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DOCUMENTS FROM THE WAR DEPARTMENT. 
Department of War, 
JVovembei' 29, 1823. 
Sir: In compliance with your directions, I herewith transmit 
statements from the Major General of the Army, and the several 
subordinate branches of this Department, lettered from A to M, 
which contain, in detail, a view of the administration, for the three 
jfirst quarters of the year, of the various branches of the public ser- 
vice entrusted to this Department, comprising the Army, Military 
Academy, Fortifications, Ordnance, including the Armories, Milita- 
ry Pensions, Bounty Lands, and Indian Affairs. 
The statements afford satisfactory proof, that order, accuracy, 
economy, and accountability, have been introduced into every branch of 
the Military service. It will be seen, by them, that the money appro^ 
priatedby Congress had been applied with economy to effect the ob- 
jects of appropriation; that the accounts have been made up with 
accuracy, and transmitted with promptitude to the proper Depart- 
ments for settlement, and have there been settled without delay. 
The observations are true, with scarcely a single exception; and the 
result has been, that, of the entire amount of money drawn from the 
Treasury in the year 1822, for Military service, including the Pen- 
sions, amounting to g4, 571. 961 94, although it passed through the 
hands of no less than 291 disbursing Agents, there has not been a 
single defalcation, nor the loss of a cent to the Government; and that 
the whole has been accounted for at the Treasury, except a smaJl 
amount, which remains in the hands of the disbursing agents, ready 
to be applied to the objects for which it was drawn. Tlic disburse^ 
xnents of the three first quarters of this year, have been equally 
satisfactoiy; and, there is evcty reason to beiieve, that no defal- 
cation, nor any loss, will occur in the year. The administration in 
relation to Indian Affairs, tliough greatly improved, and tJiecx})end- 
iture reduced fully one-half, is not as j)crfect as that of t!ie Military 
branch of the Department, nor can it be made so, unless rendered equal- 
ly perfect in its organization. It is impossible, under the presetit ar- 
rangement, that the minute and constaiit attention to its details, which 
is indispensable to a perfect administration, can be bestowed. 
