The PRESIDENT protempore. It requires the unanimous consent of the Senate to dispense with the reading of the Journal. Is there any objection? No objection being made, the further reading of the Journal will be dispensed with. PERSONAL EXPLANATIONS. Mr. WILLIAMS. Mr. President, I desire with the indulgence of the Senate to say a word or 2 in reference to a report that I made last Tuesday morning by the direction of the ComFinance, which has been greatly misrepresented and misunderstood. During the last session of the Senate the ladies of the Treasury Dept presented a petition to the Senate asking to have their compensation increased. That petition was referred to the ComFinance, and in accordance with their request a law was passed i ncreas.ing their pay, which law I earnestly in the committee and in the Senate, When the committee resumed its business at this session that petition was found upon the files, and I was instructed to report it back and ask that the committee be discharged from any further consideration of it, because the subject had been disposed of at the last session. That petition related in no way to any application made at this session for an increase of salary or to any compensation to the men employed in the Depts. Since that time several clerks have called upon me for information as to the nature and effect of that report, which I have given, I suppose, to their satisfaction. Others have written letters to me representing the difficulties under which they labor on account of the lowness of their salaries; and some have writ ten scurrilous and abusive letters to me upon the assumption that, because I made that report, I was opposed to any increase of their salaries. I have, sir, upon all suitable occasions ex: pressed the opinion that the compensation paid to the officials of the Government in Washington was too low, although I have not favored adding a certain%. to all the salaries without respect to the merits, abilities, and responsibilities of those connected with the Depts. My opinion upon that subject has not been changed; and I do not intend to allow my action to be influenced by the fact that some of these clerks who are now so clamorous for an increase of their salaries, at the last session formed what were oiled “deptal clubs” to denounce and vilify Congress, with the view I suppose ofingratiating themselves with the appointing power, and eating with safety the crumbs that fell from their master's table. Nor I do intend to allow my action to be influenced, to the prejudice of the good and deserving men in these Depts, by the course pursued by some who have few qualifications for office, and less of the characteristics of gentlemen. But I think it is proper to say, for the information of all concerned, that those persons asking for that legislation will not promote the end they have in view by addressing anonymous letters, full of scurrility and abuse, to the members of the Senate and the House who are performing what they conceive to be their duty in respect to this matter.