, 1859-05-27

ty noted The magnitude of the claim and the time
allotted precludcd anything further Not all Of the
vouchers could he opened and read, and the figures
could not lie tested it is impossible to test the
racy of many Of the accounts, they are indefinite
aud rendered in aggregate without rates or dates
Their authenticity rests almost solely on the certiR
Gates Of officers, original papers being furnished in but
very few instances. The accounts Of many of the ciH
GERS, will be seen, certified by the quartermas
ter and cOmmis>aTy generals as Icing correct and
just according n original reports and certificates OF
such officers, and stated to be file in their offices.
| The evidence of Indebtedness went before the com
missioner generally, on report Of the quartermastel
and COmmissary generals Whether or not the cA
penscs were incurred necessarily, or the property cN
pended in a proper manner by the subordnatesi
whether they in fact wholly incurred, or wcrC
partly constructive simulated could only be deter
mined by the commission.
II may not he doubted that the quaTtermaster and
commissary generals reported to them the true state
of subordinate accounts as received by them. Yet
there s nothing among the papers to test their repre-
sentations, and certainly nothing by which to ascer
tain whether tie subOrdinaes did or did not make
faithful returns. 1t is to lie presumed that the com
mission were satisfied OH these points, for they ap
proved eveything-Oniy reducing rates; and no rea
given among the papers for even that. The
only exceptions arc few and generally trivial One OF
two cases of labor, where the persons were enlisted
men; two cases where enlisted men were known 10
have been employed aud paid for the time in the reg
ular army although regularly mustered and discharg
ed and few cases where the time of service has been
reduced The only case of importance is in a charge
OF S,S29 % for the personal services Of one man
postage stationery horse hire rent of Office, and com
mutation of subsistence and fOragc-while making mp
the mnster and pay rolls Of the 9th regiment, Oregon
militia, which was in servire parts of October and No
vember, 1855. OF this claim, the commission allow
81 039 0j and disallow ST. 7S9 81 Some eight or ten
instances noticed where persons are made up fol
payment in two capacities the muster rolls. This
arises probably from nadvertence they gener.
ally cases where privates having received stan ap-
pointments ate not dropped from the company rolls
There has been attempt to ascertain If payments
for services made to persons who the rolls
soldiers, rs II would be quite impossible without
thorough analysis of the whole account. Beside the
general fact pointed out as to the evidence of indebt
edness upon which the claim rests and authorization
of vouchers, the only feature that he noticed
is the prices charged and allowed The amounts OF
forage and subsistence purchased cannot easily be
certained they are covered in charges for meals
board, pastuIage, stabling and feeding. Neither can
the amount Of transportation be ascertaned without
some time and care; and il is impossible to say, when
$500 81 600 per day is paid for the Of steamer
or $50 or 5000 per month for rent of buding, which
is eXorbtant or which is not. The vouchers ere all
certified TO Ge correct and just and that the property
purchased and the services procured at the lowest
available rates.
The following general remarks on the accounts Of
Of the several officers submitted The order of To-
calty, rather than rank, is Observed commencing at
Portland and proceeding southwark toward California
Zeibcr, assistant quartermaster general, Portland
from Nov. II, 1854 to Jan. 90 1856:
Purchases, (by appraisement0 Hores and
lnules. .{lZJ,4I5 10
Purchases Other property, ty,............ lO0,Ol5 IS