LAWS OF SETTLEMENT. the amount due,-being the second item named above,-and instituted efficient measures to secure the remainder. He cannot close this brief account of these two sub-departments without expressing his deep obligation to his Second Deputy, Merritt Nash, of Abington, for the fidelity and discretion with which he has served the State for the past eight years, and no less for the unvarying courtesy and kindness which have marked his official and personal relations. He is rejoiced to learn that this excellent officer is likely to receive the promotion and increased compensation he so entirely deserves. The Laws of Settlement. The law of military settlement, passed in 1865, was rendered necessary by exigencies resulting from the war. Its immediate enactment was required to prevent gross wrongs impending over disabled soldiers and their families. There was little time to inquire what precise form of law would be best, or what limitations would be most just and expedient,-knowledge which, after all, could only be gained by experience. Hence, through the caution of the distinguished jurist who drafted it, the statute was so hampered with conditions as greatly to impair its efficiency. One of these conditions was a previous residence in the city or town for the six months next preceding enlistment to the credit thereof; but this provision gave rise to so many difficulties, and, as time advanced, the precise term of previous residence became so difficult to prove, that many most deserving soldiers, and especially the orphans of the dead, were entirely deprived of the benefit of the law. It was clear that, after a few years more, the want of evidence on this point would render the law almost a nullity. Accordingly your Agent, urged thereto by many overseers of the poor, asked of the last Legislature the repeal of the previous residence, and the Committee on the Laws of Settlement agreed unanimously that it should be done; but, in drafting the amendatory statute, the Attorney-General did not strike from the original law the words, "an inhabitant of said city or town," so that a previous residence is still required, and the difficulty is nearly as great as ever. Your Agent believes that the true policy for the GENERAL AGENT'S REPORT. soldier and the people is to require every town to take care of the disabled of its own quota and their families; provided the town has received credit for a year's service of the soldier, without his desertion or dishonorable discharge. He therefore recommends, on the renewed solicitation of local authorities, that the Board ask the Legislature to strike out the whole of the proviso at the end of the first section of chapter 230 of the Acts of 1865. The extension of the laws of civil settlement, granted by the last Legislature, took effect in July. The interval is too brief to warrant any expression of judgment as to its actual working; but two things are clear to your Agent: 1st, that it will prevent the breaking up and final separation and pauperization of many worthy families, long permanent residents in the cities and towns, by sending them to the State Almshouse instead of giving local aid,-a cruelty permitted by law, which has stained the records of too many of our municipalities; 2d, that in consequence of the changing character of our population, these laws must be yet further extended within a very few years, unless the people are prepared to be taxed for building and maintaining quadruple the present number of our public institutions of charity. 3.-Sub-Department of Transportation. This has also been supervised directly by the General Agent, who has been assisted in its duties by the Third Deputy and his clerk, and certain temporary officers,-the reasons for whose employment were fully explained to the Board in the last Annual Report of its Agent, from which he makes the following extract: "After the examining officers of the Department of Settlement have finished their labors, the results are made up by the General Agent, who proceeds with the officers of Transportation to make the necessary transfers and removals. Those regularly employed for this purpose are the Third Deputy and his clerk; but much temporary aid is needed, and one extra officer is required for nearly the whole time. All extra service is paid from the appropriation for Transportation. It never exceeds the rate of $66.67 per month. OFFICERS OF TRANSPORTATION. The whole amount thus paid will be found opposite the item 'Assistance,' in the Analysis of moneys expended on account of Transportation. It is less than the average salary of your Agent's clerks, though at times several persons have been employed. If these places were made permanent, the officers would have too much leisure; if any hindrance should occur to the examining and investigating officers, they would be entirely idle, and yet would receive full salaries. The undersigned has therefore availed himself of the permission of the Board to employ such temporary assistance as he might need, as the most efficient and economical plan. The effect of the extra labor in the Department of Settlement is seen at once in the increased Transportation, the number of removals and transfers having been over 3,000, an increase of just 25 per cent. over last year." After this explanation, which certainly seems sufficiently explicit, under full powers granted by the statute and by vote of the Board, and with means of payment specially voted by the Legislature for these very officers, he proceeded to make such appointments and give such compensation as accorded with his judgment and experience; and the names of the appointees, with the sum received by each, will presently appear. The expenses of this Sub-Department for the past year, paid from the regular appropriation, have been as follows: In addition, Mr. William H. Marsh was Mr. Thomas Payson, at sundry times be- Total for 19 months of service, . $766 66 158 34 280 01 $1,205 01 GENERAL AGENT'S REPORT. During the illness of the General Agent, the First The difference between this aggregate and the amount charged to "assistance," in the Analysis hereto appended, includes the sums paid to officers for the recapture of elopers from the State Workhouse; also, those paid to stewards of steamers and other persons for care of passengers sent across the seas, and sundry small amounts expended for occasional aid required on cars or steamboats, or in transmitting passengers to distant cities. As the Legislature appropriated for this additional service the sum of $2,000, and less than two-thirds of the same has been expended, the Board will observe that their Agent has kept within due bounds in his outlay for this purpose. The whole number of removals for the year ending September 30, 1868, was 2,104; of transfers, 583,-in all, 2,687. The expense of sending the above number, including their necessary food, clothing and outfit, has been $10,623.37; the removal to places beyond the sea costing $2,474.95, or an average of $25 for each person sent; to other places, $6,834.36, or $3.41 for each. The transfers have cost $1,314.06 in all, or $2.25 each. The appropriation for this purpose, for the financial year 1868, was $12,000; for the year ending September 30, 1868, $11,500. Details of Transportation. The following is an Analysis of the expenditure from the appropriation for Transportation : Amount expended, As follows: COST OF TRANSPORTATION. 1. Cash paid fares to transatlantic ports 2. Cash paid fares in the United States 3. Board and provisions, 4. Clothing and outfit, . 5. Cartage and express,. 6. Postage and telegrams, 7. Assistance, 8. Transfers,. Balance of the appropriation, Total appropriation, . $10,623 37 4,869 83 905 25 206 49 The following table will show the number and destination of the persons removed :— |