, 1872-10-30

4 Washington despatch states that Commits
eioner Leggett, Of the Patent Office, has issued
an order to the clerks in his Department., notify
ing them that SIX hours' work, from 9 a. m. to 8
p. m, will henceforth be expected from them.
The custom OF c1orks, in all the Departments at
Washington, has been to start for work about
o'clock in the morning, take recess for lunch
before the work has been fairly begun, and
make preparations to be well out Of the building
before o'clock in the afternoon, in order to
play billiards, or join in the daily prone
made on Pennsylvania avenue. The gen.
eral disposition that pervades the Govern
ment Departments is to do as little We9k
is the only direction in which Washington
energy has ever achieved any remarkable SUCCESS.
The influence OF Department-clerk life, as it
has been regulated for very many years, is alike
detrimental to the public service and to the
men and women who are unfortunate enough to
enter upon it. The primary cause Of the abuses
that prevail is to be found in the diffusion Of
public patronage accorded to the requirements
OF the politicians. An undue increase in the
number Of clerks employed has had two results !:
/, to reduce the hours Of work; and 2,
to reduce the pay Of the clerks.
In reducing the hours Of work, the effect has
been to attract the most idle and worthless en-
ployes, and to give the work that inferior char
acter which pertains to every result Of a1othful
application. The effect OF the general reduction
in pay, which has been necessary in order to ex-
tend the appropriations among larger number
of persons than are required, has been to render
the Departments places of refuge ter incompe-
tent and broken-doWn people, who regard thoir
position in life as very similar to TINT Of the in
mates Of o county poor-house, The influence of
Washington clerk-life can be sensibly diseor-
cred in the funerea1 aspect OF that city at all
times, except in the most exciting periods Of
Congressional sessions.
There is ebundant provision in the statutes Of
the United States for the remedy OF the abuses
that haYe crept into nearly al Of the Govern
ment Departments, Section 6 Of the "Provi-
sions Applying to oil of the Executive Depart
ments" prescribes thnt all the Bureaus and
Offices shall be open for the transaction Of the
public business at least eight hours in each md
every day, from Oct. to April i, and at least
ten hours every day from April to Oct. ],
Sundays and holidays excepted. The order Of
Commissioner Leggett, demanding only six
hours work, and complaining that eyen this
amount OF timo is not now devoted to the Office,
shows just how much regard the heads Of De-
partmonts have for the Laws Of the country,
The head OF zach Department is authorized BY
another section Of the statutes to prescribe SUCH
regulations, not inconsistent with law, as be
may deem necessary and proper for the govern
mont Of his Department. As the heads OF De-
partments are about the best-paid men In the
Government service, in proportion to their du"
ties and responsibilities, each receiving salary
OF $4,000 3 year,-they should be held RESPONSE
bic for the open disregard for the statutes, and
the consequent tncompetency and imbeciity that
prevail in nearly all the Bureaus. Probably the