Arkansas true Democrat., 1859-06-15

judicial functions to the perpetration of the frauds.
 Another cause for the great decrease in the expenses of the pension Bureau is at trlbutable to the action of the department, under its present head, in discontinuing the illegal practice heretofore existing of pay ing to the heirs of deceased revolutionary soldiers the amount unclaimed by their parents. This practice it is manifest from the records of the pension office, was the fruitful source of nine-tenths of the frauds committed upon the government in this connection. The ease with which an inn postor whose father may have borne the name o1 some revolutionary soldi whose service was susceptible of record proof, could be identified, by false afidavits, as the heir Of such soldier, stimulated knaves to manufacture claims well fitted to deceive and to detect the imposition required the greatest care. The pensions, moreover, re- covered from the government, under the erro- neous practice which had prevailed, were sums Tn gross often of large amount, (not yearly stlpends payable at different periods, ] and hence the inducement to knavish agents to invent spurious claims was proportions ble enhanced. The decision of the depart ment referred to needs no defence, as it merely put an end to practice which was clearly against law; but if this were other wise, a justification might be found in the fact that the practice itself operated merely as bounty to perjury and fraud; and that, Of the few genuine claims recovered under It, but a small portion of the amount allow ed ever ultimatel y reached the hands of the rightful claimants.
 In passing to consider the expenditures connected with the land department-a branch of service in connection with which many pertinent suggestions arise whilst looking at the table of figures above insert ed-we must, for the present, content our selves with a few observations only.
 Since 1852 the Indian claim has been ex- tlngulshed to more than 140, ,000, ,000 acres of land. Kansas and Nebraska before that tune Tn the exclusive occupancy of Indians have been opened and organized as territo- rles. Facilities for emigration have multi piled Tn every direction, and, as conse- quence, new land surveys and new land of hceS have become necessary; and surveying districts and land offices have been estsb- llshed by law The proceeds of sales of lan'is have also increased, and evidently in a greater ratio than the increase of pay ments from the treasury on account of the land service.
 From the departments report of 1853 it appears that up to the 30th June of that year there had been received in cash for lands sold S142,2S3,478, "being S53, 2S9,465 more than the cost of the whole quantity which had then been purchased, inclusive of survey and sale;;" that there had, Tn addition to this, been donated fol educational purposes, military bountes, and internal improvements, 52.64S, 96G acres, and that enough still remained. if sold at $l 70 per acre, to yield further net income of $277, ,S91 ,904. And from subsequent reports the following results are obtained from lst July, 1853, to 30th June ls3S: Amount received in cash for lands sold, S36, ,9S5, ,277 II; number of acres dis posed of in addition under grants for vari ous purposes, 100, 930,645.
 These figures indicate the extent of the operations of this branch ofthe service, ant the necessary increase of the expenditure, incurred in properly conducting them.
 The recent rapid extension of our settle mentS has required a corresponding enlarge ment of our surveying operations, and larger outlay from the treasury. This how ever, IS one of the very means by which tho treasury is to be supplied, for the land must be surveyed before they can be sold During 1856, 1857, and 1858 there was ex pended for surveys $1,157. 967 09, or al annual average of S3S5, ,9S9 03; while il 1852 and 1853 the amount so expended was only S53S, 145 96, or S269,07 9' per annum. During the years 1852 an, lSo3 the cash recei pts from lands were onl S3,7So,31l 7S, or S1, 1890, 155 80 per an mum; while in 1856, 1857, and 1858 the reached the large sum of 514 ,409, 705 54 or S4, S03, 235 II per annum.
 The compensation of our land officers do pends for the most part on the amount o lands sold, and hence the payments to thcl in 1858 amounted to S329, 566 3O arains S22l ,591 A in 1852 The States also ar entitled to per centage upon the sale within their limits, and the payments O this account in 1858 were S2I5.G2l G. while in 1852 they were only $96, 15S Is
 The increase of the several items of ex pendlture incurred in the management ofth land service, when properly understood will show that, instead of being censured fo extravaganza, the administration should b commended for its economy and efficiency At all events, we are willing to leave tn case with the country upon a bare state ment of the facts
 The patent office, which is also under tn supervision of the secretary of the interior is self-sustaining. The tariff of charges and the financial regulations pertaining t. applications for patents, have remained tn same from 1852 to 1858 inclusive. there is larger expenditure, there has bee a corresponding increase of income.
 The gradual increase of the expenditure from the patent fund during series c years IS an indication of an increase c business; and turning to the official re ports this suggestion is verified. In 1855 there was drawn from the patent fun, Sl9S,9OS go, and in 1852 $99,117. mak ing an amount for 1858 little more tha, double that for 1852 But the application for patents in 1858 were 5,364 in number whilst those in 1852 were only 2,639 il number, showing larger proportional in crease in business of the former over th latter pear.
 As the patent fund admitted the increase and business of the office required it, Con gress has, in the interval between 1852 an, 1858, increased the salaries of the examin CTS and clerks in the patent ofce and Ina also increased the number of examiners ant clerks Such increase was required to in sure that promptness and efficiency in it administration which its contributors had right to expect.
 As to the other items of appropriation il the foregoing table, it will be perceived tba the appropriations have, to a considerabl, extent, been made for objects of such de scrlptlon as are not continuous or constant ly recurring. Such appropriations, if the, | do not balance each other in the agprepat, from year to year, fuctuate according t, particular exigencies, to the will of Con gress or to the particular conditions of tn,