The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1864-03-22
Fourth Auditors Report.
OBSERVER.

\
tabular statement for want of space, blu
publish hat part which will be of great
est interest to our readers. Mr.. TABOR
has per formed the arduous duties Of hi,
office with great ability, and we presume
that the accompanying report will b.
favorably received in all qu,rtels:
TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
Fourth Auditors Office, November 7, 1863
SIR: In consonance with your letter
requesting me to furnish "the annua
report of the transactions Of This bureau
for the fiscal year ending June 80, 1868. .
| have the honor TO submit a statemen,
OF the official business and operations O.
the Office during the above period
The act of Congress of January /,
1928, requires q that every officer OF
agent Of the United States shall render
his accounts quarter yearly to the prop.
er accounting officers Of the treasury,
with the vouchers necessary to the cor.
rect and prompt settlement thereof. with
in three months, a, least, after each sue.
cessive quarter, if resident within the
| Uuited STATES, and within six months il
resident within foreign county" In
order to give efficiency to this statute
reports have been regularly transmitted
! from this office TO that of the Second
Comptroller. at The conclusion of each
quarter, setting forth the names o. those
l n ieIn cf II,
ment who had not complied with the req
uslions. These lists were also accom-
panied with statement of the nature OF
each case and TIE amount of default.
The navy hospital fund has received
that prompt and careful attention which
its Importance deserves, and quarter an
nual reports have been regularly made to
the honorable Secretary Of the Navy, in
which was shown the amount passed to
the credit Of the fund on the books Of
this office,
TIE various items Of expenditure
charged to the appropriations OF the con
tingent expenses Of the navy have been
enumerated in detail in a report 10 the
honorable Secretary of the Navy
An increased clerical force for this
office has from time 10 time been most
respectfully solicited, and with that at
tention to details which has distinguish
ed your administration Of the department
il has received such additions as the ma
ture Of the existing congressional enact
ments and appropriations would allow
you to use for favoring and expediling
the public business But notwithstand.
ing a greater number of clerks are now
employed in this bureau than formerly.
the force is not yet adequate TO the ext
gencies. In common with other branch
es OF the public service, and as one ot
the consequences Of that rebellion which
now convu'ses the country, and which
sprung from unparalleled aud causeess
violence, and lnhalowed devotion TO
slavery, the official transactions of this
bureau have been increased in ratio
constantly augmenling. till the amount
is porlentous. and the requirements are
almost intermiuable.
l. we very briefly compare the stats
ties OF the fiscal year just passed with
those Of former years, the difference is
very strik ing. Al the commencement
Of the present administration The mum
Der of disbursing officers in the navy
was about one hundred now there are
four hundred and eighty seven The
numher.of national vessels afaat in 1861
was (ortviwo now 1t is more than five
hundred. and many more in process OF
construction, which will soon be launch
ed. Tie number of acquisitions Tor
drafts for the naval service ard for the
pension service in 1861 was seven hun
dred and eighty, amounting to S11,856,
20l 98
now il is twenty one hundred and sew.
en.y, amounting 20 $50 ,553 426 IA.
In 1861 the number Of letters received
and registered, and written and record,
ed. was ten thousand nine hundred and
fifty FIVE the past fiscal year it was
forty eight thousand two hundred and
twenty seven. A similar rate or increase
runs through the other departments OF
the bureau, and all involve a correspond
increase OF labor. In fact, notwithstand-
ing all the assiduity of the Office, there
were on the first instant, two thousand
and three accounts, involving many
millions ofdollars, remaining unadiusted,
and several Of them have been more than
a year awaiting settlement. Ii is. more.
over, probably true that the accounts
audited in this Office are not exceeded in
intricacy or amount by any under the
government, and that they especially re
quire clerks of specific and peculiar tai
epis. and are attended with much re.
spon@ 'bility. For these reasons would
most respectfully suggest that twenty
two more clerks be added to this bureau,
which would make the complement
amount to seventy five, and one laborer.
whose services are particularly. needed
on account Of the great accumulation of
work connected with the office. Such
will be The inevitable aggregate Of bus
mess that this foice can be benefitially
employed for years after he'presen, large
navy shall have been reduced. 4
In view, also, Of the fact that there are
10 clerks OF the fourth class in this
bureau, notwithstanding the exacling
nature Of lis requirements. ! would beg