The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-01-25
"rhe Clerks Bill in the senate, Again.

To The Editor Of the Onion:
SIR: In article in your paper few days since un
der the head OF "The Clerks Bill in the Senate" the
following statement is made "Now, it is well known
that almost every OF the gentlemen engaged in these
Offices" OF The Senate and House of Representatives
shave little nothing occupy their time and alten-
lion the of government during the Of Con.
gress and OF them retire to the country spend their
time among their friends, else go home and thus
expenses" &C.
Now Mr.. Editor, have not the slightest objection
that the writer OF that article shall succeed in the OBJ
ect he sas 10 view, but no, my expense Indeed,
sincerely hope that he will obtain what he doubt
abundant reasons why he should, without the slgh est
necessity for resortng TO any false dsparagng allu-
sions to others To show the utter groundlessness OF
the assertion contained in the passage above quoted
have only say, and can prove that land my is
by no sing ularfor OF the clerks alluded to,
have not been able to be absent from my desk more
than twenty days, al put together for period OF five
years. and not only that, but that during considerable
portion of The time named have had to labor from an
early hour in the morning to time in the mig BIT that gen.
orally finds or ought hnd every clerk 10 the depart
ments who has any regard for his health and comfort
in bed and asleep II is fact which can be clearly
proved that during the sessions alone taking average
OF the long and short ones, the clerks here labor more
hours in the aggregate than do those in the departments
IN the entire year whilst in the recess, of them 40
far from having nothing 10 do but too happy reach
period in which they required 10 work only from
nine O'clock 10 three To arrive at that time OF the
wear when they can regard the evenings their own is
with many OF us, comparative holiday, and almost the
only holiday or recreation have This idea, that the
clerks in the Capitol have nothing to do in the recess,
has been permitted to be INDUCED in long enough The
time has come when all who entertain II should be dis
abused of that injurious How and wben in the
name OF common sense Is II supposed that the heavy and
elaborate records OF Congress made up; the
Gus indexes documents and journals prepared papers
assorted and filed correspondence, and compliance with
the requirements OF the members their homes in rea-
ton TO matters OF interest TO them, attended ol These
with a thousand other matters impossible TO enumeraie
here occupy some OF the clerks The entire recess and all
Of them the greater portion of it, True, of them
do 20 home at that time bat always taking with them
their portion OF Duty such indexes, NC, which may
be done out Of the Office for the performance of which
they are held responsible
No doubt "W. c. j." has been told, and believes
what he has stated. But he has been misiniormed Al.
have been all who think he docs in regard 10 the
clerks n the Capitol The duties Of many Of these
clerks among the laborous OF any in the service
OF the governments willis, their compensation, like that
of many Of those in the departments far from being
adequate to The amount and value OF the services rem
dered by them,
My name is al the service OF any who may question
the accuracy OF the above statement +.