Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1858-03-19
Report on Account. Of jaime. walker

REPORT:
The Committee have deemed II 10 be
within the scope OF their duty TO examine
the books and accounts Of the Land Agent,
and particularly tho accounts Of james
Walker, late Land Agent, which pursuant
10 an order Of the Legislature, were taken
from the files in the Secretary Of States
Office. and deposited in tho Land Oihce.
1t appears from an inspection OF the books
aud accounts IN the Land Office, that there
was paid into the Land 0fice. by james
Walker. latc Land Agent. ON the 3Oth day
Of December last, the sum Of Ss,Oli.35, as
will more fully appear from the sheet an
ncxeJ. marked A. A considerable portion
Of this sum appears To have been paid to
Mr.. Walker alter the settlement Of his ac-
count with the Governor and Council. Dec.
l3l, 1886. and before the election OF his sue
ccssor. This does no, appear g be new
transaction in the Land 0lhcc, several former
Land Agents, in retiring from office. having
retained IN their hands, funds belonging 20
the State, and settling for the same after.
wards, and In one instance the account is
not yet adjusted.
The Committee Of opinion, that when the
Land Agent re,ircs from Office, he las no
legal right 20 retain in his hands any prop.
erty belonging 10 the State; but should de-
liver up the same % his successor, and II
any doubt exists upon this subject, some
provision should be made. either by insert
ing an additional clause in the Land Agents
bond. or by the passage Of an additional
law, TO remedy the defect.
The State is entitled 10 interest on those
funds. during the time Of their abstraction
from the Land Office, and II not paid the
collection should b. enforced by law.
/ In 1919. the custody of the lands reserved
for public uses, was taken from the County
Commissioners. and placed in the hands Of
the Land Agent. The accounts Of the sa)es
Of these lands DO no, appear Ia have been
properly entered upon the books in the
Land Ofiec. They have been kept separate
from the ordinary transactions m the Office,
and the amounts received and paid. az no
time appear upon the quarterly trial halan-
c.. The improper manner IN which these
accounts have been sept, has undoubtedly
given rise to this mismanagcment Of the
property.
The private account Of Mr.. Walker, ac-
corling 10 the sheet annexed, marked II.
appears 20 have been tcttled in the usual
manner hy the Governor and Council, a.
more fully appears from the certificate Of
/ Hastings Strickland, copy Of which ao-
companies the account.
The compensation provided by law for TIC
Land Agent, at the time OF Mr. Walkers
service. was a. follows:
Z" The Land Agent shall receive an annual
salary of one thousand dollars from the
State, "a .JiH compensation for al h" 'rr''
oet."
/ Notwithstanding this provision, Mr..
Walker presents claim Of one hund-cd
and seventy days extra services, At IS pr
day, amounting ia all, TO $3.50, which was
allowed aud paid
/ Under his ialary, the State had a right to
all the time Of the Land Agent, and u be
had claim IN any extra compensation, the
Legislature aud not the Governor aud Coun-
ell was the proper tribunal, TO make the
allowance.
Mr.. Mcintyre. the land Agent during the
Aruostook war, presented no claim for extra
compensation before the Governor and
Council but be did before the legislature.
where his account was finally settled.
Your COMMITTEES are of opinion that this
raymcn, was in violation OF law, and against
All precedent. except in one or two insian-
ccs. where the Land Agent had performed
certain services in obedience 20 some special
resolve Of the legislature, and had charged
n small compensation.
Mr.. Walker presents another charge lor
exchange Of II pr cent. on SJj.lgj - f,
collected on account o! stumpagc az ~.
John. y H., amounting 20 $50 -, which
was allowed and paid
1, was the duty OF the Land Agent 90
have rrcci,cl current funds in payment ior
demands due the State, and II exchange.
were allowed, il should have been one Per
cen, only, as that was the usual rate OF cG-
change between ST. John and Maine and
Massachusetts,, during the year 1850. But
there was 10 exchange paid, as the money
paid az 81. John, was paid either in draft
on Boston. or by cash deposited Ia the Bos'
ton hanks. aud nothing 10 any amount, was
paid in New brunswick currency. II isa
little remarkable tha, large amount Of the
stumpace collected az 81. John in the sum
mer and tall Of 1856. does no, APPEAR 70
have been credited 10 the State until Decem.
Der 81, 1856.
Your COMMITTEES are Of opinion that ,hi.
charge for exchange iswholly fictitious, and
had no foundation in fact, aud ought never
20 have hccn allowed
Mr.. Walker presents another charge OF
I $3.50, 80, as Eve per cent commissions on
certain moneys dlsburscd by him, which
was allowed and paid. Ii was one Of his
duties as Land Agent to perform these SER
vices and there is no law % sustain the
charge. Since about the time Of Mr.. Brad
ley's administration, IL has been customary
20 charge commissions as above, aud they
have been allowed and paid. hut this
charge, IL proper 20 be allowed, should be
regulated by law, and not left TO the tender
mercies OF the Governor and Council.
Mr. Walker presents an account OF his
personal expenses amounting 20 more than
II, 900, which was allowed and paid. i,
has been usual for the Llnd Agent to charge
! his personal expenses, when visiting the
public lands. or performing some services
under special resolve, and reasonable
sum has been allowed 10 former Agents on
tins account. But Mr.. Walkers accoun,
is unrcasOnably large, is unaccompanied by
vouchers Of any kind, with the exception OF
Mr.. Woodward's bill, appears to be mixed
up with his own private charges, and could
never have been properly examined and an
dted.
There is q book known as the "blll
book" in the Land Office, upon which u
has been usual to enter, at length, the balls
paid from the Office. Daniel SanbOrn, Esq.
was the Assistant Land Agent, under Mr..
Walker, and it was his duty TO have made
the proper entries upon the bill book. Moth
ing appears to have been entered upon this