The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-02-05
Post once Clerks.

To THE EDITOR: beg that you would oblige this
large and hard working class of men SO far as to
publish the enclosed article. Tho statements en-
bodied therein are facts; and will add to them the
precise condition of things they exist in of
the large offices at the North to which the writer
of this belongs. The clerks in the Office referred
to are required to be at their posts at half past five
in the morning, and their labors do not cease until
haf.pa seven in the EVENING" period of fourteen
hours. This duty is performed every day in the
week, with the exception Of Sunday, on which day
four hours duty has to be performed-enough to de-
stroy the pleasure and rest which God intended
every man should enjoy the Sabbath. In addi-
ton to this, liable to be- and very often are,
| called up in the night, or at any moment when our
regular duties have ceased to attend to the steamer
mails, which arrive every week from England.
And what compensation, Mr.. Editor, do you think
we receive for these prolonged and responsible du-
ties? Our salaries do not average six hundred
dollars per year! We cannot live upon them in
Boston; ard throughout the country our fellow
laborers are kept in the same starving condition.
The injustice done to us, body, is seen in the
fact that Government employees in the Depart
ments here, and in the custom houses everywhere,
receive an average more than double pay for
half the labor that we perform.
We, them have come TO the Government, and
ask it do US something like Justice put US on
| footing with other public employees.
As state what do know, | subscribe myself,
| respectfully, H. TlLDEN,
representative of the interests of post office clerks.
| THE article enclosed in the preceding com
munication is the following extract from the
Richmond Enquirer, which we observe is in
the type of the Alexandra Gazette:
Posr OFFICE CLEnKs--Wc understand that Pc
titons have been sent to the United States Senate,
appealing to that body to make some just and
proper provision for the salaries of clerks in the
| post Offices. We trust that the Senate, in acting
| on the Cheap Postage bill which has passed the
House, will look into this matter, and grant so rea
sonable request. The facts, we learn, are about
as follows: The receipts OF the office carefully
computed at the end of each quarter, and from the
gross sum the per centagc allowed by the Depart
ment TO the postmaster is deducted. From this
per centagc the salary of the postmaster 500 per
quarte) is taken together with the rent OF the post
Office, and all the incidental expenses OF the estab
lishment; and the balance, after all these deduc
tions made, 10 divided among the clerks in
ratio, according TO the decision of the postmaster.
| The clerks in custom house not only have
stated salaries, but have only ak or seven hours
work to perform in the day; and these stated saa.
res nearly double those received under the pre-
sent postage law by the clerks of the post office
Under the new law, even their present mite will be
greatly reduced; and whilst the bill before the
ply the anticipated decrease in the receipts Of the
Department, not cent from that source, or any
other, appropriated to prevent further reduction
in the salaries Of the clerks which will certainly go
| down almost to starving point.
We take pleasure in recommending all that is
said in the following extract of Baltimore letter to
the Union:
can efficient post Office clerk must be an edu-
Gated and intelligent man, whilst many OF them
also have families to support. IL any OF our MGR
chants were to propose such meagrc salaries to
their clerks as they will receive under the new
law, they would be read out Of mercantile society
most unworthy members. Their stations are
also those of great trust and il is scarcely to be
wondered that occasionally hear of some Of them
being tempted to deviate from the paths of honor
and honesty perhaps to supply the necessary wants
of themselves and families
sAll they ask of Congress ia TO fix their salaries
at a certain amount, that they will be longer
liable to constant decrease, with increased labor
Under the almost annual Legislation of Congress.
The people want cheap postage, but they certainly
do not wish any reduction, il it cannot be effected
without working serious an injustice to the post
Office clerks, who number many thousands Of wor
thy and intelligent young men,"