The Portland daily press., 1864-12-27
Latter a.ona Che Federal Capital.

La WARRINGTON, Lee. z4tn, 1oOasy
no the Ed;se, IF ne Press
Th. a.estion of increased compensation to
c,a~,., in the Departments, officers of the two
rsouses of Congress and other employees of
me government, is subject that just now
lies near many hearts. As regards legislative
action the matter stands thus: On the 4th Of
July last, the House passed joint resolution
paying the officers and employees Of that body
and the Senate, twenty per cent. additional
compensation. On this the Senate did not take
action. The House finding the Senate was in
disposed to pass the resolution. then passed,
by unanimous consent a. resolution paying
their own employees the same amount out of
their contingent fund. In answer to an in
quiry from Mr.. Lloyd chief clerk Of the
House, Mr.. R. W. Taylor comptroller of the
Treasury, gave the opinion that the resolution
referred to was in conflict with the law of
June 18th, 1858, which provides that "no part
of the appropriations which, may be at any
time made for the contingent expenses Of Ell
Their House of Congress shall be applied as
extra allowance to any clerk, messenger or
other attendant of the said two Houses, or
either Of them," and did not therefore author
lie the payment of the specified amount,
The clerk of the House therefore informed
the Speaker that it was impossible to comply
with the resolution. In the Deficiency bill
however, introduced on the 10th inst, and
passed on the 2ist, the House appropriated
the proper sum.to carry into effect the resolu-
ton Of July last, The bill, as also the joint
resolution above alluded to, were referred to
the Senate Finance committee on the 22d.
Meantime in the Departments, about the
Hobbies of the capitol and In the newspapers,
the matter is quite generally and even warmly
discussed. Many reasons for and against, fur
nish abundant material for the war of words.
On one hand it is plain to every one that the
pay of clerks Is not now more than half what
It was formerly, owing to the deprecated cur
rency, and quite as clear that this compensa-
ton IL not very ample. On the other, there
are serious obstacles in the way of increasing
it. Now that the number of clerks here Is
vastly greater than before the war, and con-
stantly increasing, it is a grave matter to load,
our overburdened finances with the addition.
al expense. But 1t is said, that this increase
OF pay Should be. transient and temporary
for the present necessity only; and again It is
reioined that salary once raised, in whatev-
er way, or under whatever color, is rarely If
ever reduced. For twenty years past the pay
of officials has steadily increased, often by
theruse of some exceptional case as an enter
ing wedge. n, bas ssssa 5gs3ostosi5 w5a mo4
1t is urged in favor of increased compensa-
tion, that a clerk cannot support himself and
family, If he have one, in a respectable man.
ner upon his present, pay. Per contra
comes the suggestion that in q time of great
public and private distress, strictest frugal
ity and plainness in eating and drinking,
orous and honorable; although why this ap-
plies more to government clerks than to
anybody else is not easy to say.
On one hand, again it is said that some yal-
liable clerks have already been obliged to
leave their positions, and many more may be
compelled to betake themselves to more re-
nunerative employments; and on the other,
that every Department is constantly besieged
by "a ohost Of applicants not willing merely,
! but most anxious to serve the Government at
the present rates of pay. sdg I'd 6,.aa5us7q ii II
After all l suppose the matter must work
out its own solution and settle itself inasyery
practical way. So far as the wants of A. B.
and Z. relate personally to themselves, they
have no legitimate bearing upon the CASE
The public service is not an infirmary for tax
ing care Of those who cannot, or will not take
care OF themselves. The question to settle
by Governmentisn not whether A, B. and c. can
afford2to remain in its employ, or whether II
is bound to retain those same individuals, but
whether it can get its work well done for
what it is now paying. If it cannot it should
4 certainly pay enough to secure that end; but
If it can be it should not pay one cent more
for angbody's elantrs.,, Nor Is this hard for
| A., B. and C. If they can do better elsewhere
i they are under no obligation to remain in the
\ service of the Government an hour, but are
required by interest and duty to go at once
If they cannot do better; thatEis to say, il
the Government Is already paying them more
for their services than anybody else will, they
4 surely have no reason to complain. As one
4 personally interested in the matter, am free
4 to say that should those best qualified tojudge
i decide moderate increase of compensation
to be necessary for the efficiency of the public
4 service, the relief win be gratefully received
but neither ask nor desire it on any other
4 ground than that above indicated. L
Our frienas Al u uazLasAle- .a,s --->a 10 as
n sured, that no sound more grateful or well
come has for a long time saluted our ears
than the boom of cannon on Saturday last
proclaiming the news of victory-assured, de.
j cisive, glorious. In former years our laurell
have been mostly gathered before midsummer
but now an autumn ingathering of victories
4 has been followed by glorious after harves,
of success and triumph. Formerly, too, our
successes even when won at severest cost
have too often been indecisive, and little pro.
ductive Of grand results.
/ Do not the recent victories in the Shenan-
| doahl Valley and before Nashville, so complete
and overwhelmingly indicate clearly that the
best physical material in the rebel armies and
the rebel States, is either spent or in rapid
process Of exhsustionp Does not the march
/ at will Of Shermans army in open and widely
extended columns through the heart of the
revolted country, resisted only by bioodthirsty
leaders on paper. and hi-falutin manifestoes,
show pretty clearly that the Confederacy Is
what one who had penetrated the crust long
ago pronounced ito shell Nth nothing in
side?" Above all does not the despairing
wall Of the Richmond Enquirer Of the 16th, ~
a cry such as has never before been wrung
from the organ of the rebel Government, tell
plainly that the iron has entered the very soul
1 of the rebellion? Another draft may be ne
csssary, more hard fighting may be needed,
utmost effort and sacrifice and suffering may
yet lie before us for space, but the end of all
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