The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-12-28

arrayed against him. There are also good sense
and resolution In those who elected hun, to stand
by him in all his difficulties, and sustain him in
all his efforts for the good of the country and the
masses of the people, who constitute this irresis-
BILE phalanx, will present barrier of adamant to
the movements and Vaccinations of the ultras Of
all parties, and will keep, preserve and defend the
integrity of this great republican confederacy,
with its existing government and institutions,
against all INVADERS all fanatics all uitras and all
disappointed politicians, male or female, under
whatever guise they may assume, or to whatever
chicanery they may resort to effect their unholy
designs.
Let Congress, then, pursue Its course with calm.
ness, good sense, and moderation. There is as
yet nothing to fear. Des,derium peceaforum
peribit.
Reporting In Congress-The Organ os the
New Administration.
A very petulant, apologize, lugubrous, but, on
the whole, rather amusing article, appeared on
Monday last. IN the National Intelligewcer, news
paper issued at the seat of government, to about
fourteen hundred subscribers This article Is
chiefly devoted to the subject of reporting in Con-
gress, and affects to present reply to certain re-
marks and structures published in the Epem,wg
Post, Of this city. II Is evident enough, however
that the real design of the article Is to avert some
OF the consequences, If possible, of that revolution
In the whole business of reporting IN Congress
which the independent newspaper press of the
country has, within the last year or two so auspi
clously commenced. A decisive blow has been
struck, at least at one gigantic abuse which had
grown up under the federal government; we mean
hate YfY aord, ~ ,rJ
which has been heretofore SO snugly ensconced
under the covert of the "publc printing" Hence
this last speech and confession " of the IntsR,-
gencr, which occupies, with its half dozen post
scrps, very nearly seven columns of that deectable
sheet, constituting, we might say, the &c seven
penitential psalms" of an expiring corruption.
The MteAtgenc9 complains that certain portion
othepress of this country has made false and caum-
NOUS charges against its fair reputation; and an
nounces its object to be the exposure of the garng
fasehood" and "fagrant malgnlty'' OF all those ras-
cally editors who have ventured to doubt the WIS
dom and justice Of hiring the Washington journals
% report the proceedings of Congress, at the rate of
" fifteen dollars column" Very lugubrious is
this ancient recipient of pauper relief, on ac-
count of these ISLANDERS. Indeed, the editor
wakes quite wrathful, and founces about in
a laundering passion, very much In the style
of the indignant virago, of equivocal fame, in
one of the old English comedies, who calls heaven
and earth to testify to her irreproacable chastity
The innocent reader, untaught in the ways of cor.
ruption at Washington, might very well be imposed
upon by all this show of virtuous indignation on
the part of the Washington editor. But those who
have merely glanced at the real facts of the case,
are not to be so easily bamboozled. The magni-
tude of the sums paid to the proprletors OF the In.
tehgenocr, out of the public treasury, during the
last twenty years, is almost incredible. Millions
and millions of the public money have been squan-
dered upon the party organs at Washington, under
the name of payment for performing the printing of
Congress. One hundred thousand dollars of clear
profit has been repeatedly realized from the printing
of a single document. Blair Rves, of the Globe,
reaped fortune of hall million during the a l.
minlstratlons Of Jackson and Van Buren,. In two
years Richie and Heiss, of the Un,on, realized
seventy five thousand dollars a piece At the
lowest estimate, Gales & Seaton, of the Iatelli-
gencer have received one million of dollars in the
shape of profits On the printing Of Congress. We
speak by the book. We have the data before u.s.
The facts which establish this astounding system
OF newspaper corruption are lncontrove rtble and
damnlng. So grossly inlqultous, indeed, had this
system of sustaining the mercenary organs at
Washington at last become, that even political
partlzaps themselves ashamed OF it, and at the
commencement OF the present Congress, the public
printing was given out by contract, to the lowest
bidder. Probably one hundred and fifty thousand
dollars have thus been saved to the national trea
su,y This explains the rabid feroclty with which
"ach, al
new reform project Of reporting the proceedings of
Congress.
The Congressional reports which were made by
the Washington journals, were of the most mac
curate and unsatisfactory character. Year after
year, the complaints, on account of the meagre
and paltry reports, were unceasng in both branches
of Congress- Repeated efforts were made to estab.
lish an independent and adequate system; but they
were defeated by the influence of the organs, and
their inscriptions friends. The independent sys.
tern OF reporting the Senate debates, introduced by
a gentleman connected with the Herald estab-
lishment, was the first practical movement in this
work of needed reform. 1t has afforded some
experience of the salutary working of an lndc-
pendent plan Of reporting; and WILL In all proba-
biity, be followed up by the adoption of some.
what similar plan for both houses It is quite
evident that Congress is tired of the system of
pensioning newspapers In the city OF Washington,
who boast, as does the Int,H,gemcer, of expanding
|" from four five to ten thousand dollars year."
for their reports of the proceedings of Congress-
while they were in receipt Of from one hundred
and fifty to three hundred thousand dollars year.
voted to them under the guise of reimburslng them
for their reporting expenditures
There is only one proper method Of securing
faithful reports of the American Congress, and
obtaining for these reports the desired degree of
publicity. Let Congress appoint sufficient
number of competent reporters, at fixed yearly
salary, and on an efficient organization The