The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1865-07-20
Iowa Military Claims.

| Iowa Military Claims.
A late issue of the New York Tribune
brought to tho people of Iowa the infor.
nation that tho Secretary Of the Uni.
sed States Treasury, instead of allowing
to the State of Iowa ito claim of nearly
s65O,OOO for actual sxpen ditures in rails.
ing, subsistiug, and equipping volunteers
in 1861, had made out the State to be in
debt to the General Government to the
amount of $4,000. In order that those
outside tho official circles may be correct.
ly informed on this important subject,
aud that certain misapprbsnsions which
will arise from that article in the minds
of those not conversant with the facts,
We propose to give brief exposition of
ono or two points.
First. The Tribune states that for
this delay "the Government is NOT re-
sponsible, but that it (the delay is
chargablo rather to tho want of system
and proper business accuracy in keeping
the accounts between the State and Gene.
raj Government. The true state of tho
case is this: There never was an ao-
count between the Estate and tho Gene.
raj Government" These expenses were
nearly all incurred and paid before il was
ever known, or justly surmised that the
General Government would repay the ex.
penditures Of States, tho appropriation
for which reimbursement was approved
July II, 1861. The Iowa Legislature
in framing its system (for it is system
and business one, too,) of allowing and
paying military expenses, sought simply
to prevent frauds aud cxccsses for it's own
individual protection, and never dreamed
that it was acting as trustee Of tho Ma
tional Government. The difficulty that
has kept these just claims in abeyance
since the years 1923. is one of pure.
Iy technical nature. Iowa has one sys.
TEN, the United States has another.
Neither system was framed with any ref.
erence to the other, and of course they
are not alike. The State of Iowa formed
a strict and very scruitinizing method of
Investigating claims. The United States,
on the other hand, takes special pains to
obtain and preserve formal receipts.
Upon the first call for troops in 1861,
tho Iowa Legislature was Immediately
convoked; aud among the first measures
adopted, was law authorizing the issue
of bonds to the amount of $500, 900, and
a law, with which We are specially to
deal, constituting q Court Of Military
Claims, styled "Dv.'d Of A.l;.;". o.
missroners," who were to be guided by
the following provisions
"In order to protect tho interests of
the State, no account shall be allowed un.
less the same shall be proved before said
Commissioners in the manner and form
that accounts are established in courts Of
Justice in this State, and recognizing the
same rules of evidence that there govern
and control causes.
Said Board shall keep an accurate CO.
py, in book kept for that purpose, Of oil
accounts presented to them, a memoran.
DUN of the evidence in said case, and
the reasons for the admission or rejection
of tho same.
"Wheneyer the Commissioners shall
allow any claim under the provisions Of
this act, they shall endorse on the back
thereof that the same was examined and
allowed by them, and sign their names
thereto, with the time and place of such
allowance; which claim 50 examined and
allowed, when presented to the Auditor
of the State Of Iowa, will entitle the
holder thereof to q warrant on tho War
and Defense Fund, and no other, for the
amount of such claim"
This sytem the Auditing Commission.
ers followed strictly until some time in
November, 1861, when the Department
at Washington forwarded forms and in
structions they desired to be carried out
by the Iowa authorities. This Of course
was too late for the bulk of the claims.
After full consultation With Mr.. Atkin.
son, the Third Auditor of the U. 8.
Treasury, the State forwarded the follow.
ing additional evidence:
I. A certificate by the Auditor of the
State of Iowa that warrant was actually
issued upon the State Treasury for the
amount of each claim passed by the Au.
diting Commissioners.
II. The certificate of the State Treas.
urer that each and all of said warrants
were actually paid and redeemed. Mr..
Atkinson expressed himself very favora.
bly, impressed with the claims, and gave
the chief Commissioner to understand
that the furnished evidence was sufficient
and satisfactory. During the present
year the late President Lincoln express.
ed himself in a similar manner to Cover.
nor Stone, and desired the Secretary of
the Treasury to construe the technical
rules of the Office literally.
The above are the facts of the case.-
Do these facts show "neglect for the sim.
plest rules of business" or on tho contra
~, an unusually systematic arrangement
on tho best of business principles1 Here
you have claims subj to the severe
scrutiny of Court of Record, and tho
payment sworn to respectively by tho
State Auditor and tho State Trsasurer.-