The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1824-07-02
i7ge 1900 1891
I'd IlR va

British Islands d D 8
ID I1B Q0a
"By hi. II appears thu, the total pun
her of political journals III England, Scot
land, Ireland, and the British Ialands, hna
aug ,n.n,,d three tunes IN lh. short space
Of about forty years. The difference il not
~ great with respect Ia ,hs English me
iropplis for although in l709 there wrIe
only eighteen papers publishsd nine or
these were daily ones, and The reminding
min. twice n week ones. producing IN all
seventy two weekly onrs whereas III 82I,
IN. ,n.r.ns. in daily new sphpers was from
nine to slst..n, III. decrease ~ twice
week from nine tn eight aud the increase
of weekly, of which none appear TO have
been published IN 1874, was thirty two -
the difference, therefore, IN th. proportion
Of weekly newspapers between th.s. pc
RODS, brlng only what seventy Two is To
one hundred and forty four, or exactly one
half. This, 10 les sure, IN not fair criteri
on Of their increase, ~ the number Of co
pies sold in the las, period must have dou
blrd the numbers -old ~ the first period. -
II shews, hnwevsr, THE state of the market,
and the circumstances 81 far NJ public
feeling was involved. under which the pro
prictors nj IN. Journals though such spscu
lallons prudent There ar. still thirtr.a
daily papers published in London wSsn
thrice week, nine fwire n w.rk, (six ~
which, however can only hs said io he ~
cond editions 10 the same papers.) aud
twenty three weekly. II appears that
these inurnals circulated IN 1921, 1884,
33s copi.s,for the stamp duty upon which, Z
there was paid To the Stamp Office the
SUN Of f27O, g0D i8s. sterling.
d" II IA not the least extraordinary fsa-
lure oflhis literary phnlanx, thai, on fair
calculation Of the number of copies sold IN
town aud country, two illlrds of Us vast
strength are directed against The opinions
ui thu leading official mrn under The crown,
and III. general measures Of his majrety'a
minister's"
IN auolher place, after explaining the or
,liod in which The Parliamentary repUrts
are given by u set of literary genilrnsvA
attached IL each morning new spapeT. and
earnestly recommending further accnEsHsso~
dation 10 them in taking ,e,r notes, the
author says
4" Aud yet il is in this small, DARK, mat
covered aud movement cdrn.r. called the
Gallery of the British House og o.nn,ons,
whcr. the eatcrers of the nem spaper prcss
shaI the speeches of Que mod,rn Cice,os.
The mode IN which H. is is accomplished IS
Ms follows The backmost seat in the
gallery is occuple'I 10y thssr por-ons, about
ten or twelve " diem IN Ill The drsls
they employ are Of natures workmanship
the phlma of their hands Or III. superior
lganenf of ihrir knee joints. They moro
frequently dse the pencil tlan pen and lnk.
although ,ome Of them use the iHttcT and
the usual mode OF writing Is more cow
mon .han ftenosrnphy. During the d.
bate zach reporter generally slls his hour;
when he rrtres to extend his hasiy uOtes
Tor the printer, his paee being Instantly
| flledby his successor IN waiting. BY this
| process the longest debate IN Parliament 10
often published before the expiration of
four hours from thr adjournment of the
house. While the honorable members are
asleep, dreaming Of molions lost aud won.
| the murnng politicians of London are read
ing and discussing their last nights or per
haps the same mornings eiiisions for tho
newspapers almost regularly give NJ six
O'Clock what was delivered, and cheer.
ed, aud coashed upon, at four III the nor
ming.
These reports must necessarily be inn
perfect. The sense IL no donhi generally
gwen bul UfVNthliy Tue NHolt IOTct III
thr Hrgufrsrni and much OF the cloqu"nce
are lost. This arises partly from the stua-
ton of the reporter, from the lownsss Of
the voice, and the peculiar manner Of *
preston Of some Members, and from The
changing Of the lenses II is part of the
evasion to speak IN the third person Singh.
lar, instead of the first. Consequently, tho
force and the antithesis, and The nrIpi al ~
of the speech, are lost. From these cramp.
ing circumstances m apparent samcness nf
expression prr,pdrs the whole. For tho
sam. reason that "A brilliant Grafton is spoil.
ed dull one is improved. But this is not
| all as the rights of the reporter are arbtra
~, his prepossessuns are stronger. lie,
like thr ptcrlic Of - theatre, has his friends
and his a,0rites. lie even affects tu be
unable 10 bear one speaker of being una
bic to comprehend anoiher--and (hcavcns
help himself J 81 sickened rs 10 he unahle
Ia listen Ia n third. These unfortunate
objects of dislike 10 80 mighty parsonage
~ a reporter, never shine in above a dnzrn
or twenty lines on the greatest ocrasion,--
On the olher hand, the Partially il ~ strong
in favor of other honorable Members 50
much So that IN the morrow, the fav,ri'e
speaker is quite overwhelmed with obliea-
tons at finding himslf dressed opi in wards.
md tropes, and Ingenious arguments. which
! hc never used nur could ssae used,