National Republican., 1877-12-04


| ourattcntion isinvted to the statements Of
several officers concerning the crowded condi-
tion Of the files of their respective offices.
These files include the vouchers upon which
the disbursements Of the Government In all
branches have been made, and the Importance
OF securing them from destruction aud provid.
ing for them such room rs will make them
readily accessible can hardly be over-esti-
mated. Such action for this purpose rs you
may deem necessary should be taken as soon
as practicable.
CLAIMS AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT.
The attention Of Congress Is called 10 the
laws imposing upon this Department the ad-
judication of multitude Of claims Its orgnni-
zation is admirably adapted for the investiga-
tion and statement Of accounts accruing In the
ordinary course of current business but II Is
not adapted to the investigation Of claims long
since accrued, and supported in most cases by
er-parte afiidavits. The Department has no
authority to cross-examino witnesses, no
agents to send to examine into alleged facts,
and no facilities, such as are In common use
by courts, TO ascertain truth and expose false
hood. IL Is respectfully suggested that this
class OF claims, not already acted upon, be
transferred from the Treasury Department,
and its business Of accounting be confined to
current accounts, payable from appropriations
made within short period Of time.
Most of these claims are paid out Of what
are classed permanent annual appropriations" /"
contained in section 1850, Revised Statutes,
which do not come under the annual super
vision Of Congress. These appropriations,
though declared to be annual, have been used
for the payment of claims however old, includ-
ing nearly every case Of fraudulent or cxag-
geratcd claims paid by this Department.. II Is
respectfully urged that this important section
be carefully revised; that the appropriations
contained therein be made annually and that
only such claims as accrue within o brief
period be paid by the Department, unless
proper evidence In their favor appears upon
the records, rs in the case of the principal or
interest of the funded debt.
BY the act approved June 90, 1875, us Stats,
ITO, sec. 81 1t was provided: That from and
after the first day Of july eighteen hundred
and seventy -four, and of each year thereafter,
the Secretary of tho Treasury shall cause all
unexpended balances Of appropriations which
shall have remained upon the books Of the
Treasury for two fiscal years to be carried to
the surplus fund and covered into the Treas
ury," &c
Under . construction Of this act, placed
upon II after full examination by the De-
partment, IT was held that most Of the appro-
priations made by this section, and which ac-
crued prior to July /, 1874, are not within the
exceptions stated In the act, and they were
accordingly covered into the Trsasury. and
are not available except for current purposes
and for claims accruing within the imc fixed
by that act. 1t seems to be the clear purpose
of this act to include permanent annual appro-
priations within its operation, and to thus In
clude them Is wise public policy.
Among the permanent annual appropriations
made in the section referred to is that to re-
pay to importers the excess Of deposits for un-
ascertaincd duties, or duties or other moneys
paid under protest, from which tho greater
RI nft thn fun of 1nt; IL,
These include a class of claims commonly
known rs the charges and commissions cases."
which arose under the act of March 5, 1851.
Abont 400 suits were brought by importers
against the collector of customs at the port of
New York, to recover alleged excessive duties
by him in obedience to the decision of
the Secretary of the Treasury that, to ascertain
the dutiable value of imported goods at the
port of entry, there should be added to the ac-
tual market value Of the goods at the port of
expectation a commission of two and one-balf
per cent, and certain costs and charges. This
act was repealed June 30, 1864, SO that all these
claims accrued prior to that date.
Over two million dollars have been paid on
these claims, the items of interest and costs
forming very large proportion Of that amount.
The remaining cases are still pending in vari-
Gus stages of progress, and to satisfy these two
million dollars more will probably be required.
Upon full consideration, the Secretary Is Of
the'Opinion that no money should be apropri-
ated for the payment of these claims until
after q thorough Investigation has been made
into the nature, character, and Justice, not
only of those still pending but also of those
paid. Full details Of these claims, as far as IT
Is possible for the Department to ascertain
them will be submitted to Congress.
Under the same section claims for refund of
taxes illegally imposed under internal revenue
tax laws are paid Claims under these laws
are very numerous and varied in character,
and some are still pending for refund Of taxes
wrongfully imposed under statutes which have
been repealed and are no longer in force.
In internal-revenue cases, the law now in
force in regard to informers' rewards Section
3i63, Revised Statutes) authorizes the Com
missioner of Internal Revenue, with the ap-
proval Of the Secretary, to pay such sums as
he may deem necessary for detection and
bringing to trial persons guilty of violating
the laws. 1t Is respectfully submitted that all
such discretionary powers be more carefully
limited by law.
Questions are constantly arising as to the al
lowance to be made to district attorneys for
their compensation. The statutes have been
so often amended, and so variOusly construed
that 1t is almost impossible to determine what
allowances should be made.
In the southern district of New York the al
lowances have been such that In some years
thc compensation VI tHc ulbtTlCb uItOThty mas
exceeded $4,000, while In some meritorious
cases there has hardly been sufficient author
ity for making fair allowance.
To avoid excessive compensation the Secre.
tary has limited the aggregate amount of al
lowances to any district attorney within one
year, including salary, to $4,000; but tho bet
ter way Is to establish by. law the salary of
each district attorney and to forbid all allow
ances.
Under tho act of July 4, 1864, and acts
thereof, and section 800, Appendix
to Revised Statutes, claims Of loyal citizens, in
States not in rebellion, for quartermaster's
stores and subsistence supplies received or
taken for the use of the army, are to be re-
ported by the quartermaster general or COM
missary general II satisfied that they arc just,
to the Third Auditor for settlement. The ac-
tion of the accounting officers of the Treasury
Department upon this class Of claims Is rc-
quired, by the act of June 10, 1874 to be re-
ported by the Secretary to Congress at the
commencement of each session for considera-
tion before payment by appropriation. The
number of claims of. this character is very
large, and the amount allowed thereon and
reported in the Digest Of Appropriations for
1877 is $270,35722.
Other classes Of claims under the jurisdic-
tion Of the same accounting officers, but -not
nRahh rsNn eaaAz % h. .@.N.. n.