In 1855, she moved to Washington, D.C., and began work as a clerk in the U.S. Patent Office;"Clara Barton" , Dictionary of Unitarian & Universalist Biography this was the first time a woman had received a substantial clerkship in the federal government and at a salary equal to a man's salary. For three years, she received much abuse and slander from male clerks. Subsequently, under political opposition to women working in government offices, her position was reduced to that of copyist, and in 1858, under the administration of James Buchanan, she was fired because of her "Black Republicanism". After the election of Abraham Lincoln, having lived with relatives and friends in Massachusetts for three years, she returned to the patent office in the autumn of 1860, now as temporary copyist, in the hope she could make way for more women in government service.
In 1855, she moved to Washington, D.C., and began work as a clerk in the U.S. Patent Office;"Clara Barton" , Dictionary of Unitarian & Universalist Biography this was the first time a woman had received a substantial clerkship in the federal government and at a salary equal to a man's salary. For three years, she received much abuse and slander from male clerks. Subsequently, under political opposition to women working in government offices, her position w!as reduced to that of copyist, and in 1858, under the administration of James ?Buchanan, she was fired because of her "Black Republicanism". After the election of Abraham Lincoln, having lived with relatives and fr?iends in Massachusetts for three years, she returned to the patent office in? the autumn of 1860, now as temporary copyist, in the hope she could make way for more women in government service.