Mr. FARNSWORTH. Mr. Speaker, the substitute I have proposed simply extends to the clerks and employees of the different Depts in Washington the benefits of the 8 eenth section of the appropriation bill of last session, which gave an increased allowance of 20%. to all the employees of congress, th. clerks of committees, the Sergeant at Arms, the door keepers, the workmen and employees about the public gardens, the Libra rian and asst librarians. Now, sir, Congress has raised the salaries of members, commencing with the 4th of March, 1865. We have increased the pay of all the officers and employees of Congress by an addition of 20%., commencing at the same time. If we are to be consistent, we shall allow to the clerks and employees of the Depts the benefits of the same increase. If we have found by experience that it was necessary to increase our own pay, and the pay of the officers and employees of Congress, in order to enable us and them to live in the city of Washington, there is the same necessity for increasing the pay of the clerks and employees of the Depts during the same time. The section which I propose to extend is without limitation as to time. Whether that section will be construed to give the additional 20%. after the 4th of March next, I am not prepared to say. It is not material to discuss the question whether that section will be so construed or not. If it is construed to extend beyond the 4th of March next, congress can at any time, if it sees fit, cut off this increased pay. On the other hand, if the additional compensation is construed not to extend beyond the 4th of March next, Congress can, by additional legislation and additional appropriations, continue this increased pay be yond that time. My amendment proposes simply to extend to the Depts the provisions of that section, with whatever construction the Depts themselves may give to it. I for one believe that it is proper and neces: sary to increase the pay of that very large and very deserving class of clerks and employees engaged in the Depts in this city. I know many a clerk here, receiving a yearly salary of $1, 200, $1, 400, $1, 600, or $1, 800, who is cramped from month to month to make both ends meet, and who with his family is obliged to live in a most humble manner, in a little room in the 3rd or 4th story, with scanty furniture and but very few of the surroundings of a comfortable home. In my opinion, it is a debt the Government owes these men to so increase their salaries as to enable them to live in a manner becoming employees of the Government of the U.S. My amendment also embraces what is not embraced in the bill a provision for the clerks in the quartermaster's dept of the dept of Washington. There are, I suppose, from 50 to 100 of these clerks who are obliged to live in the city of Washington. They are certainly just as deserving as the clerks in the city postoffice or the coast survey or any other dept or bureau of the government. It will be borne in mind, as I presume most of the members of Congress already know, that nearly all of the supplies taken from the depot in Washington go.the quartermaster's dept of the dept of Washington. 1st they go from the quartermaster's dept of the Army to the dept of Washington, and by that dept are issued to the different depots. The whole burial service, the charge of the various national cemeteries, is under the control of the quartermaster's dept in the dept of Washington. requires a great many clerks. They have the same grades of clerks as the others, and there certainly can be no reason why these clerks should not be embraced as well as the others. With that exception I believe the substitute embraces the same that the original bill does. It gives them pay from the 4th of March, 1865, precisely as we gave additional compensation to the employees of Congress. I think it is proper and consistent, and the only consistent thing we can do. That is all I desire to say.