§ Much discussion has lately arisen respecting the payment of persons in the employment of government. The economists have lately had a committee of the House of Commons, in which they have in some instances damaged a good cause by want of information. Their enemies will doubtless take advantage of their ignorance, and seem not unwilling to have allowed them to fall into these mistakes. Those who contend that persons in office are under-paid, generally maintain the doctrine that the holder of every office ought to receive enough to support him, without any assistance from private fortune, in that position of society which others in the same or similar offices occupy. This may be true for some of the higher stations, where great talents and industry are essential; but these offices are the exceptions. To maintain this doctrine is to assert, that the government must pay such a salary to every employé as to be able to choose out of the whole number of persons existing in the country, those most capable of filling that office. Now in every country where capital has at all accumulated, there will always be a sufficient number of persons, having some amount of private fortune, who will be able and willing to fill all the ordinary offices requiring no very special talent, for a much smaller sum than their average expenditure would require. This more limited class is yet sufficiently large for the government to select from. The competition of capital with labour leads to this result. The inducements to office under government are many, in addition to that of its salary. 1st. The salary itself generally increases with the time of service. 2d. There is usually a retiring pension after a certain time of service, or in case of accidental incapacity. 3d. There is the chance of promotion by political interest, or perchance from skill and industry displayed in office. 4th. Some incapable head of a department may want a clever fellow to do the work for which he is himself either too idle or too ignorant. 5th. There is the chance of being promoted, in order to make a vacancy for some one below who has more influence. 6th. Then there are the great prizes,—few indeed, but very great when occurring to those without the accidents of birth or interest. It is possible that a clerk commencing at a salary of 80_l._ may ultimately attain a seat in the cabinet, and then the peerage is open to him.