The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-02-01

FAILURE OF The SENATE RxroKrlso JONAS
we anticipated, the system OF reporting the Senate
debates. by a contract with the Washington jour
nas, has turned out to be a complete failure
almost as bad as that OF the grand charity fancy
ball at the Astor Place Opera House Ia both
cases, the imbecihty o. the management has occa.
sioned the failure. The Senate allowed seven
dollars aad half per column TO each OF the Wash
neton newspapers, and the veteran managers OF
these lively and spirited sheets, sohcitous only to
improve "the day of fat things" employed a few
young and inexperienced reporters, or phono-
| graphers, whose services were obtained "dut
cheap" OF course, the reports have not satisfied
Senators, although they have been very profitable
to Father Richie, and his compatrot, the vene-
rable MIR. Gales; for the debates on the ost trfng
questions have been spun out to an Unprecedented
extent, furnishing, indeed, most agreeable Illus
tra,iOn of
"LeDgthened sweetness long drawn out"
at the respectable cost to the country of fifteen
dollars per column.
The system of Senate reporting in operation
during this session, then, has completely failed ;
and Senators find that, instead of being an improve
meDt on the plan conceived and carried out at last
session, by gentleman who was engaged for
years In the Herald office, and there acquired
thorough knowledge of The whole business OF re-
porting, the contract with the aged editors of
Washington falls infinitely short of the excellence
Of DIR. HOuston's system. Throughout the whole
of the last sesslOn-a session of nine months and
full ct heavy and important debates-there was
not single complaint on the score of lnaccuracy.
Occasional delay in the publication of the reoorts
and alleged want OF desired publicity, were some.
times complained Of; but these imperfections in
the working OF the system were not owing to
want of competency In the stenographers.
Both houses of Congress must now perceive ,ba
merits OF the system of reporting their proceedings
and debates which we have again and again sug.
gested. In order to secure accurate reports of
Congress, and at the same time give due publicity
to them, a sufficient number of qualified reporters
should be appointed by Congress, at a fixed yearly
salary and then contract should be made will
the great leading journals of New York, Philadel.
Pima, Baltimore, and Boston, for the publication of
the reports. This is the only system by which the
debates OF the American Congress can be reported
correctly, and be laid before the public at home
and abroad. The Washington journals have not
the means either of making correct reports or
giving them publicity.
We conceive that there Is some propriety IN our
making these suggestions on the subject of Con-
gressonal reporting. All who have paid any at
tentlon to the progress of the American newspaper
press, well aware that the New York He,oH
was the first journal in the United States which
gave elaborate and accurate reports of public pro-
ceedings We were the first to report. in Or.
tenso the proceedings and debates of pubic bodies
speeches, lectures, sermons, discussions, and all
matters coming under the cognizance of news
paper which endeavors to be faithful chronicle
and mirror of It's time. The reporting department
of our establishment has always been far In ad.
vance OF all others in the country; and the public
have long since fully evnced their ap recitation of
our arrangements In this respect.
We trust that both houses will adopt our plan of
reporting before the close of the session. 40 tnat
during the next Congress, which promises to be full
ofexcting interest, the people of this country and
the European world, may be supplied with full and
correct reports ofthe debates In our national leps
lature. 1t will not do to allow our public men
IN Congress to be hereafter doomed to the oblivion
of Washington newspapers