New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-07-27

Attorney General Fields Clerk.

The Picayune, forgetting its late >admira
lion for Colonel Field and his course, hal
suddenly attacked him with boomerang
which, entirely missing its object, has prob
| ably already overthrown the assailant with
thess headlines: "The old Roman" "He i!
in fair way of getting into trouble" "A
sharp transaction" Who reading these
! and seeing in the first paragraph that they
referred to the Attorney General, would
not wonder what desperate villainy or deeI
corruption the eloquent old man" had sue
eessfully concealed until the Pcayune IN
earthed it! This is all it is. The P;coytnt
says:
1t appears the Attorney G neral is al
lowed q clerk, with salary of $3.50 a
month. There is no visible necessity for
such functiOnary, and Colonel Field has
recognized the stupid lavishnees Of the
Legislature BY not employing the clerk au-
thOriZed.
How far it is capable of judging how
much clerical labor the chief law officer OF
the State needs is of no consequence, even
when the indictments it so lately commend.
ed are considered. Every lawyer of $4,000
years practice has one or two clerks, and
many have more, and the labors of the At
torney General were considered a little
while ago more than equal to this.
But the attack continues by saying that
the wife OF Colonel Field drew the sum due
for the clerk. Well, so she did, and what
OF ii? Is it material at all to consider
whether she did the work or not! Colonel
Field is very exacting man: he likes all to
have the quid pro quo. He happens to be
the sole judge OF the fitness and value of
the recipient of this $3.50 per month. He
selected his wife to be his clerk, and it
SO happens his selection is q most wise one
in respect to ability. Mrs. Colonel Field
has added to the accomplishments of lady
and the devotion Of wife knowledge of
details OF law practice that made her indis-
pensable to her husband long before he was
chosen to represent the State. So he ap-
poiLted her clerk, and she does the work
and draws the money, much to his gratifi-
cation and hers.
Is there anything wrong in this! May
not one having occasion to employ a clerk
choose whom he will to appoint9 If one
can employ his son, his brother, brother in-
Jaw or nephew, may he not enjoy the advan-
tage of his wife in confidential business
capacity What sort of Q man is it that
can not appreciate the value of woman's
assistance and sympathy Otner things
being equal wife is worth q dozen other
clerks. The most successful business men
are those whom their wives assisted, and
to-day the business of Colonel Field is the
protection Of the State, and most efficient
aid does he receive from his accomplished
wife.
In addition to all this it is proper to say
that although twice in open court the
Attorney General has said the contingent
expenses allowed his office were not suf-
fcient, it was only in argument against ex-
travagance in other Offices and he has never
otherwise complained. Himself CON
slant worker with his pen, he accomplishes
more clerical work than anyone not familiar
with the details OF the office could lima CINE.
Besides as a matter of fact he has employed
many more clerks than the law considers
necessary" but he has paid them all out
of his own pocket. The Picayums called
him the gallant old maa" the other day.
Where il the gallantry of the Picayune in
striking . lady over tho shoulders Of her
husbandl