, 1862-03-31
WESTERN WAR DEBTS.
Appeal of Western Members of Con,
~Efesa to the Secretaries Of War and

Appea1 Of Western Members: Of Con.
i; ,;;the Treasury: 7 Fl !:
es.Eol-.F 2. Blair after weeks of f1itless
pressing for the payment OF the debts due in
!. Western Department, has got up the. follow
Ing urgent appeal, which was on the Goth pre-
sented to Secretaries Stanton and Chase: : :
WASHINGTON, March 81. 1861
sH:: We beg leave to call your attention to
the 1a1ge ebtedness Of the Government in
to at least Sl6, ,e00,0n. This is due for army
About one-half of this sum has been passed
upon and allowed by the Commission creased
BY the late Secretary Of War to investigate
/ claims in that Department. =, ~ .. = =
/ This latter class have stood for more than
si1 months without payment, aud no encour-
/ agement is given By the dishursing officers Of
the Government as to the 'paymeat Of claims
so long delayed.
These elaims. present peculiar hardships;
suffered by creditors Of the Government,
Complaint had been made against the opera:
tons and specu1ationB Of feT individuals in
the Western Department, and instead Of coz
dning the investigation to cases Of supposed
fraud, al the claims in that Department, iu-
wages OF 1abore1s, we're suspended and had to
be submitted to the Cumm1ssion- AL alike
were subjected to the expense and trouble Of
proving their claims before that body, no mat
ter how great were their wants or how small
was the plttance claimed. More than six thou
sand claimants had to submit to this DELAY and
trouble, and suffer the imputation that at
tackled to all the clufms thus Investigated; all
were stfguahzed because few persons had
sought to take advantage Of the Government
After this six months delay, thus oceasioned
and without any fault of theirs, the claimants
have not beea paid, nor can they 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 are chiefly confined to the
States Of Missouri, Illinois, Iowa aud Indiana,
and to the city Of Cincinnati. These States
have suffered more than any loyal States By
the blockade Of the Mississippi River and the
necessary restrictions On trade along the bor-
der in order to keep the rebels from Obtaining
supplies.
The people have eheerfaly submitted to
these restrictions for the good Of the cause.
But these restrictions have greatly embar-
raised and impoverished the people who have
SO faithfully observed them; and the money
due them is greatly needed The West has no
vouchers, and hold them at reasonable rates
Of interest, for an indefinite period. In the
| present condition Of Western finance, the
| claimants must hold their claims until paid, or
e1sG suuHlt 10 Iu1n0uS Q1sCouuLS Oh Their
| vouchers.
The Military Departmentof which ne speak
| has fought more battles, shed more blood, and
| won more victories for the Union than any
! other, and we cannot refrain from saying that,
under all the facts OF the case, it is unjust that
| this Department should suffer from such ruin
| ous delays in payment Of the money Justly
| due the people. OF course, Intentional iujus-
tice is not presumed; but We fear that, amid
the pressing applications Of claimants, loca-
ted nearer tie capital, the people OF the West
postponed in favor Of those more clamorous.
The elaims in our Department are generally
Of small amounts, are widely scattered, and
their payment would afford relief to the whole
country.
We therefore urge upon you the prompt
long held up for Investigation before tue
Commission, and allowed By them. We are,
sir, very respectfully, .. 81