Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1853-10-06
From The Now York Weekly Budget.
Joseph Gales.

Congress. 1t was one of those long, powerful
sarcastic speeches for which he was so distin
guished. Ii was on the war question. On the
18th day of the preceding June, QSl2,) war had
been declared against Great Britain. Congress
adjourned on the 9th Of July, and was called
together again on the I'd of November, to
adopt such measures as the first brief campaign
rendered necessary. Among other measures
the military committee reported a bill for rails
ing an additional army of twenty thousand
men. A debate followed on the bill in the
House, extending through twenty days, in which
many distinguished men took part, including
Calhoun, and Clay, and Kent, and Lowndes
and Macon. On the 18th of January, John
Randolph rose and blowed his bugle blast
through the day, reviewing the whole war sub
ject, and the relations between this country and
the powers of Europe. Like all his speeches,
this was extempore 1t fell upon the ears OF
his hearers, and then was waited away and lost
in thin air. Beyond the mere announcement,
that Mr.. Randolph spoke upon the bill, the
press the country gave the public no inior-
nation, and no one, save those who heard the
speech, knew what he had said, or ever expect
ed TO know
And now, 10 and behold on the Sd day OF
this present month Of September, 1853, that
unwritten speech, uttered forty years ago, APP
peared at full length, verbatim, as it was spoken,
IN the National Lateliigeneer, filling seven large,
closely printed columns in small type. Who,
at this day, when the actors in those scenes are
sleeping with their fathers-when Calhoun, and
Clay, and Kent, and Lowndes, and Macon,
and Randolph, are all in their graves, who has
wrought this literary miracle?
There was living in Washington in those
Har Al
Gales. He was the young, talented, energetic
editor of the National Mtelligencey. a paper
which Mr. Randolph alluded to in the very
speech which has now come to life, as "the
court paper"-by which it would seem that
" organs were in fashion even in Mr.. Madison's
day. Well, young Gales edited the Daily In
and we are not sure but he spent
half the night in setting types; for, if we mis-
take not, he was n practical printer. In add-
ton to those light labors, he constituted in his
own person the whole reporting force of both
Houses OF Congress. Reporters were scarce in
those days, and very few understood the mys-
teries of stenography. But young Gales was
himself host in energy, mental capacity, and
skill In fact, he was one of
the best reporters the country has produced );
and he managed, by untiring industry, to re-
port large portion Of the most important de-
bates in the two Houses of Congress for many
years, thus adding large stock of the valua-
bic elements of history, which, but for him,
would have been lost to the world. But he
could not do everything, nor be in the Senate,
and the House, and the printing Office, all at
he same time.
1t often happened in the course of his labors
hat he took stenographic notes of speeches and
debates, which he had neither time nor the
physical power to write out in English, and there
vas no one else at hand who understood the
mysterious art well enough to do it for him.
Many of these unpublished sketches have been
preserved to this day in the archieves of the
.atehigencer Office.
Now the venerable Mr.. Gales is still the Sc
nor editor of the Iatelligencer, which, in con-
lexion with his honored partner, W. w. Seaton,
lie has conducted for nearly half century.
The ability, courtesy, dignity, and honorable
Fearing, which have distinguished the LateUi-
'encer, have long since given it a reputation
Worldwide, and earned for it the title of the
nodel paper of the country. All parties respect
he Intethgencey, and all speak well of it, with
erhaps an occasional exception, arising from
DOL Judgment. We were gratifed, therefore,
nd not surprised to find statement in the
ntelligencer of the Sd inst, from which we take
ne lollowlng paragraph:
1t may not be very generally known that
he proprietors of the National Lateligencer are
ngaged in a work, under the sanction of the
government, which is to embody and preserve
he already perishing history of the earlier Con-
'resses. In this undertaking they have thus
ar succeeded, even beyond their hopes. In
prosecution of the work it has been brought
own to the date Of the twelfth Congress-
This important work could not possibly have
'een committed to better hands. 1t will un-
loubtedly result in very valuable addition
o the historical records of the country. 1t was
n the prosecution of these labors that Mr..
sales dug up the old stenographic notes of Mr.. |
sandolphs speech, and wrote them out for the
Annals of Congress-" and to give the public
foretaste of the work in preparation. pub
lshed the speech at length in the Iatelligencer.
Thus far we have been speaking Of Mr. Gales
nd his labors. We wish to add word more
# Scales & Seaton." No other two names
an be found in the country, which have been
written and printed together for so many years,
nd read and spoken so many times. as Gales
! Seaton. For more than forty years they have
cen the JOINT editors and publishers of the |
National Iatetligencer, in which time they have
cquired for that journal, among intellectual
binds throughout the country-and we believe
re may say throughout Europa name and
raise not surpassed by any other political pa
er. And for themselves they have achieved
most honorable reputation that posterity will not
willingly let die. The page of their countrv's
history, which fills half century, is sure to be
marked with their names A prophet is not
Without honor, save in his own country; but
hese gentlemen have been appreciated at home
s well as abroad Each Of them has at diff |
erent times and for number of years, BY the |
hoice of their townsmen, filed the office of |
mayor of the city of Washington, as well as
ther positions of trust and honor. We have
lever had the pleasure Of meeting Mr. Gales |
tut once, and then but for few minutes. Col. |
eaton we have never seen. But what we have |
aid, we have said.
Accident to the steamer May Qucen.-We |