Washington sentinel., 1854-04-06
THE CLERKS IN THE EXECUTIVE DE
PARTNIENTS.

Public attention has recently been called to
this class of our citizens, in terms that have al
ternated between the petulance of the disap-
pointed, the fears of the timid, and the malice
of the envious. The tale of poverty has been
told with mournful pathos, and the privations
of the employees have been portrayed in NOV
ing terms. The general attention to duty and
the promptness and activity of the various oc-
cupants have also been set forth, together with
advantages accruing from making salaries suf'
fciently large to retain good and competent
men in Office. 1t has been further contended
that the increase in the prices Of the necessities
Of life has not been met by that increase of com.
pensation with which it should have been met,
and, as consequence that competentbut needy
officers have been toiling with the cheerless
prospect of barely meeting daily wants by daily
labor. To the opposition from without has
been added opposition from within their own
circle, and the patience of members has alter.
nately been taxed by abuse and importantly
Whilst we deprecate the warmth exhibited
by some Of the advocates of an increase OF
salaries, we cannot but believe that justice re-
| quires that much higher rates should be allowed
than we're established at time when the en-
ployees were exempted from many sources Of
expense to which they are now subject. These
| increased sources of expense are so apparent
to all, that no argument seems necessary to
prove their existence.
The bill reported and passed upon by the
Senate proposes an average increase Of about
twenty per cent. to existing salaries, divided as
follows, viz Clerks Of the first class, who now
| receive 5000 per annum, at the rate Of thirty
three per cent; those of the second class, who
now receive $1,000, at the rate of seventeen
per cent. and those of the third class, who
now receive $1,000, at the rate of seven per
| cent. The salaries of the messengers and
! watchmen are increased at the rate of twenty
FIVE per cent, making the average increase,
as before stated, about twenty per cent. per
annum.
No one we presume will question the fact
that property in this city, of almost every de,
scription, has enhanced in value at the rate of
twenty per cent. within the last twelve months;
and that that species of property in which the
clerical portion Of our citizens are mostly inte-
rested (rents and provisions) has advanced,
is demonstrated by the experience Of all resi-
dents and sojourners at the metropolis. 1t
would seem, therefore, to be no more than JUS
tice requires, that the burden of increasing ex-
penses should be met by corresponding liber-
ality on the part of the government, and that
this cause of complaint should receive the at
tention it so eminently deserves. In our judg.
ment the bill passed upon by the Senate meets
the whole difficulty in q satisfactory manner /;
and, believing this to be perhaps the most COM
plete adjustment that can well be arrived at,
we commend it to the early and very favorable
consideration of that body upon whose action
its fate now rests, confident, as we are that thus
to relieve this Industrious class Of our citizens
will be approved by the proper tribunal, the
people.