The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-08-21
tConmunieatsd.1
The Recent order n shs Treasury
Dsparsnent.


The Recent Order n shs Treasury
Department.
wAssisere!. Auaust 20, lsp.
EDITOR REPUBLICAN; II has been limited
from various sources, aud ESPECIALLY through
your paper, that owing 10 the shameful
abuse oil privileges on the part Of certain
clsrks II would probably befouut necessary
70 return TO the four No'clock syAtsm In the
Treasury. That this step Is necessary Is
argued only from the fact that few, (com-
pared with those cmploycd,) caring nothing
and fearing less In regard 70 the rules or or
ders OF the Secretary and his subordlnatcs,
recklessly and continually tramplc them un-
der loot. That these serious charges are
true, eyory obsorvant clerk In tho Depart
ment, having become daily and unwilling
witness, will sorrowfully admit. That
remedy should and will DO applied they arc
aware. Before the result OF this gross
neglect OF duty and habitual violation Of
regulations Is visited upon the Innocent and
worthy, the writer Of this article desires TO
offer up an earnest and emphatic protest.
First, what reason points TO tho O'Clock
system as o remedy II resorted TO, the Sec.
rotary simply and clearly admits himself
powerless 70 punish infractions Of rulcsj he
would be adding an hour 10 the comforts Of
The offenders, and an hours labor 10 already
ovcrtaxcd brains. A clerk who has little
conscience and ''big hackers" cnough 70
steal one hour under the present system with
immunity, would rob tho Government Of Too
under the o'clock regime. But somebody
must DO punished, aud II the offenders can
not or dare not be troubled, why, then, the
Secretary must adopt tho plan Of the female
who whipped the children all around as an
example TO one that had transgrcssed. In
this case the example would be totally lost;
as forty -nine clerks would DO pcrspiring over
their desks and suffering the pangs Of an
empty stomach, while the fiitieth would be
found RECALLING hlmselfat shsficld's, twenty
four faithful hrst-class fellows showing quilts
In tho Office, while the twenty-anh showed
billiards at wlllards'. Il has been observed
that the infractlons Of rules arc chiefly
confined 10 clerks OF largo salaries, they
having made their services "lndlspcnsablc,"
having no hope Of further promotion, or
pets Of chief clerks, &C., while now clerks,
working for advancement, tremblc with
visions Of "ycllow-cotcrs" cd every whisper
Of reduction.
The man who should hint that tho same
men who keep these worthless In Office
also preserve the officials who cannot on this
account discharge them, might possibly
speak truthfully, but he might also run
some risk In 50 doing. A few years ago,
even up 10 the close Of the last administra-
tlon,i was found 10 be advantageous to both
the Government and Its regular working
force TO allow this class Of droncs TO spend
the summer In tho country and the winter
out Of town, sometimes sending their salaries
70 them, oftener allowing friend to draw
II for them. Since tho advent Of Mr.. Bout
well, and partly owing TO the insanity Of
Hannah Tyler, It was laid down as rule
that every man who appeared upon the rolls
as an employee was expected TO do the work
for which he was paid. With this new force
q reduction Of hours was confidently carried
into effect. The result OF this innovation
has proved failure Tho old force must
DO put on an hour longer, and tho fayoritcs
be pensionod of In the country-any place
not TO bring dbcrcdit On those who work. IL
they cannot get money enough TO leave, the
disbursing clerk may be allowed 10 advance
it-securing himself by clipping from the
womcn's salaries, or gettlng up Joint stock
company. Lot us got rid Of them.
CIrax, TRsAsu1lr.
Y. TnHAsuRI DrfAasnrsr. Aus. Is, 1850.
EDiroR RKruBLicAHi--I notice In this
mornings RuPuBfICAH statement In rcla-
ton TO the late order BY Acting Secretary
Richardson, accompanied by To threat that
the hours Of labor would Be again changed
TO O'Clock, p. NJ, " ccrtaia eleres did not
attend to their duilss pors fsithfallyr-~
would liketoSsk The bssors6ie Score
tary u hw0uid not b a. we'll 70 dismiss
ttn!o clerks who do uot WORK, and not pun
ish two thousand good elerks In order 10 hit
one or two poor ones.
De- axkF M.