The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-12-11

1882 and the other Of ss3-occurrng more than twenty
ON the 7th Of June, 1882. forty nine years arer
close Of the Revolutionary war, Ian supplementary
the &C, for the relief Of certain surviving Qesrs ana
soldiers Of the Revolution" passed wHlc that bl
under Consideration, committee az the House IL
Representatives went into elaborate calculation order
embraced by its provisions, and the annual amount a
money II would require. The concluson that the
number OF soldiers who would claim aud be entitled 70 ~
benefits 10,o51 and thai the annual expenditure
would be $907 COS. On this calculation the bin Tsss
ed The number OF claims filed under the k~ during the
first year was about $4,000. The whole number nlei
under il exceeds IS 600 The whole number admitted
was SO, ala
The whole amount expended for pensions IN the wear
1881 was 81 PSI 619 II. In 1888 O. 2o " The
caused by the act OF June 1854 therefore
mittee estimated the hill would require
1t was further estimated by the committee that Al the
end OF seven years, my i've years after the Of the
Revolution there would be none Surviving " receive ~
benefits Now II The whole number 10 031 which Il
supposed would receive pensions under this as had lived
have met its entire requirements according the cacula
ion OF the committee But this OF noi an,e
paed nasmGch as they expected that the ~aoc number
benehciaros would have passed away within the seven
years II fair then 10 presume that half Of this
amount So 6l3 was all that expected 10 be drawn
the treasury under us provisions Twenty years
have elapsed the passage 81 that law aud
hundred soldiers the rolls the gross amount
| expended under the act is now over SIS 900 900
On the passage Of the act OF February o. 1885 granting
pensions to the widows Of Revolutionary soldiers mar
riet subscqueptto $500 the estimate Of the Office that
however, found wholly inadequate, and the additional
500 900 asked for and Appropriated Ia the he
cency bill Of the succeeding session for that purpose
There are other facts on this subec, az curious interest
Fifty three after the Of the Revolution 5000
widows were living whose marriage took place prior 10
| 1888 Nearly one hundred OF them ale yet alive N
1885, fifty five years after the close 81 the ns10
widows were living who were married between 1883 and
1874 In lsis sixty i've years after the war, oii2 Of The
| IL $40 still alive.
In my last annual report you were Informed
rY@t 4
Of deceased Revolutionary soldiers and thor widows the
pensions which they would have received had nc proof
been satisfactorily established during their lifetime hal
been overrucd by me as Unauthorized ~ law Daring
the last fiscal this decision has saved 20 the treasury
| Sis 900.
While have the greatest confidence the wa,chful
and integrity OF the ocers who have heretofore had
the direct management Of the Pension Bureau. the d.
yelopcment OF the frauds which have been pamei 81
upon that Office is astounding. During the last
| fraudulent bounty land claims, amounting, the agxre
gate TO about LIS 900 acres have been detected aud
posed. Previous investigations bad brought 10 light
fraudulent issue Of about 225 eco Four Of the per-
petraors Of these frauds have been convicted
fenced during the last year one, against whom the eyi
dence conclusive escaped punishment under the sta
tue limiting prosecutions TO two wears from the oornms
Of the and thirteen others have been regularly
indicted and are awaiting their trial The bodness and nge
nuiy with which these mposters have presented pressed,
anc successfully prosecuted their cases have equalied
anything recorded in the annals Of crime In
they have even imposed upon their immediate representa-
tves Congress- and made them the vehicles Of conduct
ing their correspondence for establishing their fraudulent
claims. They are generally class OF men who have
managed 10 maintain respectable names in the communi
ties IN which they 1--we, that nothing but the most
vncng rroo furnished from the records Of the Office
satisfy the juries of their guilt. Public justice and the fair
reputation OF the government alike demand that these
offenders should be brought to condgn punishment
The recommendations made III my last annual report
respecting the equalzng OF army aud navy pensions the
extension Of the statute Of limitations in OF frauds
attempted and perpeated upon the Pension Office for the
Of land warrants and the passage Of statute
10 prevent and punish the forging of land warrants
respectfully renewed.
FOR toe greater protection Of The recipients Of land
rants, as should also be passed max Dg penal forge
or counter felt assignment Of the same.
DISTRICT COLUMBIA.
The report of the Commissioner OF Public Buildings pre-
a Of the operations Of this branch OF the ser
vice during the last year and Of the expenditures made
under the supervision Of that officer.
The west wing q the building occupied by the Depart
Of the Interior, and the improvements around
i, have been completed IN handsome and acceptable
ing satisfactorily and when finished the entire structure
viii reflect much credit no, only upon the author OF the
In execution. The estimated cost Of this portion OF
the building four hundred and nf,y thousand
dollars without poruco, or i've hundred and
twenty FIVE thousand dollars with portico The aggrc
amount of four hundred thousand dollars appro
rated by the 1hr! fourth Congress for this purpose II
estimated that 70 complete the building without the
orco, to grade and enclose the grounds and 10 lay OF
I'd improve the interior court additional appropriation
of hny thousand dollars will he sufficient
The constitution OF the United states coners upon Con-
exclusive legislative control the District Of Co
unbia but docs allow us inhabitants any in It's
eebctaions This territory ia extent originally ten
miles square reduced TO is present limits BY rcifoccs
the state u yrg min Of much lies Of the
Potomac consists % three distinct divisions each govern
"A hy own peculiar laws and reguationsGcorg ctown,
incorporated prior To the war of the Revolution but
Whose powors and limits have since been con.
drrned and enlarged by various acts OF egsa-
ton; Washington city, set apart by the President
for the permanent sest Of the Of the United
Siatcs,' under authority Of the act Of 10th July,
1890 reported Congress such by General Wash
ingtou the 18th December, 1871; and the country
the boundaries Of these cities but within the limits Of
the district That Congress has no, been unmndfu OF the
obligations thus resting upon Il Il evident from the very
liberal appropriations which have, from time to time,
been made for the establishment OF The national capital
More than twenty four millions 81 dollars have already
been expended from the treasury for public buildings and
other purposes, and improvements progress,
20 complete which large additional amounts will be
CURED In addition 70 the public buildings, the United
States SIN retains divers lots squares and reservations in
the city Of Washington which, the assessed value,
worth s133l2 .Q3 30. Under such circumstances. the
people Of the whole country must feel deep AMI
abiding interest In the prosperity and progress Of their
METROPOLIS.
viii . view 70 the good government Of the people
~ the District or Columbia Congress, al an early
dav, rccnacicd the laws Of Maryland then Ia
force. aud has since, occasion seemed 10 require.
passed others for thcr benefit, and provided The
means utct sary for Their enforcement As regards the
cites a Georgetown and Washington, the Inhabitants
have aso by special enlcments been authorized 70 pro
vide iGr All matters 81 local Interest within their respcc
tye limits The corporate authorities Of each have been
invested with fai and unrestricted power 10 levy and col
ec, taxes and to cxpend the same n auy manner which Ia
their Judgment. may conducc 10 the health and improve
merit 81 their cities aud the general good and prosperity
Of tie PEOPLE thereof
some care ascertain, u possible whether any fixed
dctcrmna,e line n policy hss been adopted IN rec
renee objects Of Appropriation within the city OF
Washington what class ~ improvements Congress
has undertaken to make. and what has been
LEFT for the city Bu, the search has been in
vain. or, rather, Congress has from time 81 time
made appropriations for almost every conceivable object
Public squares and open spaces have been enclosed AMI
improved. streets and avenues have been graded and
paved LAM. have been lighted along them ani sll
kept burning, shade trees throughout the city have boon
planted and protected sewers aud drains have been
siruotsd and kept open police force he been maintained
under the control o the Mayor o the city the portion o
the CITY Hall in which the circuit and district
held has been paid for, the JAIL the penenary, the In
Urinary, several engine houses AMI the armory have been
built and the bridges the Potomac aud Eastern
Branch have been erected and stu kept up by appro
praions from the treasury Of the United States. With
this record ~ past legislation Is but natural thlt the
people Of this city should turn their eyes Congress AMI
not the city authorities, when any appropriation Is
needed desired for additional improvements
Of public character. Hence petitions have been