The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1858-09-01
From the Wheeling Intelligencer.
REPORTING IN THE UNITED
STATES SENATE.

old papers yesterday, L found brief and
rough sketch of Reporting in the Senate
of the U. S., written shortly after wit
Messing the operations of the Senate
corps. Nothing is said of the reporting
of the House, because at that time l was
not aware of the precise manner in which
it was DONE The statements herein con-
tanned were made from personal observa-
tion and perfect familiarity with the facts.
Conceiving that it might interest some
of your readers to know just how the de
bates, which they peruse with so much
satisfaction, are prepared, copy this pa.
per for your columns, supplying from mem.
ory some omissions and adding an occa-
sional observation.
The reporting corps for the Senate
consists of three persons-Mr. Sutton
and Messrs. Murphy. Mr.. Sutton is
chief, that is, he has the contract for fur
nishing the reports; but the Messrs. Muir.
ply do all the actual reporting. In fact
one of them-the elder brother, of whom
Mr.. Rives has said that neither the hab-
liable world nor the world inhabited can
produce his equal'-does far the greater
part. So much reporting, by so limited
q number has never before been done.
When sitting commences, the younger
Mr.. Murphy takes the chair and writes
during the morning hour. generally until
q special order IS taken up-his turn be-
ing from q half hour to an hour. The
heavy debate now coming on, he resigns
to his brother, who is equal to any emer-
gency. This gentleman will write al
long as circumstances may require with
wonderful ease and accuracy. He sits
in his chair, Immediately in front of the
V. P.'s desk, with his slight figure, his
bright blue eyes, and Intellectual counten-
ance. He recognizes every speaker in
the chamber by his tone, and with won.
derful quickness of ear catches every re-
mark, however low or indistinct. He sits
there hour after hour, while that indefati-
gable pen flies over the smooth sheet and
arrests the winged words for which ma
ton and the world are waiting. No
food Of eloquencs overwhelms him
Like the pouring rain which is frozen as
it falls upon the sheeted snow, the tor
rent of words is transfxed upon the
snowy psges of his notebook BY the mag
ic pen of Photography. No colloquy is
too quick for him. No interruption can
disconcert his practised ear or distance
his electric fingers. Mr.. President from
half dozen Senators is noted. Aud
when debate has followed debate, and mo-
tions to adjourn have been made and lost
and debates and motions have followed a.
gain, till honorable Senators declare
themselves quite overcome with incessant
talking, and are sending off for lunch. and
slipping out into the refreshment room to
partake of sundry decoctions to keep the
spirits up by sending the spirits do,cn-
our reporter, who has sat there all the
while, every power concentrated, every
faculty engaged, and who has written as
much as they all have talked, without rest
and without refreshment, writes on with.
ont tagging, seemingly as fresh as when
he sat down hours before.
And thus, from day to day, one of the
greatest triumphs of the age is witnessed
by the gaping crowd in the gallery and
the gabbling body in the chamber, with
Indifference, The reporting system is q
triumph of art, science, and Intellect
Few of those who sit in the gallery of the
Senate, and look down upon its delibera.
tons, and read in the next mornings
Globe detailed report of which their
memory furnishes but shadow, are
aware that the labors of the reporter
faithfully performing his duty, are worth
more to the people of the U. S. than O
half dozen such islands as Cuba can or ev.
er will be. They do not consider that
this intellectual telegraph-the talking
pen-by which the speakers words are
delineated to the eyes with rapidity Of
thought, is the result of combining the
best system of writing in the world, with
fine talents and years of labor and prac'
tice-that what they think very clever
performance, is an extraordinary feat, nc
less of mind than of fingers. Nor does
it occur to them that the system of writing
here employed, is destined soon to be.
come the vehicle of communication wher
ever the English tongue is written.
Meanwhile the younger brother, who
took the morning turn, has gone off to tn,
reporter g room. and is reading, or die
tatinS, his notes to two or three phono
graphic writer's. He reads them off a
readily as he would a newspaper, pausinl
occasionally to give the less practicet
writer's time to write every word carefully
They, in turn, copy their notes in long
hand for the printers, writing in a clca
bold style, on every other line, for dis
tinctness. and to give room for necessar,
, corrections. When the shorthand wri
ters have each been supplied with turn
of notes, he dictates to long hand wri
, ter, or in his absence cop'ss the note
) himself Thus four or five are engaged
, at the same time in transferring the pho
geographic notes into English. Having
exhausted his own turn of notes, our ju
nior repor.er now procures bundle from
bis associate occupying the chair. Thes
be dictates as before; and so during tn