Star.
London, England, 1830-05-26 00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARY REPORTERS.

Colonel Sibthorp's motion for increasing the accommo-
dation at present afforded to the reporters of the House
of Commons will come under discussion to-morrow
night. For the edification of those hon. members who
may feel disposed to favour the house with their opinions
on this subject, it may not be amiss to state the practice
which prevails in the American Congress with regard to
reporters. In the House of Representatives the gentle-
men who attend for the newspapers are accommodated

with a desk, not, as in England, in a dark corner of the
gallery, but on the floor of the house, at a window im-
mediately behind the speaker's chair. It is impossible
to imagine a better situation for hearing every syllable
which transpires, as the members address themselves to
the Speaker and to the reporters at the same time. This
is, in reality, very much the case elsewhere; but the
American orators manifest no affectation in the matter,
and do openly that which we do indirectly, and with
a show of reserve. The gentlemen of the press in
the United States are not viewed as a set of raw-head
and bloody-bone fellows—they are not alternately hated
and courted, feared and flattered ; nor are they regarded
as so many " petty-larceny rogues," who enter the house
with the intention of stealing a certain number of
,peeches. They are received as gentlemen, and allowed
to pass to and fro on the floor of the house at all times,
even in the middle of a debate, communicating with the
members, and seemingly enjoying all the privileges of
members. It would not, perhaps, be good policy to place
them on the same footing here, nor would such privileges
be desired by the reporters themselves ; but there is assu-
redly no sound reason for continuing the present harass-
ing system of exclusion. How, under this system, the
reporters succeed in giving the speeches with any approach
to correctness, is a matter of wonder to all who are in the
habit of visiting the gallery of the House of Commons.—
The front bench is, in truth, the only position in which a
speech can be tolerably heard ; and even there, amidst the
noise and confusion which frequently prevail, a man must
he a sharp listener to hear every thing ; but on the back
seat, where the reporters take their notes, both seeing
'nd hearing are often impracticable. These difficulties
were strikingly exemplified in the course of the debate on
our relations with the United States and Mexico on Friday
evening. From the low tone in which the hon. baronet
spoke, much of Sir Robert Peel's speech was totally in-
audible at the distance at which the Reporters are placed;
and a great portion of the remainder was lost, from the
difficulty of taking notes in the dark. In fact, Sir Ro-
bert delivered himself much in the subdued manner of an
honest gentleman sitting with a friend, deliberating on
some secret and confidential matter of business, and afraid
of being heard by the company in an adjoining room. It
really seemed as if the Worthy Baronet was in dread of
being overheard-by Brother Jonathan.—Should Colonel
Sibthorp's motion prove unsuccessful, the gallant Colonel
still possesses the means of effecting his object. Let him
resort to the expedient of moving the standing order for
the exclusion of strangers, by which means he will, of
course, put an end to reporting. It would require a good
deal of stubbornness or John Bullism to persist in this,
de nocte in noctem, for a month ; but its effect would be
irresistible; and it may be safely predicted that in half
that period hon. members would be brought to their
senses, and would yield that to necessity which they so
pertinaciously refuse to reason and common sense.—
Herald.