The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-12-31


me else TO call attention the subject this
time. But from the fact that there class Of persons
here who have mol been residents ong enough apprec
ale fully the exgences o the and in whoee hands
the power to remedy the evil Hes-l the members
OF CongIess-l deem il expedient put Lem possess.
sion OF through the medium Of your val
liable paper tor soliciting their inieTposit0n, aud which
hope may be tho means OF inducing them to take i'm
mediate action In the premises. That the lahorer
thy oil his hire. Is maxim not only derived IRON Holy
Wnt but 50 perfectly 10 keeping with every principle Of
honor and honesty, that its business. believe through
series OF sees has never been questioned But there
have been differences Of opinion Is to it's construction
aud practical application, by which, in many instances,
great wrong has been done. II BY tie maxim u meant
that the laborer is entitled 10 receive the wages be has
contracted for then The government q the Gni,sd States
stands acquitted before the world but it, on the con-
tary, and which regard the true intent and spirit OF
the naxim It that the laboTer should be remune
rated according the value Of his services, and the
knowledge, skill and general intelligence necessary 10
faithful performance OF them. then must needs charge
the government with Injustice towards its employees
alluded TO- BY taking this view Of the subject, do
not intend by any means 10 deprecate the valae OF
manual labor SO far from that regard il no less
Of civilization. The mind plan, and the hand 10
cute, are not only essential 10, but entirely dependent
uon each other and consequently as regards he great
purposes OF life, they stand upon equal footing. I'm
der our glorious constitution, we'll ia the eyes OF
God, the holman and philosopher are alike Both
men. and both useful in their peculiar walk II s moi.
therefore. because labors with his hands and tho
other with his head that they should 30 renunealed
equally but the why they should arises from tho
difference OF capital invested either in time or money. in
qualifying themselves for the practice OF their respective
pursuits The cost OF article in market, general
thing is graduated either by its scarciy the Of
ahor and skill required 10 produce il and such should
DO The standard by which labor itself ought be meas.
ured and rewarded To carry the illustration: the
hod-carfier without previous study, experiences, OF ex
pense, may engage in the exercise Of his calling
while the lawyer for instance il Obliged Of necessity
devote 70 the study OF bis profession, Involving
matter Of course large expenditure Of msans before
ha n,tiu tth II ~
reasonable therefore, but nsl that the compensation OF
the latter should greatly exceed that OF the fermsr In
The business relations Of life between nan and man. Tins
principle pretty fairly carried out; but how i il with
the government OF the United States Is il not noto.
tact that carpenters in California get more wages
than captains the navy, brickayers more than cuttn.
ants, and bod than midahpmen, who have
passed rigid examinations la the mathematics And
even here in this city of Washington, where the
sares OF lie (though high enough, Heaven knows can
be obtained much less exoIban prices than In Cali.
fornia, there mechanics, the employment OF the
government too who are better paid than many OF ne
most Efficient and tkpe isneed clerks IN ne Department.
We live in age OF progress, air. Editor. and rs
people have arrived degree OF practical ineil-
gence undreamed of by former generations Our lbe.
rAy, both IN tact and opinion, should be ComrnensU
rate with our greatness and enlightenment and in view
OF this, believe the time has come when unbnded by
national ejudices. profit By the wisdom of other
countries In The treatment Of her employees. England.
ancient enemy, sets good example. A clerk
oil toe departments at London, occupying
poning position that OF twelve dollar cvtk
here, would receive from three HUNDRED and fifty Tour
hundred pounds per annum conpensa,ion and in many
instances be furnished with apartments Tree in the gov
eminent bulldng added to this the fact that political
prescription is applied under any circumstances
that class OF apponces Good behavior constitutes the
tenure OF otce; and finally after certain number of
years oil faithful servce when the machinery OF
begins 10 wear out they are placed upon The civil retired
list, and provided for during the remainder oil their lives
Under hs system there is something TO look forward
something to live for, good pay and the chance oil pro-
motion while young aud vigorous, aud psoysoa
and suspension from toll IN old age. Bui, alas how
different 1t IS with Here the poor clerk has sufh
advantages wiihn his reach-no such bright prospects
before him liable to be turned every tour years
aud indeed every moment tor that matter for he merely
hangs upon The breath OF his chlefsnd, cap the cit
not receiving. while unc<rtao mode
OF exstencea sufficient allowance 10 meet his reason.
able wants. IL may be objected tina, such HE APP
continents a. have described could consistently exst
under our topaar form oil governmen and 10 thu szy
Rotation Office republican doctrine. aad
adhere TO u moot 'eligouslyiI IN OF the articles is
my political creed but al The same lime, say. that
very account nothing else the salaries should be raised
sufficiently TO enable single hs four
years earnings an adequate capital to establish himse Ia
some permanent line OF BUSINESS and married. 10 make
provision al The least for himself and family xgainst The
rainy dsv-or that day OF sadness ness and, pss-
haps death, will most assuredy come. sooner o. lalsr
have heard some lew objections raised against "a ir-
oil salaries by persons from the North west o. he
ground that there were ols OF individuals thai region
ready and willing, at moments warning. accept Of
clerkshIw II the low salaries paid sh6uld the
presen, lncumbents choose 10 resign Bat admitting this
10 Be the fact tho argument 10 still Of little wssAt for
reduced TO dollar day. There thousands of ndi-
viduals all the country who would even then oin
IN the scramble Tor ohce, the now-ihe natural
result OF which, however, would be q correspondents De-
precsaton oil ability and intelligence the clerical force
But these objections, must be borne in mind, were
made BY Iersons who could appreciate from mex
percnse that the expenses OF living the capital we're
ull hfty per cent greater than any ohee place in the
Union ihis eide OF the Rocky III the North
west board Al the hotels be obtained for two dollars
and hall per week, and all the necesssres OF life in
the same proportions accordingly, thoasand-doIIsr
ONCE IN that region is regarded A. prixr Here. IN
Washington, hotel board is held AT from eight TO ten
dollars per week, and everything in the proportion
and accordingly salary OF thousand or even twelve
hundred, dollars, particularly 10 men with families Is
mere pi,iance. and nothing more Hesa5s
In answer TO the question somemes ask 3D. as 10 why
the present, incumbents should have accepted Office n all
under such dIscoursgiDg circumstances, reply that
many, perhaps a majority OF them came 10 Washington
a. candidates for certain local appointments in their re-
speciive States; but failing from the uncertainty OF poll
tics, IN accomplishing their wishes, have taken Office
bere AZ matter OF pride, rather than return home de-
feated. AS TO the rest. they compelled 10 Retain
Office OF livelihood, being united BY age or
unable from the want OF capital to engage in oher p
suls. saeGees st1aH -
But, apart from these considerations, Mr. Editor WIZ
ask, should the United States, so liberal and engh-
ened IN other respec,s. subject se the charge OF pss
mony towards lis employees There time hat hal
10 borrow money to ray s current expenses now II is al
loss how 10 dispose OF lis thirty three millions OF sn
plus Treasure and yet The e,y,I Ii oi that day and the
civil list Of this, with some slight exceptions, are the
same 10 this fEht should not rather increase the
remuneration OF It's public servants propofionally
own Increased wealth and prosperity The facts TO-
pnn anft hAon shu 4, 49,. -