Washington sentinel., 1856-03-20
O. 0 m manifate0.
TO the Editor Of the Washington Sentinel:

TO the Editor Of the Washington Sentinel:
Mr.. EDITOR: During the past session of
Congress, much has been done to improve the
condition of employees Of the Government,
and the salaries of the clerks of the different
Departments have been raised to very salts
factory standard; yet no mention in any re-
spect whatever, neither in a general way, nor
in connection with the Reorganization of'the
Navy has been made of the clerks to pursers
in the naval service. / would respectfully call
your attention, and that of the many readers OF
your valuable paper to few facts connected
with this grade of our naval service. A large
number of these clerks are married men, men
to whom family look for support. Again,
they must be men Of education, and good moral
standing, otherwise they would not be fit for
the station they hold, and last, but not least of
all, they must be gentlemen of Thoroughly
honest and trustworthy character, as there are
frequently large amounts of public property
entrusted to their care. The pttance of five
hundred dollars per annnm, in the shape of q
salary, which they receive at the present time,
is wholly inadequate to their most necessary
wants, and actually does not allow Of a decent
| living, especially in the present time of exorb-
| tant prices for every commodity Of life.
Now, Mr.. Editor, do me the favor to look for
one moment at the case Of purser's clerk at
sea. His monthly salary amounts to forty
dollars, one-half of which he has to leave as
an allotment for the support of his family
while he is absent This will leave to himself
| $50, just the pay of gunner's or boatswain's
mate-out Of these twenty dollars he has defray
his mess and washbis, and various other ex-
penses, necessary TO keep body and soul to-
gether, and when the cruise is finally ended
and he returns to his family, after an absence
of three or four years, he is, if not in debt, at
least destitute af money, and unable to come
to the relief ofhis family, if he should he unhappy
enough to find it in distress; this applies equally
to the clerk doing duty in navy yards, with a
| slight difference in the mode of expendng his
| pay.
| Every officer or sailor, who returns from a
cruise, is able to show some savings Of his pay
| while at sen; this clerk cannot do; even with
| the most rigid economy he is unable to lay up
| penny besides, every other officer after his
| return need not care for the future; he either
obtains a leave of absence or furlough, or in
the worst case is ordered to sea again, but the
| poor clerk, whose appointment is not perma-
pent is discharged without ceremony, and
pennyess, often friendless, has to look about
for another situation. If he should be unhappy
enough not to find immediate employment, he
becomes but too often a prey to misery and
despair, and has TO earn livelihood by some
means below his education, and revolving to
his feelings.
| 1t would be but an act of justice towards
| these men, who have always been faithful in
the discharge of their arduous duties, and whose
position has never been properly understood,
if Congress, who alone have the power Of act
| ing in their behalf, would inquire closely into
the condition of this class of officers, and Sc
cure to them such pay as would allow, not only
of decent living, but also of the possibility
OF saving penny FOR rainy day.
| By giving the above apace in your valuable
paper you viii much oblige your obedient SER
| want, A PURSER'S CLERK.