Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-01-15

Of few dollars month, which all know is
entirely insufficient for The most ordinary pur,
proposes. Ii pensions were confined to this
class, and their gratuities properly enlarged,
the system would meet with universal appSo-
val
beg leave again to bring to your notice the
statute limiting to two years prosecutions for
perjury and forgery committed in pension and
land warrant cases. Many criminals have set
up this plea, and escaped the vigilance of the
bureau, and the prosecuting officers. In most
cases, it is hard to detect the culpri before the
time for the institution Of criminal proceedings
has expired. There were nine convictions dur
ing the last year, anda like number of prosecu-
tons are now pending.
The number OF, pensioners on the rolls OF the
several agencies for paying pensions was, on
the 30th June last, l4,4SS; and the amount
disbursed during the last fiscal year was ST.
505,ll2 81.
The sums in the hands ofpenson agents have
at length been reduced to what is required for
the semi-annual payments, allowing a small
margin-having been reduced, in the aggre-
gate, from $948,475 so, on the 3lst of March,
1853, to S230,099 38, on the 30th Of June last.
In my last report, | remarked that, from the
| large amounts it had been customary for them
to have on hand, it was not doubted that they
had been fully compensated for their services.
The more information obtained in this regard,
the more confirmed am | in the correctness OF
that opinion. The present compensation, when
| The agents are governed by the existing strln-
gent law, must be sufficient as the Offices are
| earnestly sought after, and the duties were
never more faithfully performed.
My attention was early drawn to the fact
that advances to considerable amount had
been made to the agents appointed for the pay
ment OF army pensions, under the acts of May
1928, and It'll of June, 1882. Each of these
acts contains clause making the requisite ap.
preparation for the payment Of all the claims
which may be admitted under it; and hence i,
\ has not been necessary to ask for yearly appro
priations from Congress in these as in other
cases. Advantage has been taken of this cir
cums,ance to make the advances referred to-
and, on examination, it was found that the
amount in the hands Of the agents exceeded
under one act, what would be required to be
disbursed during period of several quarters
and. under the other, of several years.
M satisfactory authority was found to exist
for Withdrawing the money from the treasury
as it wss evident that no part of it had beer
appropriated, except such portion only as was
actually required for current use under the law
Instructions were, therefore, given to discon
tinue the practice of making such advances
and to require those already made to be re
funded to the treasury. The result of this nc
ton is exhibited by the following statement:
Amount collected and repaid into The treasury
under the act of 18th May, 1913, from lst July
1853, TO 30rh June, 1855 ;.......... $4,000 g
| Amount collected and repaid into the
treasury under the act Of 7th Jnne,
1882, during the same time. 201 1913 g.
i Making aggregate of. 1890. 257,l3l 8