National Republican., 1877-04-23
RESPONDING TO THE NEW DEPLRT
IRE.

EDIron REPUBLICAN: have read with great
interest your suggestions respecting new de-.
parturc IN the tystem Of domestic help and ser:
vico, and hope the housekeepers everywhere will
each lend hand TO help to usher In the era which
will dispsl the present absurd prejudice which
:ss. Ssss ,sS s. dp.s: p...S.: 81 s
S women into our homes to discharge household
duties Sfsss COMFORT and w a.ys sssn
We arc gratifled TO SEQ that our sug.
gestiops are attracting the attention OF
housekeepers. They were made for their
consideration, and the favorable view which
our correspondent tskes Of the matter will
find warm response In the hearts OF not
only housekeepers but of poor gentle
women OF rennement and good taste, who
are now out OF employment, and would
gladly enter into this new field Of labor
now that The barriers ofprejudioe are thrown
down and welcome given them by those
who are anxious 70 improve home employ
mont The housekeepers' great trouble
has always been to secure good, reliable,
and honest servants, who take an interest
In the work which they are called upon to
do. and are willing to make the discharge
of household duties pretty art instead Of
a druggery.
Referring to this new departure. smother
correspondent writes as follows:
EDITOR RErupLIoAS, Your editorial in this
morning's edition OF your paper In reference TO
stssd .i Of in the depaftmehts Of the dovsrnmest
here in Warrington, 10 certainly TO the point and
fact that thoss Who have children would Infinitely
prefer to place thsna IN charge OF one whose own
childhood has bsen properly guided. than 70 the
FOR p Children Upon *. sassatp
gladly substitute fol, the ordinary nurse one in
whom could feel all confidence. Tho duties Of
those employees commonly called "chamber-
maids" are not hard, and when contrast 10 made
meals ana SsS nnd
tho dirt, heat, &C., OF the printing rooms Of the
Treasury, with the attending anxiety Of being
Of the .situation." I fear, however, the idsa Of
being "a servant" Is too repugnant to the Ameri.
can notion to ever admit Of gsntlewomon going
ut to service.
The fears which our correspondent ex-
presses ore, ia measure, justified from
the fact that In the past the word servant
always implied the discharge Of menisl
duties, And. in some instances. meant q
slave" But it will be remembered that
even IN those days Of yore. when the
term servant implied the performing oi
meniAl Offices in the strictest sOse Of the
word, JOSHUA was called the servant oi
MosEs, all the apostles were looked upon
as the servants OF CHRIST. MOSES wai
called the servant of tho Lord, and CHRnI
himself was called a servant. Even at the
present day tho term servant is used by
our superlors when they address us q,
your obedient servant. Certainly II 1t be
degrading to discharge the duties pertain
ing to the household, 1t Is ten times
more degrading to toll ia the
dirt aud unwholesome atmosphere o
the Printing Bureau, where 1t has otter
been the case that female who was strong
and robust upon entering the service len 4
poor in pocket and shattered In health
Besides, the majority Of the ladies' en-
ployed In this bureau receive only $l.2'
per diem. and afler paying for their boart
and lodgings they did not have as much q
the average domestic has al the cad o
every month. Every person In tho Gov
erument employ 10 servant even In tn,
old Scriptural sense, which says that ser
want was q slave, Quo whose services wer
purchased tor money. Our correspondent
is certainly logical when she says that tn
duties Of the domestic compared To thos
OF an employee In the Bureau Of Engrav
ing aud Printing are infinitely easier, NOR
wholesome. and certainly quito as respec,
able,