Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1853-08-31

Washington offices.
There are no positions in the country
sought after with as much avidity as are
the Clerkships in the various offices at
Washington city-and even the places of
messengers and walters about the public
buildings. The most pressing for the
first places are members of Congress, and
men who seem qualified to make re-
spectacle living in almost any department
oil ME. Yet. now. as under previons nd
ministrations. lhrongs OF men. apnaren,lv
respectable. throng the Departments
seeking these places. and being guilty of
many things daily that debase them
selves in their own estimation, in order
to attain them. In what a sad error
this desire arises. Ii is truly lameniable
to see it. bes--a So rsf saA aa1
Ii the applicantis successful. he OBJ
tains place worth perhaps 81. 600 a
year. This is a fair average of the pay
of the Clerkshipsa at Washington. Ii he
has a small family even, 30 high are
rents, marketing, and so great the ex-
penses of living, generally, that it is on
ly by the closest economy that he can
support his family, and make his salary
meet his expenses; but tho tendency of
his life is 10 extrayagance.. He has ac-
quaintances visiting Washington. He
is, as it We're, the permanent representa-
tive of his district at Washington, and he
must take them to see the. wonders. liz
he ever drinks-and there are few at
Washington who do not---he must treat
them. He thinks himself bound to live
as much as his fellow clerks live, and
they all feel bound TO ape the living Of
higher clerks, assistants and heads of de-
partments. Thus debt comes. Month
follows month, and still the slave tolls ON,
debts accumulating upon debts, toll on
tolls, and sorrows. until broken in spirit.
out at elbows, unwept. unhonored und
destiny, creeps to the grave as a hiding
place. with no idea of human happiness,
knowing no bright side TO human life,
looking upon the world as one great pc.
litical field, and life game, trick,
cheat.
Nor is this ALL Scarcely does he find
himself secure in his seat under one adj
ministraiion, before he trembles for the
next election. Will his friend or the
friend of his friend be the next candidate?
When the candidate is selected, his whole
soul is wrought upon TO lind some man
who can use influence with him in his ia
vor with members o. his Cabinet. This
settled, then comes the question, viii he
be elected He has no vote. he can take
no part, he is but side better at a race
or a game. He can but look on and
tremble. His political thoughts are
strangled in his throat. lest the opponent
should succeed. and his words should be
brought up in judgment against him.
Thus you will find there are a horde of
office holders. who have each one imbi-
bed habit of being political men, and
thus having obtained Office and been
thrown into the heart OF the political
arena, their tongues are tied and their
very looks watched. How horrible? We
can imagine nothing worse on this side of
the Catholic purgatory, and here the
prayers of the church are of no avail.
Then at the end of the four years
comes the change of the new administra-
ton. The new secretary is installed, the
clerks are all introduced; they come up
with cap in hand. with trembling knees,
and fawning aspect, TO the chair of the
great man. and they go away again af-
ter he has seen how they look. To the
assistants and the friends of the new
man they are lavish in their praises, in
their rooms they freely express their con-
tempt. or plot how they can obtain favor
at the expense of others. Then comes
the bosom of removal. Day by day the
sword hangs over their necks, night BY
night. for many months they go TO bed
fearing the next morning will bring them
the document with the yellow cover
and only have free breath when they
find it is not on their desk. This lasts
for months. If they are removed, they
bundle up all but their debts and 90 with
heavy hearts 10 find some business for
which their recent life has unified them.
How much better, how much more no.
bic how much more happy for you to
settle down upon some lille farm where
life is always fresh. and the soul held
ever in the grcepness of its own youth.
the mind and heart ever free-yonr own.
With no fear but for the frowns of the
Great Master, no cares but for the little
flock around you When one looks on
Washington city, he cannot feel that the
worshippers OF Juggernaut are greater
FOOLS than many in this favored land.
RUSSIA AND THE UNrED SrArEs.-speak
ing of the general effects Of the Russian
and Turkish affairs, The London News
says:
Butthere is another power of whom lit