The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-04-09

am unwilling 10 pay them for going back and publish
ing all The speeches delivered during The astt"o sessions
MT. MASON. | understand this to be proposition 10
paw for The publication of the debates OF the Senate in
The National Inegeneer Now sir reeolleet very dis
hneiy thai when this order ORG iof puoshns Tue
debates at the expense OF the Senate had very great
doubts about it, pIopneiy But aequieseed IN the gem
ealy opinion OF The Senate, maj There should
be contract made with Inc chei papes representing he
two political paes-ihe Union Tor the democratic party,
aud The lnegencer for the wing paIy-in this city, TO
pay them for publishing the entire debates OF the Senate
fast delivered, at s,aedprlce per column Accord.
ing to my recoe. the contract was complied with in
good faith by both papers They kept up with the
tent debate and they laid before their readers very
generally upon the day. and were seldom belaed
But the close of the long session OF 1859 the National
lniegencer informed The Senate, according TO my reco
lection. confirmed by the senator from Pennsy ania Mr.
BRoDHEAD that il was too onerous Tor the paper 10
tnue Tor they not compensated for the labor AT
the close OF that session the ntegeneer therefore, voun
arly disconnected itself from the Senate of its Of
hcial reporters Now, the proposition as understand
it, is 10 reinslae Them and 10 authorize them again 10
publish the debates upon the same terms as before, and
TO pay them OF back rations. Now, shall have
objection i the National lnleigencer desire IT, ,opay
them for publishing the debates, But see no
in the world for authorizing them 10 publish what
is past, or for paying them Tor what they have published
voluntarily. The National ln,eigencer is one OF the
Oldest papers, believe, at the seat Of government; and
have believe tina, i, enjoys most extensive
general circulation not oay in this country but abroad
more extensive certainly than any other paper publish.
ed in this city IL is conducted with great ability, and
has remained for many years in able hands But II is al
the same tme all papers must be published under such
circumstances strictly party paper, conducted am Tree
10 with great decoum and great courtesy towards the
opposing party but al the time conducted with a
sedaous and exclusive eye TO the interests OF that party
of which it is the exponent feel no party hostility
toward IT, believe that country cannot continue
repnbccer,anly republic in sound and healthy
conditionunless there two parties two parties not
having the tendency much TO be seen IN modern par
ties, to degenerate the party in power and the party
opposition but two parties such constituted the dr.
vidng parties in this country some half century ago
parties based upon the principles OF government and the
mode of administering it. There must be parties. There
be saluary influences exered upon the govern
men' way or the other unless there are parties and
party organs.
But see no reason in the world for paying the Ma
ional lnlelgencer for what it has published Il was
published for its own purposes. My honorable friend
from South Carolina Mr.. BuTLERl would say tina, it was
"a voluntary contribution to future history" II
published for the credit and character of the party and
the credit and character of the paper As TO their
publishing the current Debates shall have no objec-
lion that but what the object OF publishing these
Debates Is il not 10 give the people of the country
opportunity TO what lis done In publishing the cur
rent debate publish matters in which the public take
interest, They relate to matters recent and fresh ;
bat il go back and publish the debates after the mat
ter has become STALE will desire 10 read them. /
have been reader OF the National nteligencer, think
for some 80 years.
Mr. BUTLER lin his seat More than that Laugh
ter
Mr.. MASON | do not know tina, i, has been more
IL
remarks ed the very unfortunate change which has taken
place its party complexion and party views from
sedulous and exclusive devotion TO the interests OF the
party of which it is one OF the organs But | am not
AWARE am not confirmed, from my experience, in the
opinions suggested by The senator from Arkansas-hat ii
has been Unfair partial While it published the de.
bates OF the Senate, II certainly not II il has since
made determinations, it has perIec, right TO do it,
have often been struck with the fact that large portion
OF the lnelligencer, while not publishing debates If
fciay, has been filled with speeches eIteno, on both
very mn taut have bepD
debated here OF interest 10 the country.
Mr. BORLAND One word IN reply, and | am done
win the subject do not differ all from the honorable
from Virginia tr MAsos] to the character of
the National lneiiigencer 1t IS party paper, all
know-a very dignied one and believe the iarest the
candid, and The least aHecied by bitterness and feel
ing, that we have in the country Asa public journal
spect II very highly and It's conductor. do not charge
with any unfarness at all. Tnere was uufsrness IN
0oper and best calculated 10 advance the interests OF
their party. That was perfectly right, and do not OBJ
ject to il. Nor would object conr uing that paper
OF the reporters of The Senate, TO 81 so per
column. very cbeeruly voted for that contract, and
would have continued II as long it should be the
policy OF the Senate to employ several papers. would
not restrict the patronage OF the Senate TO the papers
my own party. ! am perfectly willing that the National
lnieligencer should have H. But they forward and
said that II did pay, and they could longer do it
gave up the contract the eve OF presidential
vass; and daring that canvass exercised its discretion
for the benefit OF its party the publication of such
speeches and documents alone deemed 10 be cal
cuiaed 10 promote the Interests OF that party and
now unwilling 10 20 back and make acknowledgement
TO them by paying them for such work.
II seems 10 that The suggestion OF my friends from
Pennsylvania [ Mr.. BRoDHEADl and from Virginia [ir
MAsos proves too much 10 favor OF the proposition, ii 1t
proves anything They tell you that he National Intel
gencer gave up the contract because would not pay
because It was onerous-because IT a bad bagain
and they could not continue II without losing money.
Yet they come forward and ask TO give IT them
again. IL they lost money by before why would they
not lose money by IL now The object this, as TN.
dersland II Ii did DOT pay because the pecuniary
pensauon was not sufficient 10 compensate them for The
loss OF Their political character and the injury they might
thus sustain by The publication OF all the debates IL
question between The pecunlary and The political inter
esls OF the paper; and the money we paid was not
enough 10 induce them al time of high parry excitement
10 dsappolnt the friends OF that paper By making
trail paper They wanted wing paper and If they had
continued TO publish all the democratic speeches II wond
have made II neutral papert would have neuiIslzd,
as they supposed all The effect Of the editorials aud whg
speeches. dIher from who suppose hat il has
Published speeches upon both sides read it very care
fully. and II published democratic speeches did not see
them. They may have published one or two occasion
ally but that they made practice OF il, very
was not the case.
Mr. President think this system OF reporting is wrong
in ITSELF think it might be improved We ought to
have official reporter We ought pay more than we
now pay in order TO organize and keep up one Official
corps OF reporters and should pay the other papers
Tor republshing the reports made by The official corps
Now we have, as we well know, two sets OF official re-
ports, which very often differ from each other want
them to be uniform and tbnk it better be done BY
paying official reporter to have one uniform re-
port 10 go out ms the official record and them bv paying
smaller compensation 10 the other papers, can have
that report distributed over the country widely ss we
think proper. That, IN my opnion would be better
plan than that which we have adopted
NJ ~ 49,. Il.