Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-12-04

Ar estimate Of S3.oOO COZ Is submitted for IN
pay ment OF the claims % the several states fcr
enrolling. snhsiSting. and other cVpcnses in-
Cured by thew fer trooIs called into che service
The reports OF the General OF the Army and
of the division and depAri IN M commanders
VIII convince the country that the cficerS and
men OF the Army have performed the duties
slevolving upon them faithfully and wei.
Though these duties, resulting frum the determ,-
nation Of the Government Ca eniorce the laws tor
the collection OF the revenue and for the sup
preston Of armed instruction. have few agree
able features, they are performed With that
cheerful energy which l. the result Of discipline.
The records OF the Department show thai one
hundred applications tor troops cor various par
poses, and for military protection. have been
made since January !. ISL, an OF which. where
the necessity required It, have been promptly
responded %.
He recommends that the extra lieutenants now
serving a. regtmcnial adjutantS aud quarter
masters be discontinued as vacancies orrar IN
these grades. This would effect an nlfimasa
reduction OF - lieutenRnts, and save Si6o.ol1
per annum. He also recommends that the era Ia
Of quartermasfer's sergeant for oompau e 81
cavalry, infantry and heavy artillery De ah,l-
ished. and that the duties OF those OF srs he a.
charged by the first sergeant OF each cOmpany.
Also, The discontinuance OF company artiHr6r
and company WAGNER. This will dispense " n
ue sefNlces OF Lies enlisted men. ana save
He recommends that the law rc-arainr.,l...-
ments be amended. and that no recruit De- i,s.-
mitted TO enter the service who's ayc Ia L.
own oath, is not shown "a be over "A Ncars
DCsertiOns dnring the past few months have
largely increased The reports received az tie
Department indicate that the reduction offEs
pay Of soldiers from sixteen o. thirteen dollars
per month has contributed greatly To this res at.
The board Of army officers appointed 20 in-
NcStigate the sub ect Of military prisons recon-
mcnds the adoption OF the British system, which
rs 70 forfeit the pay OF the convicts for the
support OF the prison. Sixteen retired officers
have died during the year.
The proceeds OF sales of clothing from June
80, $50, to the present date amount 90 sl,ss5,-
80 -, all OF which, a. collected, 4 turned into
the Treasury and cannot be used by the Depart
ment.
The cost OF transportation during the year has
been 81 800 CO.,
In the Office OF the Quartermaster General
lsrge numbersof miscellaneous claims tor trans
portation and for stores taken and used by the
army in certain States and Territories. under the
act Of July 4, 1854, have been nled and final
action had as far as possible. These claims
amount 20 many millions OF dollars, and the
large interests involved require that there
records than can be given them I'm the present
building, in which tire would be disastrous.
The number OF graves in the national cemete-
ries is So $50, including ,295 added during the
year. The cemeteries cover an area, in the ag-
gregate, Of about 800 acres OF land, acquired at
The number Of medical officers Is insufficient
for the service, and he recommends that the law
prohibiting promoters and appointments i'm
During the fiscal wear small-arms and ord
nance stores 60 the amount of $4,000 .0o0 have
been sold, and the entire proceeds, except a
small sum retained TO meet expense of preparing
other stores Tor sale, have passed into the Treas
sry beyond the control of this Department.
OF the deductions OF weather reports made &C
the Signal Office, % ter cent have been fully
verified. This percentage, increased by those
regarded partially verified, will make an
aggregate Of 90 per cent. Of average vertical
tiOns.
The Secretary speaks i'm the highest terms or
the signal service and the value OF the weather
observations TO the country.
say m rafe In fha
irauds:-''The regulations now governing dis
bursements appear TO be ample for the preven-
ton Of fraud. The failure 20 enforce them
makes the path 10 fraud an easy one" He pro-
poses TO have frequent inspections Of the ac-
counts of disbursing officers made. and hold
each inspector responsible for any misdemeanOr
which may occur In his district.
IL has been absolutely necessary 70 retain
about one-sxth Of the army in those states Of the
south, east Of the Mississippi, which were en-
gagged in the war OF the rebellion. Numerous
applications for troops 10 aid In the enforcement
OF the laws were received from United States
maTshals, officers OF internal revenae, and state
officials; urgent appeals for assistance crowded
in from private citizens, and Il soon became
evident that the security Of the people de-
manded the continued presence of the reg
ular forces. IL is a painful fact, which merits
serious consideration, that in some portions
Of the south freedom OF opinion is not tole-
rated, II that opinion is expressed i'm oPPO-
sition 10 the doctrines which originated the
late rebellion. Indisputable evidence estab-
iishes the fsc;, which is proven, too, by
armed rebellion Of regular organization anl
great strength now exists In parts OF those
Of perfect RELIABILITY. made sf,ei mature obser,
walton and judgment, conclusively show tn az the
ramifcations OF this organized body are extern
sive; that its system Is arranged with great care
and shrewdness /; that It's prosecutions extend in
the dark hours OF the night, and i'm cowsrdly dis
guise, TO persons OF every age, sex, and condi-
ton who dare 20 exercise a freedom of conduct,
action, or speech which dIsagrees with the pOiit-
icol doctrines of these marauders. This body OF
congirstors, constituted for the purpose OF
crushing out many of the inherent liberties OF
the defenceless people of those States, defes tho
law and spurns the authority of the Govern
ment and, so long as il exists, 30 long will il be
necessary 10 aid the civil authorities with the
armed force of the nation I'm putting down this
second rebellion and in bringing its leaders 20
speedy punishment.
The Secretary again calls attention to tbs
necessity Of appropriations for the speedy cree
ton of a substantial fre-proof building for the
War Department. The rented buildings, scat
tered all over the city, are remote from the main
office and ridicuously unsafe. Many tons OF
records, to which the public business requires
daily reference, are stored in these buildings.
Besides their historical interest," these papers are
Of immense value for the protection Of the gov
eminent against fraud, comprising all the mus
reports of army officers, hospital records. sc,
counts OF public property, and, In fact. the ac-
cumulsted records Of the department for seventy
years, and are scattered here and there in such
buildings as can be secured 10y rent from private
parties, and utterly unsuted 20 the purposes for
which they must be used.
Reflection on the mode of clerical selection
and appointments suggests the hope that a sys-
tenn may be devised by the civil service commits
ion which may extend its beneficial effects To
he various departments of the government.
The experience of those who have watched with
interest the workings of this department teaches
that time is lost, money wasted, and business
demanding attention delayed by the constant
changes which occur under present laws ant
customs. A iudiciOus reform would soon exhibit
the great advantage of an improved system.