n LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 013 704 347 6 REPORT or COL. R. BIDDLE ROBERTS. PENNSYLVANIA STATE AGENT • AT -WASHINGTOlSr, D. O. £"^27 -*8^ REPORT. Hkad-Quarters Pennstlvania Stati AOINCY, ) Waishin(jlon CUy, December 31, 1863. f To His Excellency, Andrew G. Curtin, Governor of Pennsylvania: Sir : — I bare the honor to submit the following report of the operationB of this Agency, for the portion of the year 1863, daring which I hare had charge of the same. Under an order from your Excellency, dated April 27, 1863, I succeeded Col. Quay as the State Agent here, and took charge of the oflBce on the Ist of May. Upon conferring with my predecessor, I found that the ofiBce then occu- pied by the Agency — one room on 13th street — was entirely inadequate to the business to be transacted, and in accordance with an arrangement preri- ously entered into by him, I removed the office to Xo. 487, 11th street, where two commodious rooms were secured at a rent not exceeding the amount al- lowed, and sufficiently central in location, to answer all the purposes of an office for the Agent, the Assistant Quartermaster and the Asaistant Surgeon General, and of easy access to the public. The duties of the Agent are numerous and perplexing. p]rery one, be be i>o1dier or cirilian, who is in Washington and in any strait, applies to the Agent. Being fully adrised of your wishes, I deroted my time always ^r8< to the soldier, but in many instances the desires of the civilian were so blended with the welfare of the soldier, os to render attention to the former indis- pensable to the discharge of duty to the latter. The officer who has been dismissed the service, whether properly or improperly — the soldier sick in hospital, in want of a furlough, of a trans- fer, of pay, clothing or a descriptive list — the paroled prisoner searching for his exchange or his regiment — the widow in quest of her late husband's back pay and her pension — the anxiou.s wife, parents, or other relative, in quetit of some lost one who has given op his life in the field, and no one can tell where — the friend or relative searching through the endless wards uf the 4 REPORT OF THE Washington hospitals for the wounded and the sick, or returning with the remains of the gallant slain, receiving the transportation given by the State — all expect, and rightfully expect, to find in the State Agent a friend, an adviser, a counsellor, an assistant who will at once facilitate them in the discharge of duties so important and so sacred. How difficult such duties thus become, can only be understood by those who have attempted them. Early during the year your Excellency directed me to inquire and report to you upon the expediency and propriety of making such arrangements as would enable the State Agent to collect for the soldier his back pay and bounty, or secure for the surviving relatives the pensions and other compen- sations allowed by the acts of Congress ; accordingly, I made a full exami- nation of the work of the other States in this behalf, and made an informal report, which, while it did not advise any definite course, was such as to indicate that, until the Legislature took some action upon the subject, it was not in pour Excellency's power, under present appropriations, to direct the Agency to be so conducted. Some of the smaller States have already authorized their agents to make collections, and they are so engaged, and it will perhaps become a matter of severe comment that Pennsylvania, always foremost in the work of aiding her soldiers, and foremost in the establishment of an Agency at Washing- ton, should not be the first in this work, but permits her men to be put to the expense of collecting their own claims, leaving them a prey to the sharp- ers who hang about the Metropolis, ready at any instant to fleece the gen- erous, unguarded and unsuspecting defender of the country, of his last dollar, by means of false representations, securing from him a power of at- torney to draw his money and robbing him of it. I do not wish to be understood as finding fault with gentlemen who are engaged as claim agents, many of them highly estimable and entirely worthy of confidence, and engaged in a legitimate business, but there is here a class of men who, without an office, or the semblance of business, hang abotit the streets, form the acquaintance of the soldier who, perhaps, just discharged, sick and worn out in the service — doubly home-sick from the chance there seems of his getting there — or who, perhaps, has his fir.st fur- lough, after months of service, and who, while in this frame of mind and body, is easily imposed on, the so-called agent securing his confidence, aifects to aid him in doing that which could as well have been done without him, and secures from his victim an exorbitant compensation or authority to collect, in bis absence, and not unfrequently closes the transaction by send- ing his victim away intoxicated and degraded, who probably in a few hours finds himself in the guard-house, penniless and friendless. To protect from such imposition and wrong, it seems but justice that the State should make such provision, through her Agency, as will secure to the STATB AGENT AT WASHINGTON t MJdiertbe full amount of bis hard earnio)fK — gailuiilly won, tlioy HbouUl l>« sacredly eecurod to hiiu. Auil Ibo claiiiiH of ilut widow and the orphan ar« not lose Hacrod. Tbey have boon deprived, through the noceHMitieo of the Oovornnu'ut, of thoir natural protector. Should not the Slate provide). ineanH by which they can secure the pension ((uarantuvd to Ihtini as part of • the contract of enlistment, without expouse or withont iiaving it virtually decreased by tbi; obarf^os of attornoyH and agents employed to collect tbe« aaine ? Surely it should bf so. 4 If your Kxcellonry should agree with mo in this respect, and should be of opinion that the Agency should be so employed, it is proper for me to say that libiTul appropriations will have to bo made lor this purpose The ox- ^ pense of livioj; ia Wu.shington is so great that the salaries paid will have to be in proportion ; and tbo Agent will require at least two clerks, in addition to the aid of the Assi.stant Quartermaster and the Messenger, now allowed. For a detailed statement of furniture, blanks, cxpcnsos, &c., I respectfully refer to my former report on this subject. Much of the lime of the Agent is taken up by civilians coming from Penn- sylvania, some wishing to visit friends in the army, some desiriog employ- ment at Alexandria, and all recpiiring to go where it is requisite tbey should have Government passes. They come totally unaccredited, and the officers here decline to issue passes. They then apply to the State Agent, and very frequently prow at once indignant if he does not instantly certify to ibtir loyalty and good standing. Twice during the summer I called the attention of the public, through the medium of the Associated Press, to the uucc»siiy that cxi.-itunoe, to the "Pennsylvania Relief A.ssociation." Tbey liavo constantly, during the time I have bad an opportunity of observing their operations, aidfd in every way in their power, in the distribution of money and supplies, not only to the soldier, but to those dependent upon him. This was a private charity, and was an honor to our State. I regret that the want of supplieo will probably compel them to discontinue much of the good they have liore- tofore dt;ne, which is truly to lie regretted. I am al.so under obligations to the Sanitary Commiasinn for similar favors. Your Excellency is aware, that acting under orders, I have be<;n absent from Wa.-hingtun frequently, Hnring the advance of the Rebel army into Pennsylvania, in Juno and July last, I was absent at I'biladelphi* S , REPORT OF THE STATE AGENT. or several weeks assisting in mustering and sending forward troops, and tA other times, in the discharge of other daties, was compelled to be away. During such times, the duties of the Agencj were discharged by Major James QiHiland, Assistant Quartermaster, with fidelity and ability, and my acknowledgments are due to him for the same. la closing this report, I beg to say that I make the foregoing suggestions with regard to the future operations of this Agency, with the more freedom, as I am encouraged to hope that your Excellency will accede to my often ex- pressed wish to be relieved from the onerous duties here, and re-assigned to my former duties at Harrisburg, where, I feel satisfied, I can be of mor« service to the State. AU of which is respectfully submitted. Very respectfully. Your obedient servant, R. BIDDLE ROBERTS, A. D I IIRRARY( 0013 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 013 704 347 6 pCRnulipg*