
" affected They said To be 1t constant war with
he hostile tribes nhablting the couu,ry north ol the
iia md their only barrier t" the occupation "i TINS
Icwlv acquired country. Thee facts would seem to
lain for them peculiar consideration nj Inc hhiCs Vi
lie Government.
NORTHWEST BuuSDARY.
Attention is again earnestly called TO the impor-
ance nf IN early survey aud demarka;i"n al The
boundary line between tile United States and the Br!-
ish provinces in Ill. Northwest In order TO prevent
uturr difficulties and cmbnrrassmenfs, II II desirable
hat the whole of the unsurvcycd boundary between
he Two countries should be aU,h"rutiveiy establish
ID upon the gouud, bat more capt'laliy ihat portion
II il which forms the northern boundary hl the new
y-orcauzeI Territory OF Washington. In the chan
le which SEPARATES NaucOuvcrt Island from the mum
continent, and through the middle of which, accord
NJ to the convention Of 1916, the line al boundary
sands which are much desired by unr citIzeiis but
he se,,leucu, o them will naturally he retarded, il
40, entirely prevented until the boundary line shall
nave been deiinitivey determined.
PATENT OFFICE.
TIL. REORGANIZATION of the Patent Office has been
perfected, and IL good effect already sc"s'bly eN
'ie;red.
Several imrurant amendments tn the patent laws
we're suggested ~ the Commissioner OF Patents III
his last lrror hich arc necessary 10 the more cttl-
.icnt action of ;hc Bureau, and are /" themselves
and entirely un"hircti"nahe.
Since the first 81 January last there have been l'-
sued upward c eighteen hundred patents, and with
in the year The number will prchnhiy reach two thou
sand This is the result OF the udici"us aEd excel
lent system a, has been adopted, and which enables
the Office promptly ~ examine and dispose ol every
application that is presented. -
Srvcrnl If the III tie basement story OF The
Patent Office building are occupied hy the lnd'ah
bureau. Previously it was i'll Il building moi hrc,
proof and exposed TO couiiaSra."n. did not feel
justified in Keeping in constant jeopardy s rncoris'
files md PAPERS OF such immense value and nnp"r-
lance, the loss ot which would be irrepnrabIe, both
in historical and pcrunary point OF view. Expert,
pce has already Taught lie luv anu TIC esson sno'uu
not H., disrr,arde'l.
Before directing the change to DO made satisfied
myself that, although It might put lew Of Inc clerks
in the l'aen, Office 10 some Inconvenience II won'H
not materially interfere with Their !n""rs' nor essen.
,iav witt, correct md efficient discharge OF ih"r
duties.
Nv some i il conteudcd that Tire entire building
should h exclusively appropriated To me use oi 'Ee
Patent, Office unl Ia this, under any otter tiah fN-
traordimarv circumstances, should cheefuly assent.
Hnt when look ut the fact that the entire structure,
so far IA completed, has cost Some sixteen hundred
thousand dollars of which Sl,2:!,'0O has been drawn
from the Treasury and only $320,Nl from he patent
fund.- aud that il impossible I" secure tor the W.
iau Bureau such building ~ lis Necessity deanua',
could find plausible prc:cIt for haLnrd'ns M!
lions at the public properly; more cspcclay w"cn II
wus evident it was not absolutely necessary to The
full aud proper execution ut the patrns laws, hd
would M: to any grent extes ihcoh'nooc 'ie "'e''
Office.
II will require further appropriation to complete
thu. west wing Of tic Patent GGice building The
cnst wing rest 500, 100. Owing 10 the decllyity OF
The grade an additional story Was required IN TIE
west wur. II was found necessary so Ia construct
its basement saba.cln"nt, md principal story INN
each .isht be converted iaTo one large room w!"h
the requirements of the Patent O;lcs dGnnn! IT, TO
accomplish this object marble and srnns piers and
archi;ravcs haze been Introduced which are non III
~, CORRESPONDING stories vi The ems! wing. Thcsc
aud Other additions COS: a5od $l0,GtO, and set the
whole expenditure will not exceed that Of the east
wing. -,
The north pnrt Of ths building should be con-.
ncmred. The cs,imated cost is sl50,nol' without
pnrtiro. partial estimate for LIS construction 3as
been submitted.
There is = large room in the Patent Office ,ee:sna-
ted the National Gallery, which IL not used Tor any
i,,. b,,,, H., thp hpp ifpry