_To the Honorable the President of the Senate_:
The Secretary of the Treasury, in obedience to the resolution
of the Senate, of the 26th instant, respectfully reports--
That it appears, by the letter from the Register of the
Treasury, herewith transmitted, that the statement of all the
claims adjusted and allowed, by virtue of the act, entitled "An
act providing for the settlement of the claims of persons under
particular circumstances, barred by the limitations heretofore
established," cannot be completed before the day contemplated
for the adjournment of Congress, but will be prepared so as to
be laid before the Senate at the commencement of their next
session.
That the statement (A) herewith transmitted, exhibits the
amount of the balances standing on the books of the Treasury
against the United States, which are barred by the statutes of
limitation, and arranged under the following heads, viz:
Loan Office certificates $90,811 36
Indents for interest on the public debt 64,590 98
Final settlement certificates 23,873 24
Commissioners' certificates 4,304 83
Army commissioners' do. 46,468 97
Credits given in lieu of army commissioners'
certificates cancelled 28,674 30
Credits for pay of the army, for which no
certificates were ever issued 17,132 11
Invalid pensions 16,635 46
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Amounting together to 292,491 25
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That so far as relates to the said balances, which result
altogether from accounts actually settled at the Treasury, the
statute of limitation can be repealed without subjecting the
Government to imposition; but that considering the length of
time which has elapsed since the claims have been barred, and
the little value on that account affixed to them, the repeal of
the statute, unless properly guarded in that respect, may not
generally benefit the rightful claimants.
And that with the exception of those balances, it is not
believed that it would be safe to repeal the statute of
limitation in relation to any other general description
of claims; although there may be special cases in which,
notwithstanding the lapse of time, the proper proofs and checks
may still exist, so as to prevent any imposition on the public.
All which is respectfully submitted.