The New York herald., 1862-04-04
Claims Against tho Government In the
WoAt.

WeAt,
Tho following correspondence has taken place between
the Western members OF Congress and the Secretary OF
the Treasury in relation to payment Of claims the
given that he will soon provide for all
small claims in money and that he Will issue per cont
certificates to all who wish to take them.
WASHINGTON, March 81, 1862.
We beg leave to cali your attention to the large in
dbeness Of tho government in the Department OF tho
West amounting now TO at least sixteen millions OF dol
lars This is due for army supplies and for labor.
About half OF this has been passed upon and al
of War to Investigate claims In that. department.
This latter class have stood for than months
without payment and no encouragement is given by the
disbursng officers Of the government to tho payment
OF claims 80 long delayed
These claims present peculiar hardshirs suffered by
creditors Of the government Complaint has boon made
against the operations and specuations OF few ndi.
vduas in the Western Department. and instead Of con-
ning the investigation to cases OF supposed fraud all
the claims in that department. including the smallest
purchases and even the wages OF laborers were sus
pended and had to bo submitted to the Commission All
alike were subjected to the expense and trouble OF prov
inR up thor claims before that body, matter how
great were thcir wants or how small the ptance
claimed Moro than six thousand claimants had to sub.
nit 10 this delay and trouble and suffer tho imputation
that attached all claims thus investigated all were
stgmatized because few persons had sought to take
advantage Of tho government After the six mouths do
lay thus occasioned and without any fault OF thors tho
claimants have not been paid nor can thoy obtain any
assurance of early payment. They, therefore. in their
distress, have earnestly appealed to US TO demonstrate
against the hardships Of further delay.
These claims chiefly confined to tho States Of Mis-.
souri, Illinois, Iowa and Indiana, and to the city OF Gin.
cinnati. y
VIC, therefore, urge upon you the prompt payment OF
these Claims especially those long hold up for invost
eation before tho Commission and allowed by them We
arc air very respectfully your obedient servants Frank
p. Blair Jr., James g. Rollins John W. Noell, Thomas L.
Price, WIN. A. Hall e. H. Norton, John B. Henderson II.
wilson, Of Missouri; Wm Kellogg, W. a. Richardson
Owen Iovejoy, Lyman Trumbu, o. II. Browning of Iii.
nois Schuyler Cofax, John p G. shanks, A. G. Porter
VIM NJ Dunn, JOS A. Wright, Of Indiana: J. II. Lane OF
Kansas; James F. Wilson, James W. Grimes OF Iowa.
MR.. CiAss's REPLY.
Treasury DEPARTMENT, March "a, 1852
Your lolter calling my attention to tho large in.
dsbtedness OF the government the Department Of tho
West was received on Saturday, and now reply
Tho Department Of the West embraced the estate OF
Illinois, aud the States and Territories west Of tho Mis-.
sssppi river and on this side the Rocky Mountains, in
cuding New Mexico"
pormcnt and chiefly ST louis have long been known
Re very large and effort has been spared by me 70
make adequate provision for their payment. send you
herewith statement Of the amounts actually remitted
for that purpose, with the aggregate for each month
making fatal Of $35, 79E OF which $22 1855
ware remit,cd to ST. Louis; - 1853 2s7 to Chicago:
So lOs 905 10 Leavcnworth and S5 ,677 $50 other
points This statement does Not include considerable
sums placed at various points t. meet demands from
tho Department OF the West which be accurately
accrtaned 1hearreareges would have been conpa.
raty Insignificant had not the payment ofa large class
Of claims been arrested by the order OF the War Depart
mcnt creating commission For thoir examination All
the claims included under this ORDER far found valid
by tho Commission, be paid equally with other
recognized demands the government, and il is my
wish and aim that those OF amounts less than thou.
sand dollars-and especially those OF aborors mecha
MICS and others in like circumstancesbo paid without
delay Claims Of larger amount bo paid promptly on
presentation OF tho checks Of the proper dsbursing
officers in certificates Of Indebtedness or as soon ns
ths condition Of the Treasury will allow in lawful money
NO unnecessary postponsment will take place in any
case.
My anxiety. gentlemen 10 have all these claims fairly
and speedily adjusted, and promptly paid equal to
your None know better than yourselves eyor
that the Treasury Department has control the
expenditures OF the government II must necessarily
rely the other departments for estimates, and bo
governed in its disbursements by tho action of those
departments and OF Congress.
In my communication TO tho honorable bodies OF which
you members have directed attention to the largo
excess Of expenditures over estimates, and real
necessities and havo represented strongly could
the Importance of retrenchmen economy and energetic
action. Having done this IL my duty TO make pro-
vision far possible for the actual demands author
zed and made upon tho Treasury and, far limited
abilities have allowed that duty has been performed
is because those demands have, for the time ourun The
capacity Of the country 10 furnish tho Of meeting
them.
II may be reasonably hoped that tho successes Of
brave soldiers in reducing the proportions Of the
belon will allow important Toduc iops of sxpend
ture and that tho systematic and effective organization
of the army and navy In all their departments of activity
and supply. will cut on, far practicable, every
occasion OF extravaganza and waste.
These things accomplished and adequate provision
having been made by tho Judicous legislation of Con-
gress for the support of the national credit and for
sound currency need not be feared that
will prove Inadequate to all legitimate demands that,
thereafter any Just claims the government will long
I remain unad stod or unpaid 5. p CHASE.
Mr.. Blair replies, expressing qualification at the
surancc thus gvon aud letter IRON secretary stanton
adds that $500 900 have been set apart for the objects
abo spesined.