Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-10-22
yEKMONT's INDEBTEDNESS
The State Indebted to the United states
Government on the Books of the
Or nance Bureau of the War
artnput.

WAsIINGrON, Oct. 1i.-Third Auditor
Williams to-day ut the following letter
to the secretary of the treasury Under
an act of Congress, approved July 21th,
1851, to indemnify the states for the cX-
penses incurred by them in the defence of
the United States, the State of Vermont
filed her claims in this office NJ different
times amounting in the aggregate to 1924
49,, of which SS5i, $40 has been audited and
paid, leaving suspended II balance of SG6,
500. The State is now asking for settle
ment of this balance. Pending eXamina-
ton of accounts, | was informed that the
records of the war department would show
a considerable Indebtedness to the United
States for arms and equipments furnished
the state of Vermont during the years
1868 and 1864, which had never been re-
turned or accounted for. Accordingly
made inquiry in the ordnance Office of the
war department, when the fact was dis
closed that IN the years 1868 and 1864 The
war department furnished to Yer
mont arms and equipments of the
money value of S640,Gii. In 1873
the State was credited with $3.50 errO
neOusly charged against the States quota
on December 3l-t, lSti4. In 1861 there was
Il iurthur credit of SIS 53i, value of arms
and acCOutrements and ammunition lost,
expended, issued and burned between the
years 1861 and ISIS, credit therefore being
given under the act of March Bird 1870.
There Is Il further credit of SCI OiG for
arms retained for the United States, to
which the State Of Vermont would he en-
Titled under the act of April 23rd, lNOS "A
balance thus standing rs its dcbteducSS
against the state on the books of the ord
nance Office amounts to sob $50 On the
23rd of June, 1856, Congress passed II joint
resolution that the secretary of the treaSu-
ry Ge authorized to pay the State of Yer
mont any sum that may be found due, af-
ter the same shall have been audited by
the proper officers of the treasury depart
ment which was expended by the
State of Vermont for the defense and
protection of the frontier and from
the invasion from Canada in >64, not eN-
ceedlng the sum of Sl64I, which, am
informed, had previously been aScer-
tanned as the full amount of her claims.
Acting under tins JOINT resolution the
third auditor allowed this sum Of SIG. 4G4
aud the same was pad to the governor of
the state out OF the national treasury. 1t
Will be observed that the money was paid
to the State OF Vermont at the very time
when this Indebtedness was standing
against her on the books of the war de
paltment. In this connection / deem it
proper to ada that have information re-
ceived from Creditable source that the
state sold the greater portion of these
arms and equipment, out OF which she
realized about $4,000 and that was de
posted in her treasury. The Legislature
of Vermont Is now in session and have
therefore deemed it proper to give you
this Information at this time in order that
you may take such steps to bring the sub
ject to the attention of the proper authori-
ties of the State as you may be advised
and as may seem required. In the mean
time the claims of the State under the act
of July u, 1861, will be suspended i'll this
office.