The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-06-23
gwemtp-Atrth Congress.
UNITED STATES SENATE.
FalpAY, June 10.
REPORTERS OF the SENATE.


The Senate proceeded to the consideration of the
Wednesday for the appointment ola committee to IN
oue into the expediency of electng equal number
OF reporters from each of the political parties who
shall be sworn TO report the proceedings with all prac-
teal fidelity.
Mr. TAPPAN said he thought il would be better
to leave this matter far the political character OF
the reporters is concerned the discretion Of the Sc
nate when they should come to make the election, as
might not be possible to procure an equal number OF
competent reporters from the two political parties
Mr.. WALKER expressed his dissent 10 the election
Of reporters by the Senate unless Il required that
they should be taken equally from the two political
parties The great object was to obtain correctness,
and preclude Senators each side from complaining
on accountof the political complexion of the reporters
He said he would agree that the resolution should
lie over to allow time for Senators to consider it,
Mr.. CLAY, Of Kentucky said that, however de-
srable and praiseworthy the object of the resolution
might be; however important to procure promptly re-
ports entirely correct and impartial he did not think
the resolution well calculated to accomplish that OBJ
ject nor did he think that, under existing crcun'-
stances il was very practicable in any mode.
As to leaving the political character of the reporters,
that should occupy the privileged seats to the discre-
satisfactory in out Of Congress What would he
the effect Of leaving such discretion TO the Senate
Was not reasonable to believe, both from experience
Of the past, and from human nature, that the report
ers would be partizans, and on the side Of the ma
jority.
But the object he repeated could not be reached by
this resolution Ifit could be accomplished ut all it
would be necessary to give large salaries TO the seno-
graphers and employ three or four on each side MIR
Clay referred to the means BY which the leading pa
pers in London were furnished with their admirable
Parliamentary reports There the practice was to EN-
ploy number of reporters who relieved each other,
after the lapse of fifteen twenty minutes. Each
tired in succession to write out his notes. and the Sc
parate parts Of single speech single debate, were
afterwards put together for publication. The demand
for leading Parliamentary speeches is great that the
propretors Of newspapers enabled to give large
laries to the reporters and consequently that depart
ment is filed by of high talent and education, as
well as industry Frequently, speech made at mid
night may he read early next morning in finished
and perfectly accurate report,
Mr., CLAY referred also to the facility with which
reporters who might not choose to take the required
oath could repair to the galleries, from whence they
could not constltutionally be excluded He did not
object to the resolutions but he thought it would
lead to nothing useful.
After some remarks from Mcssrs. Calhoun, King and
Tappan, Mr. Walker agreed to allow the resolution
to lie over for the present.
The Bill for the Mount Carmel and Albany Rail
Road was next taken up and advocated by Messrs
White, Young and Webster and opposed by Mr.
Benton
MIR, BENTON denounced the whole scheme as
wild, visionary, and mpracticable II was road Che
|
it, and that the General Government ought to lend
itself to such an undertaking; and moved It's indef
mite postponemcnt.
Mr.. WHITE and Mr.. YOUNG each addressed the
Senate at some length, and very earnestly in favor
the bill.
The question having been taken on Mr.. BEN
TONS motion, the vote stood as follows
Calhoun, Hubbard, Lumpkin Roanc Strange, Stur
gcon, Tappan and Wright-l2.
NAYS-Messrs. Davis, Dixon Henderson, Hunt
ington, King, Knight, Linn, Merrick, Nicholson
Norvell, Prentiss Smith, of Indiana, Tallmadge
Webster White and Young-l6,
The further consideration was then postponed fol
the present.
Mr.. HUNTINGTON rose to state to the Senate
that the bankrupt bill, which had been reported from
the select committee and had been acted on owing
to the absence Of the chairman would be called up on
Monday, and pressed on the consideration ofthe body
until finally disposed of He said there was much
feeling of anxiety, well the part of the creditor
as debtor, know what disposition Congress would be
likely to make of the BILL and it was with that view
he had given this notice to the Senate
The Senate then adjourned to Monday