New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-11-02
Labor for the Government-NIr. HenshaHv's
Manifesto.
To the Editor Of the Ne1c York Tribune:
He who the sword Of Heaven will bear,
Should be as hoy as severe

Shame to him whose cruel striking
Kills for faults Of his liking
Twice treble shame on Angelo
To weed my vice and let his grow'-Shckspeare.
cannot assent to your unqualified praise OF
Mr.. Henshaw, IN reducing the wages of laborers
in the Navy Yards, which in your paper of the
9th inst. you call an Upright, Manly Act"
Manliness and uprightness consist in the estlma
ton OF some, in dealing with our own lmpertec
tons as we deal with those OF others. Permit
me to apply Mr.. Henshaw's own rule to his own
conduct. He says 81 do not believe | have
any more right to pay 20 per cent above the
market price for labor than to pay 20 per cent.
above the market price for materials and supplies
of clothes and provisions for the Navy" We'll,
if he has not right TO pay 20 per cent. above
the market price for the services of others, has ne
the right to receive 200 per cent. above the mar
ket price for his own services 1t IS true he says
he does not complain that the workmen attempt
to obi ain higher wages than they ought to re-
ceive, and probably he justities himself for not
relinoushing any portion of his own salary. This
NAV be, as he saws, all very NATURAL" but it is
not all very Just. do not treat matters of this
nature quite SO indugently. What cannot be
Justly demanded, cannot be Justly received. l
mean of course in business transactions. If the
worllnen ask more than fair compensation,
they are highly reprehcnsible-they are extor-
/ TONERS. If Mr.. Henshaw retains more than this
for his own services, he IS In a like predcamcnt.
| There is nothing certain in morals if these are
not serevident truths. But mind, do not take
the market price a standard for fair compen-
sation take the necessary expenses OF we'll
fed, well clothed, and well educated family, of a
large size 1t might be difficult to say exactly
what sum this should be, but assume, and will
maintain against any and all opponents, that one
dollar day is too little for this purpose, and that
SIX thousand dollars year are too much.
Mr.. Henshaw is the agent of the United
States AS an agent he conceives himself bound
to protect his principal against the exorbltant de-
mands of others, that is, against demand hove
the market price but while doing ti1s he very
compacently takes from his principe all he can
get for his own services, market price to the con-
trary notwithstanding. Poor laborers must not
be allowed to pluck Uncle Sam. He is game for
none but Secretaries of the Navy and kindred
dignitarcs.
Mr. Henshaw says he knows Of hundreds and
can Gnd thousands of worthy, competent men IN
Massachusetts, who would be glad to work for
the price he offers. and would throw two hours
additional labor daily into the bargain.
cts true, It's pity and pity It's It's true
But !, in my turn, will tell HIM what ! know.
know of scores, and can find hundreds Of wor-
thv, competent men who would perform the dn-
ties of his office for one third of his salary, which
| believe is $4,000 a year, and would refrain from
insulting the poor in the bargain. | know that
the market price of any service which Mr. Hen
shaw can perform does not exceed SSl5oO year
Few are so shallow as not to know that work
ingmen are benefited, equally with others, by an
economical administration Of the government
but there ought to be fewer still who do not know
that compelling men to work for less than a COM
Portable subsistence is benefit TO no one. If,
however, this market price system must be adj
hered to in one case, why not in another? Why
are fifty cents retrenched from the wages Of
laborcr better than thousand dollars retrenched
fro.n those of Secretary or other dignltied ottl
Ger?
Tho expenses Of government might be redu-
ced and workngmen as well as others be there
by pecuniarily benefited, in the opinion OF some,
if all persons in the employ Of the government,
Secretaries as well as laborers, could be compel
led to perform their services faithfully Tor the
smallest sum that would keep them from starva
ton. There Is an axiom in morals, however,
that the end docs not always justify the means.
We read in Scripture that the laborer is worthy
of his hire, which [ think means that he is enti-
tied TO be well fed, clothed, and lodged. You
will find it difficult to convince man that ne
ought to give up the dollar which enables him to
clothc and educate his chlldren, for the purpose
Of contributing it to lessen the burdens of seven
teen millions of people, while the man who re-
ccivcs twenty times his salary for more labor
is never asked to part with a cent for that pur-
pose
The workingmen wish neither more nor less
than Justice They are weary of seeing Re
trenchmcnt when sent on his annual rounds,
stop first at their door, and insist upon being
lodged and fed entirely at their expense. JUS
tice Justice Mr. Tribune; there is such thing
as Justice, though politicians and men OF the
world sncer and laugh in their sleeve when they
meet one who really believes IN its existence. go
We despisers, and wonder and perish;
Mr.. Hcnshaw ought to know that true ccono-
nay does not always consist in obtaining labor at
the lowest market price. He ought to know that
neither the government nor any class OF men
under it are truly benefited by employing men
for less than will support family comfortably,
whatever the market price may be. The United
States Government is somewhat interested IN the
| kind of men who lnhabt these States. 10 los
ter and cherish sound and well educated minds
in sound bodies is the true policy of this Govern
ment. Does any one suppose that family OF
SIX children, for instance, can be comfortably
housed, fed, and clad, and well educated, In any
of our cities for a dollar day ask the cues
ton with confidence, for l. thanks to such men
as Mr.. Henshaw, am sometimes compelled to
make the experiment. ask the question of HIM,
excuse the I'D hominem,) can he do 1t see
the half-concealcd smile OF contempt upon his
face lie, by superior ability, has risen above
his fellows, and has jas diuinum to fare sump-