In other words, if certain clerks were paid by the beneficiaries from
their private funds for doing this work, there should be a distinct
statement of the sum so paid, and their claim should rest upon indemnity
and reimbursement alone. But no such statement appears, so far as I can
see from an examination of papers presented to me by the Interior
Department and from the report of the Senate committee who reported this
bill, except as it may be gathered from the rather indirect allegations
contained in a paper prepared by counsel.
No vouchers have ever been received at the General Land Office for
money paid for clerical services rendered during the period for which
reimbursement is sought. The verified statement of the claimants annexed
to the committee's report contains only the allegation that they paid
for the necessary clerical services, and the affidavits of the clerks
themselves furnish no clew to the amount they received. Such an
omission, in my opinion, discredits the claim made, and the allowance of
the sum of $100 per month for two clerks during the period of nineteen
months covered by this claim, because that was the sum authorized to be
paid thereafter for clerks' services, is, it seems to me, adopting a
standard entirely inapplicable to the subject.
In any event these beneficiaries should be required to establish the sum
necessary for such indemnification, and the amount appropriated for
their relief should be limited to that sum.
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