The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-03-10
Reorganization OF the Executive Departmen ts

We publish to-day the third section OF the civil and
diplomatic appropriation bill, which is the substance
of The bill framed by Senator Hunter, of Virginia. for
the reorganization Of the executive departments Ipassed
both houses of Congress, and goes into operation on
the frs, OF July, the first day OF the next fiscal
year. Ii requires that from and after that time the
clerks in the Treasury, War, Navy Interior. and Pos,
Office Departments shall be arranged INTO four classes
Those placed in the first class receive salary OF
nine hundred dollars those the second twelve hum
dred those in the third. fifteen hundred; and those in
the fourth class eighteen hundred dollars year. The
solicitor OF the treasury, the comprolers auditors the
register of the treasury, the treasurer and the commits.
soners provided with chief clerks whose annual sal
airy is fixed at two thousand dollars and the Treas
ury, War, Navy Interior and Post Office Departments
with chief clerks whose salary is fixed at twenty two
hundred dollars each. Dlsbursing clerks 10 be
selected from the clerks OF the fourth class The clerical
force provided is: Five chief clerks of departments
seventeen chief clerks of auditors. commissioners &C.
one hundred and twenty nine clerks of the frs, class
three hundred and thirty of the second hundred and
ninety of the third and fifty OF the fourth class
making aggregate of hundred and thirty at an
annual cost OF nine hundred and thiryo thousand six
hundred dollars.
The act OF Congress requires that when the clerks
distributed and arranged in obedience the directions OF
the law they shall constitute the whole of the permanent
clerical force of the Treasury, War; Navy, nters and
Post Office Departments with the exception OF the
bureau. which is not included in the arrangement
The clerks temporarily employed in the office of the
Third Auditor. boun,yand service and aHearages of
pay, also excluded. The head OF each department
may il he finds it TO be necessary and proper. alter the
distribution OF the different classes Of clerks amongst the
various bureaus and Offices in bis department. which pro-
vision does not permit alteration IN the number in
each class specified by the law. The act conemplaes
greater certainty obtaining competent officers by requr
ing an examination into their qualifications To that end
i, provides tina, clerk shall be appointed in either of
the four classes until he has been examined and found
qualified by board, consist OF three personsone Of
them to be the chief OF the bureau office in which il is
contemplated to employ him, and the other two TO be APP
pointed by the head of the department having
troll of such bureau Office Any receipt OF compensa-
lion for extra services other than the prescribed salary is
expressly forbidden but the disbursing clerks shall
ceve such an addition to their regular salaries will
make their compensation two thousand dollars year.
The departments in Washington, like every other
branch OF the public service for the last our years have
needed reforming hand, and sincerely hope that the
plan devised by Mr. Hunter may have the desired effect
Former acts OF Congress attempted to limit the number OF
persons to be employed in the executive departments
but we believe that, under preex another. the
asst administration managed to evade or break through
every restriction. The wholesale prescription of the
Taylor cabal was carried with such rapdty that
attention was paid to the character and qualifications of
applicants. The unsutabeness of the new appoint.
mens, caused ny ignorance and nexperience, made q