The Evening critic., 1881-12-06
THE PRINTERS PAY.
what Judge Lawrence Says About 1t.

The question on which First Comptroller
Lawrence has Just given his opinion was
whether tfte employees OF tho Government
printing.ofIlce could io paid for the ontirt
time the ofllce was closed on account OF tho
death OF the late President, to wilt: from moot
OF Wednesday, September q, till tho morning
OF Tuesday, september %, and whether the
pay.rolls therefore would be recognized by the
Treasury Department.
The substance OF tho decision, which Is an
elaborate document was given In yesterdays
CHfTfC.
Judge Lawrence reaches the following among
other conclusions.
"That claims for unliduidatcd damages
drisirig III Tart or arising on breach OF contract
are not generally within tho jurisdiction OF &c.
counting officers.
"Tlint ordinary appropriations aro not up.
plicable 10 the payment OF such claims.
"That employees of the Government Print
lng-off'ce, respectively serving under continue
GUS contracts, WHO wore, without their assent,
and without such reason as tic law sdnctions,
suspended from work, but required to DC III
readiness TO resume 1t, who neither could or
did secure employment In the mean time, and
who In no respect violated the contract OF em-
ployment on their part, In the absence OF any
usage In such case exceeding the right to COM
pcnsation, are entitled to payment OF such
wages 1s might have boen earned during tho
period N suspension!
"Time.w0rk can Do estimated for tho legal
day Of eight hours.
"Piece.work can be estimated by usual
amount performed WnCn III service.
"Payment by the Public Printer In accord
ance with these principles, on rolls by him
certified, will be deemed valid vouchers in his
accounts ds & Disturbing officer.
"The Public Prlrter vii, he advised accord
ingly.
GAS TO tho right to compensation for the 26th
of September on the part OF those persons en-
ployed I'm continuous service, whether by the
day or for n fixed price for piecc.work, there IL
no right to compensation for the day fixed by
tho Prcsidents proclamation rs n day OF hui
initiation md mourning.
at may be said tic proclamation did not
have precisely the force OF any ldwi hut u was
justified by n decent respect for the opinions
of mankind 1t created u holiday. II was
such q controlling element that the Public
Printer both I'm reason and In law regarded II
rs justification for suspending work during
that day. If he had done otherwise he would
have done violence to the Will OF the whole
people and the privileges of the employees In
tho Government Printing-ofIice.
"fn view Of all this the assent of the en-.
the suspension OF work for that day may, IN
reason and I'm law, be assumed. The suspen
Sion OF tile work for that day having been made
with the assent Of the Public Printer and OF
the employees the latter can claim no compen
sation rs to that, unless by force of statute di
recting that usage.
at cannot be claimed that the contract OF
employment required payment for days on
which, by mutual agreement, no work was
done rs TO compositors, printers and book
binders. Tho statute knows no authority "a
employed under contract to be paid for actual
work done or actual time employed, are moi
entitled to compensation for the 10Th day OF
September"