The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-05-17

NEWSPAPER REpoRTING.--Some of the papers
are making very merry about blu.der which one
of our reporters, recently attached to this establish
ment, made in giving a sketch of a speech at the
meeting Of the Tract Society, in consequence OF
the great confusion in the nighborhood of the plat
form, which rendered il impossible for him 10
catch with accuracy the meaning of some sente n.
ces in the address. We believe this is Jus. the
second blunder which has occurred in our reports
OF public proceedings for series Of years-the
hrst being typographical error, which was as
sreedily snatched at as the present, by some of our
contemporaries, who thus discover the extreme and
vs'iant attention with which they read the Ne,c
| YORK Herald Every body knows that our reports
INFINITELY surpass those attempted by our cotempo-
rares, one OF the best proofs of this being the fact
that these contemporaries In the habit of stealing
them bodily, and transferring them 10 their own
columns without acknowledgment. 1t is not long
since, we were under the necessity of chastising
| the Courier & Enquirer tor larceny of this dis
| crlpon, in the case Of one of Mr. Webster's
speeches.
Not only have our reports been characterized by
superior accuracy and fidelity, but the rapidity
with which on all occasions requiring extraordi-
nary despatch, they have been given to the public,
is well known. In this connection we may notice
the following paragraph, which is gong the round
of the papers,
NEwsrAPER RxPoRTING-Towards the conclusion of the
OConne banquet great number OF copies ofthe London
proceedings OF the meeting including the whole of the
speech of Mr. OConnell which reported and printed
distributed throughout the meeting gratuitousy. The
desire to obtain the papers intense and
the course of his speech on the toast of THE
Press Mr. Hndley alluded to this unexampled instance
observed that Il might be taken a. Specimen Of what
the press could accomplish when occasion called for
sual exertions.
This is only what is ordinarily done by us when
deemed necessary. AS one instance of this we
may refer to the case of the Morpeth dinner in this
city, the speech of his Lordship, and the previous
proceedings having been reported in full, printed,
and laid on the table in very short period after
Lord Morpeth concluded his speech And the
same celebrity has been exhibited on innumerabie
public occasions in this city and elsewhere.
Another proof of the immense superiority OF our
reports furnished by the factth on several occa
sions they have been taken by public bodies and
transferred to their records. Thus the "New York
Historical Society," took possession of our report of
Mr.. Webster's speech on the "Jay Map" Many
other instances of the same kind might be mention
ed, but perhaps the striking instance that of
the appropriation by body of clergymen in Wash
ngton of report of Webster's great legal argu-
ment on the Grard This report has been taken
by the reverend gentlemen without syllable of ac-
acknowledgements specimen Ofclercal pilfering only
surpassed by the divine whose whole stock consisted
OF thirteen sermons, every one OF which had been
stolen. This case, indeed, illustrates in a very
marked manner the mean and shabby way in which
our reports have been piltered, and we may Just as
well 'devote an additional line OF two to its expo
sure. The following are the names of the clergy
men "of the several christian denomina-
tons who have published our report
'P. r. Fendal, Horace Stingfellow, Joshua N.
Damforth, r. r. Gurey, Vim. Rugges, Joel S
Bacon, Thomas Sewell, M. B. Edwards" Those
gentlemen waited on Mr.. Webster, and requested
him to prepare for the press portion of his argu-
ment in the Girard case Mr. Webster replies
Gentlemen connected with the public press have,
believe, reported my speech, and he then adds that
would look over" this report previous to its pub
LEGATION in pamphlet. Now the only report made
of the speech was that published in the Herald and
Mr.. Websters conduct in abstaining from giving
the credit justly due to U.S. is say the least of it,
very disingenuous.
However, this businesses is hardly worth the space
and steal our reports usual, but we cannot help
being amused at the wrigging OF some of these
creatures when in series of years, they make the
Astounding discovery" that one Of our reports con-
talns typographical error, and another trivial
blunder about the mode of disseminating tracts!
METHODIST CONFERENCE.-The fitness and ac-
curacy OF our reports of proceedings this body
having gwen too clear insight into the manner
in which they conduct their discussions, they have
very wisely come to the conclusion, as will be per-
celved from report in another column, to close
their doors, and exclude all reporters and the pub
lie. Very we--they will thus have all the folly
and fol-de-rol to themselves Ii is melancholy.
however, to observe the folly, violence, and squab-
bling, OF those men who profess to be teachers and
exempars of propriety, and decorum, and brotherly
love.
JOE SMITHS PosIrIoN.-Joe Smith, the great
Mormon Prophet, has also come out with very
remarkable and original document, defining his po-
sltion in the approaching presidential contest We
give it In ourpaper of to-day and more curious and
unique thing has probably not been published since
the time of Mahomet who used to issue his bulle-
tins in something of the same style.
ANTI-GAMBLING SocIErEs.-We have had the
greatest qualification 10 observing that movement,
likely to be successful, has been commenced for
the suppression of the pernicous vice of gambling
A Mr. Green, reformed gambler, has begun an
agitation similar to that which resulted in the or
ganization of the temperance societies, and in
Washington, Baltimore, Annapolis, and other
southern cities, he has succeeded in forming anti
gambling associations, which embraced many
most influential and respectable names
The evils of gambling, and their growing preva-
lenne u large