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Amos T. Akerman to John A. Bingham, 20 December 1871

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Dec. 20, 1871. Hon. John A. Bingham, Chairman Judiciary Com. H. of R. Sir: In the estimates for appropriations for the next fiscal year prepared in this Department, the appropriation for the salary of Solicitor of the Treasury, was stated at $5000, and for that of the Law Clerk at $3000. The salaries at present prescribed by law for those officers are respectively $3500 and $2500. I respectfully represent that it is just to those officers that their salaries should be raised to the amounts indicated. The Solicitor of the Treasury has an office of equal dignity and responsibility with the offices of Assistant Attorneys General, and the solicitor of Internal Revenue.—The latter officers are paid $5000, and he should be as well paid. The qualifications required for his office, and the labors of it, are fully equal to theirs. The Law Clerk in the Department of Justice should be a well read and industrious lawyer. His aid is most useful to the officers of this Department in the preparation of opinions, and of arguments in the Supreme Court. Such qualifications as the office requires are very inadequately compensated with $2500. Such competent men as now occupy these offices cannot be expected to serve in them long at the present compensation. But I do not rest this recommendation upon their personal merits, but upon the general desirableness of obtaining good service for the Government—a service which in the long run can only be obtained for adequate pay. Very respectfully, &c. A. T. Akerman, Attorney General.
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Salaries Solicitor Treasury & Law Clerk.
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