National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-10-14
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE
GOVERNMENT oLERIa


To the Editor Of the National Repub tcaas
SIN: Annually we are treated TO a series Of
ESSAYS on the wants, pecuniRry and otherwise Of
that large class OF our population known as the
Government clerks. These illusions are made
generally Just before CorIgress assemblies, and
many Of them would be Iaughable we're they
not so contemplate. THE REPUBLICAN for some
time past has regularly given its readers q sup
ply, and we have BEEN instructed thereby how to
live and be happy.
The enteFtaipment was opened, If remember
Alright, BY gsnius who claimed that he had found
IN hiNhly respectable localities lots Of houses,
with all modern conTeniences, closed for want Of
tenants St els per month. This correspondent
that ifIhe wives Of the clerks adopted the prac-
tice Of some Of his lady acquatntances and stock
in" small amount of washing 1t would increase
their revenues He also expressed his firm belief
that amusements were unROdly and should be In
dulged in rarely, say on July 4, or whereabouts,
home smusements," mind you now, none Of your
expensive, promiscuous fun outside, but the
'chasten kind, and go home for It.
public the assurance that he found the sum Of SIS
per month amply sufaeent 70 support himself,
wife and three children, and he closed by assuring
the Government and the people Of the United
States that enough was now paid Its officers to en-
next was evidently from the State Department.;
he signed himself "Common Sense" and ventured
few conundrums, such as "HoW can you put q
from the Greek poets to prove that all men were
not alike which, being in direct opposition to the
Declaration Of Independence, is treason. "Oom-
mon Sensen insinuAtedSthat the pay Of q laborer
would not furnish those comforts which man Of
refinement could not we'll dispense with, but which
were not absolutely necessary to the lower grade,
sc.
This communication brings to hts feet gentle
man signing himself "P. McC.," who triumph
antly proclaims himself a common laborer, and
who, in six years. has "a wife and three children,
kept them well clad and fed, and saved in that
time q, 600, - &c, which proves him, think, an
uncommon" laborer. Mr.. up. Moo, after enum-
Grating the above as the result Of his six years
labor, says: "Where there's q will there's way"
but he fails to state which OF the results Of his six
years labor he refers to. These extracts bring US
up to date. 1t seems to me very clear that thanks
to the suggestions given, It will henceforth be an
easy m after for the Government employee to &C
quire riches. He has only to make up his mind
that economy is the road to wealth that pander-
ing to hunger is conducive to dyspepsia; that his
wife is q helpmate, and that she has as much
right to work as he has; that If she exercised on
the washing for few families, or secured q good
milk route, she could aid very materially in re-
duclng expenses and increasing the income. Let
us keep up this interchange Of views. 1t is not
only instructive, as exhibiting the inner happi-
ness q? of many homes, C?) but 1t is dignhed, and
shows what heightened body of people cOnsti-
tute the class known as the Government en-
ployees. NJ.
OCTOBER r. 1874.