The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1867-01-11


sions Of existing laws Of the United
States.
The amount Is mere tribe com.
pared with the total expenditures Of
the State during the war, for local
bounties, etc, of which the grand
total officially expended by corporate
authorities, and excluding the i'm.
mense private contributions Of every
sort, is shown by the report OF the
Adjutant General to be more than
sixty.tive millions Of dollars.
Or the claims presented to the
United States Government, the sum
of S57,36S ~ was paid TO me on ac-
count of the " Morgan raid claims,
and certified into the Treasury on
the 9th OF May last.
On the claim tor clothing and feed
ing volunteers, the sum Of S33l.22O.
03 was, ut the close of your last ses
sion, remaining suspended in the U
s. Treasury Department, for INSULT
cency OF vouchers, or upon doubts
of the Federal auditors rs to the le-
gality OF the charge Many OF the
items originated in the very begin.
ming of the war, when the routine of
the army regulations coull not pos
lsibly he compiled with. Contracts
with private parties for subsistence
Iof troops had In several instances
been lost, and copies were required
lbetore settlement could nc made
Other vouchers were incomplete or
wanting, and the notices of the sus.
pension OF tile accounts by the U. ).
departments were too brief OF vague
to afford much assistance in correct
linz the errors. Meanwhile, deaths,
removals from the State, and other
casualties, were compllcating the
difficulty of procuring new vouchers
and diminishing the chances OF final
settlement. or at best the State was
losing the interest upon the large
sum due. ...
My own military experience as.
sured me that little progress would
he made in the settlement Of this
business, unless it could be personal
ly attended to by an expert in the
business Of Quartermastcr and
Commissary's Departments. An ex
animation of the claims and causes
of suspension had been begun by
General Day, the Quarter aster
General of the State, but no appro'
priation Tor the salary of that Office
had been made Mt your adjournment,
and the appropriations for the other
officers would not justify the employ
ment OF q competent person for that
purpose. In this embarrassment the
difficulty was solved by a generous
oHtr on the part of General Day to
continue his services without salary
until it could be determined whether
such services could hasten the class
Of claims specially belonging to his
department. The result has justified
my hope, and Of the claims peculiar
Is belonging to the Quartermaster 5
Department, about , 3ds amount.
Ing to SlST ,009.33 have been salts
iactorily corrected and settled with
the u. 5. Treasury, and the amount
credited to the State on its direct
tax, whilst the other third is in such
state of forwardncss as to give
' reasonable confidence in the early
= payment of all that can, in any man
, ner, be allowed under existing laws.
! may properly say that | know those
claims could not have been made
! this year but Tor the course above
indicated, and where the ultimate
collection depends upon procuring
, vouchers or testimony from n great
manypersons time will rapidlydimin
ish the probability oil any settlement.
AS the u. States allows no interest,
, that item alone upon the amount
! above reported rs collected this year,
; woald pay the salary of n competent
officer for more than five years.
The report of the Qlartermaster
General contains clear and full
statement OF his action in regard to
, the collections, as well ms of the 9th
er business OF his Office not translc
, red 10y law TO other departments
I Notwithstanding the fact that Gen
!, eral Day has performed his abor'
. without charge for his services,
!. would respectfully recommend that
i a reasonabl, compensation be allow
+ ed him.
REDUCTION OF MILITARY OFFICES.
The close of the war has made il
J.. proper to reduce the military offices
of The State tv the! smallest number
@ possible, aud heartily accord will
o the general policy on that subjcc'
!. adopted at your last session. ltwa'
S not to be expected, however, tha
n the reduction from so extended anc
il complicated system rs we had In,
for several yeats, To the modest lin
If its Of peace establishment could b'
?, made without some difficulties aris
{. ing, which could only become appa
,r rent after the change was made,
\. Down to the year 1851 the GXet
q custom in this State had been for th
,r Governor, rs conmander-in chief, u
|. appoint officers, TO all the staff posi-
\. tions usually filed in time of war s.
&c that in any emergency he might b
e. able to call upon assistants who's
r. duties were distinctly known and as
n. signed, and be able TO do whateve
might be necessary for the safety c
- the State or the control of its militi
- without the delay of securing cui,
petent officers after the exigcncy Ia
;. arisen. That the happy continuano
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