The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-06-02
THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE CLERKS.


owe an explanation why we have not given
their fluctuations place in our columns. Our
first and principal reason is that the object IN
tended by them would be more probably accom-
Pushed by transmitting these communications
to the Committee of Ways and Means, which
ject classification. In the place, all these
lie tiers are on the same subject, and the general
scope of their observations is nearly the same.
To insert all of them would be unnecessary-to
select one might prove invidious. These rea-
sons, we trust, will satisfy our correspondents
To the suggestion made by many of them, that
we should give our views on the subject which
interests them, we experience some difficulty in
responding. OF the details OF business in the
Departments we know practically nothing, and
consequently are not qualified to discuss minute
ly the merits of the proposed classification
Besides, we have not yet seen the report of the
Committee; but from what we have heard Of
its contents, we are inclined to believe that it
has been COMPOUNDED with another made by the
Committee on Retrenchment.
On the general question proposing reduction
in the saarie, of the clerks in the Departments,
we can, as well as others, express an opinion
We feel no favor for the narrow plan of retrench-
ment, which cuts down the small salaries of the
clerks to still smaller dimensions-u,r have our
minds been satisfied by the arguments that have
been urged in support ofthe proposed reduction.
No huli Il od,,c cor
occasion, that better graduation of salaries
can be established than now exists but we
cannot discover the advantage to be gained by
reduction of the compensation below the value
of the services to be rendered, and the relative
expense of living in the city of Washington.
Men Of talents are required to discharge many
Of the duties TO be performed in the Depart
ments-and we wish to see talent in Executive
clerks as fairly remunerated as talents employed
by any other branch of the Government. The
price of living in this city is higher than in most
other cities with which we are acquainted
This circumstance should not be overlooked in
fixing the salaries Of the clerks.
We have more than once heard the assertion
made that clerks in mercantile establishments
situated in remote parts of the country are not
SO literally remunerated as the clerks in the De-
partments-and that the work of the Govern
brought here from the Far West. The argu-
ment is evidently too weak to require an an
swer. 1t proves too much
We mean no disrespect to the Representa-
tives of the People when we say that members
of Congress could be obtained at less pay than
lars for every twenty miles. If the business of
Legislation were put out to the lowest bidder, we
might have Congressman at two dollars day
perhaps at a lower price. But the question
would naturally suggest itself, would these men
be fit for the station to which they aspire? We
hominem to furnish the most direct illustration
of the futilty of the argument we have heard
most confidently urged against the high salaries
of the clerks in the Departments. Would the
clerks, whose ignorance of the ways of great
cities might persuade them to come to Wash
ngton, be qualified to perform the duties which
you entrust to them? If they came, what length
of experience would be required to teach them
that they had contracted to work for too low a
salary?
In comparing clerks in country stores (as is
frequently done by members advocating re-
trenchmenD with clerks in the Departments. two
important considerations are overlooked The
first is that the situation of a clerk in store is
regarded only as an apprenticeship which will
introduce him into business of progressive in
crease of profits. The clerk in this case is but
the apprentice of the merchant, and is himself
an embryo merchant. He works at low sala-
ry, merely from the impression thas he is in
clerk in one of the Departments is fixed in ca
tegory vastly different. His clerkship is the bu-
siness of his life, and he has nothing beyond it
to hope for. He has resigned every other chance
in life merely on account of the steadiness Of
the employment and the gertrude Of the salary
If Congress aDould be more actire IN passing
the Appropriation bills) and can form no ex-
pectations of re-duplicated profits from the pros
perity of business.
In the second place, much higher order of ia
lent is required to fulfil the duties of many clerk
ships in the Departments than can be requisite
to keep the book accounts Of store, especially
of many Of the country stores, from which some
gentlemen propose to transfer the in.nates INTO
the public Departments as substitutes for the
present ertraragant ncumbens, who require
thousand dollars year to support themselves
and families IN the city of Washington.
We have thrown out these ideas on the SUBJ
jec of reducing the salaries of the clerks in the
Departments, and on the argum nts used in ia
vor of the reduction, in justice to class of men