Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-05-27


propriatons demanded 81 s., 55i, 1927 So, 70 supply
deficiencies IA shis Department fer the sane year
We see from an examination Of the report Of the
Secretary, that the expenditures under the Indiaa
Department for the year 1850 we're 81, 5t6.327 46,
for the year 1851 the expenditures actual and esti-
mated, win be S4,514, $50 90
From the report Of the Secretary il appears that
from July l, 1850, to September so, 1850, the ex
penseS Of collecting the revenue from customs we're
S4OO, l62 81; the estimated expenses Of revenue
collections of the same kind for the remaining
three quarters Of the year. from October I, 1850
to June 30, 1851. are 1880, 000-making together
the sum Of 81, 800 152 50. The expenses Of col
same report for the year commencing July !, 1851,
and ending JuEe 80, 1852 at S2,45O. 600, being
So49 S47 Is more for the latt tan for the former
year in this one EN- Of public expenditures.
The Commissary General Of Subsistence, in his
report accompanying the estimates submitted at
the commencement Of the last session Of Congress,
says:
ST honor to report that the amount Of ns
the Treasury applicable Army substance IS more than
sufficient to gbs the Army from this Ocisbsr "a lsI
count Of Army subsistence will be necessary % be made
,.sussia;Snss lands IN the Treasury sl,s7eOss os
from which deduct The amount required to subsist
the Army from November !, is49 to Juue 30
33s,e36 90
Leaving in the Treasury, on June 30 1850, appiea-
bic e Army ssh.istsaee I,s4ss07 IS
required to subsisr the regular ARA J in The ser.
vice Of the United States, from July I, lsss, to
June ~, lesl'..-.. 5444ss Is
Leaving in the Treasury. June So s6g7 COS a.
1t was afterwards assertained that this supposed
balance remaining in the Treasury as applicable to
that branch Of the public service, had been arpro
priated more than two years, and consequently its
application vas prohibited by the Constitution, and
in the regular Army appropriation bill Of the ses-
sir all hat naiu of 80 Il
Appropriated, This es;imsie for Ire year 1851 was
made by the CommissaTy General upon the basis Of
IS, 945 persona at 10 cents per diem, 365 days"
This vas for Subsistence in kind, thcss who draw
rations, and did not ioeuds the officers Of the Army
who receive money in lieu Of ratcns
General Gibson closes his report az follows:
"It will thus he that, after subssne the Army durr
the remainder Of the ascai year. 10 June 80 lO and
for the next fiscal year from July L. 1850 TO June 30 isSI
will Be- applicable subsistence Of he Arv Tor he i
Esa= ending June 30, lsSs"
Instead Of this sum Of S607. 6Os 70 of the sub
sistence appropriations remaining unexpended on
July l. 1851 il now appears from the report Of the
same officer, accompanying the estimates submitted
ct the present session, thst So $50 IS is ali that
will remain. Should he be as successful in spend
ing money from this time until he makes his next
report, as he appears to have been between the
periods Of making his last two, deficit Of hundreds
OF thousands may be anticipated rather than a sur-
plus Of Q few thousands only.
It is further shown by the reports Of this officer
that, instead Of S544, 4S8 IS being sufficient to
subsist the Army for the year 1851, as estimated
for by him in 1919, he has spent, and will spend
during the year, the Of 81 235 74l SO, eonsid-
ersbly more than double the amount be originally
estims;ed for and that, too without any saiisfac-
tory reasons justifyiug this enormous increase Of
expenditures over estimates,
The Adjutaut General, IN his report TO the pres
ent sessions, shows that there are ,G3S persons,
under the legal establishment, in the Army, who
are subssted ty ratiOns in kini. This increase in
the Army will account, in part for this increase in
expenditure, but net entirely.
The Commissary General estimates his expendi-
lures for subsistence for the year 1859 upon the
basis ''l4 827 persons, 365 days, at 20 cents per
diem, SI,O82,S 81" He says: Sin estimating The
ration st 20 cents, the following expenses in
euded: Issues to Indians, per act June 30th 1884;
expenses Of preserving provisions, and erecting
aud repairing bakeoVens. Il is also proper to add
that the price Of ths ration has been increased by
contracts made ia California, New Mexico, and on
tho upper Rio Grsnde, for articles Of subsistence
to cave transportation. Also BY large Wastage and
deterioration Of stores in reaching those distant
posts" Now it does appear to me that, in estimat-
ing the ratiOns at 20 cents instead OF Is cents to
cover the expenses specified, it would have been
better, aud certainly more satisfactory, if these
several items had been estimated for separately.
under the appropriate heads. The s'large wastage
aud deterioration Of stores in reaching California
New Mexico, and the upper Bio Grande,' 1 presume
have already occurred and cannot, therefore, be
applicable to the fiscal year 1852, which will not
commence for eight months after the date Of the
report unless the conditions Of bis contracts for the
delivery Of provisions and at "these distant
posts" in the year 1852, require him, to receive
them in q damaged or deteriorsted condition. To
say the least Of it, think he has acted very i'm
prudenily, and in total disregard Of that economy
which shonld characterize the conduct Of those Off
GERS of the Government who are charged with max
ing contracts and the disbursement Of public money
if he had prior to his last report in 1850, made
contracts for the delivery of provisions and stores
at ''thoss distant posts" in the year 1852.
There is another thing respecting these two re-
ports from this officer which l do not understand,
and which think requires explanation NotEith-
standing the largely-lncressed number Of persons
estimated for for the year 1852 over those estima-
ted for for the year 1851 and notwithstanding the
increase of thiry-three and ontthird per cent. in
the price Of the ration Of the former the latter
year. The estimated expenditures of 1852 are Sl52-
$40 6S less than those CT the year 1851. Why this
is SO we are no. informed, These estimates in
variaby made upon the basis of the full legal mill
tary establishment, where it is well Known that
there is generally deficit Of eight or ten per
cent. resulting from deaths, discharges and deser-
lions.
FRO BE CONCLUDED TOMORROW.