The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-09-17
The Debates OF COngrcss-Arrangomcn
for Reports Next Winter.


Some fifteen or sixteen years ago the New
YORK HERALD inaugurated therystem of giving
full reports of Congressional debates Up to
that time none but the most meagre and imper-
feet accounts OF the proceedings of Congress
ever found their way into the papers. The
Congressional Globe, which was established by
Blair Rives in 1888, and which now gives
verbatim reports of both houses, gave then
only mere outline of the proceedings. The
enterprise of the HERRLD, in spreading before
the public full and accurate reports of the
doings of Congress, was fully appreciated, and
soon afterwards the Globe, stimulated by our
success, organized a corps of Congressional
reporters and entered upon its present system Of
full reports.
The next step in our career of Congressional
reporting was the use Of the telegraph AT
great expense to ourselves we commenced the
practice of telegraphing the proceedings of
both houses. Mr.. Calhoun who was then in
the fulness of his great power and popularity,
and whose epigrammatic style of oratory was
peculiarly suited to the telegraph, expressed
himself astonished at the accuracy with which
his famous speeches were reported, telegraphed
and published in the HERALD; and he looked
forward to the time when, through such enter
prize and the use of such means, all the pro-
ceedngs of Congress would be, through the
journals of this metropolis, placed before the
whole people of the United States.
We are approaching that period. For many
years past the New York press has had con-
densed reports of the debates in Congress tele
graphed at very considerable expense. But it
has now become manifest that these abstracts
are unsatisfactory, and that much fuller re-
ports should be given. We intend to supply
that want of the public by keeping at the CAPT
tai several accomplished reporters, who will
furnish us by telegraph with from four to six
or eight columns per day. according to the
interest and Importance Of the proceedings.
We believe that this feature of the HERALD will
be fully appreciated by the people Of the
United States
AT present the general public have to remain
in almost entire ignorance Of the sayings and
doings Of their representatives in Congress.
The reports to the press are altogether too
meager. The Washington papers that do give
full reports are confined in their circulation to
the District of Columbia 1t is only through
the New York papers that the people at large
can have information spread before them The
journals of the other cities and towns of the
! Union cannot afford the necessary outlay.
Public men have long recognized the disad-
vantage under which they labored in that re-
spect No matter how creditable to themselves
their Congressional career may be, the evidence
thereof is locked up in the mausoleum Of the
Washington Globe, whence it rarely if ever
energies. 1t is only through the medium Of
the New York papers that they can hope for
full publicity Of their acts.
The Postmaster General might aid us and
them very much if he were to rearrange the
transportation Of the mails between Washing
| ton and New York in such way as would pro-
mote the public convenience AT the begin
ming Of last session the Senate gave him full
authority, by resolution, to do so; but no i'm
provement has since taken place. The change
which we suggest, and which we ask him in
the general interest Of the public to effect, IS
| this:-The afternoon express train leaves Wash
| ington at forty minutes past P. NJ, but does
| not reach New York till about the same hour
| next morning. Let him, in conjunction with
the railroad companies, so arrange the schedule
that not more than eight or nine hours shall be
occupied in the trip That is not asking too
much. We would thus be able to get at mid
night full reports Of the proceedings of Con-
gress up to three, or half past three o'clock P.
NJ, and could supply the rest by telegraph.
| The same expedition observed with the morn
| ing express train, to leave here at six O'Clock
would enable members of Congress to have the
| New York papers early in the afternoon, in
which they would find reports of and comments
on their speeches of the preceding day. The
advantage Of the arrangement would be par
ticipated in by all the cities north, south and
west Of u.s. Even now, notwithstanding the
tediousness Of mail trains the New York papers
| Of to-day are received in Cincinnati tomorrow,
in ST. Louis the next day, in Memphis the third
day, in Vicksburg the fourth, and in New Or
leans the fifth We expect that within year
or two this time will be very considerably di-
minished.
| Is there any reason why the afternoon train
from Washington should not arrive in New
York before midnight? None whatever. The
1 whole distance between the two cities is two
hundred and twenty-six miles. Say that the
running time is eight hours or less than thirty
miles an hour Allow another hour for una
voidable delay in crossing the Susquehanna,
Baltimore and Philadelphia, and then we have
the journey made in nine hours. The regular
time between New York and Boston, two hun
dred and thirty miles, is, by the afternoon ex-
press train, eight hours and ten minutes; and
we have had a special train run between the
two cities, several years ago, when the road was
not in perfect condition, in seven hours and a
half. We think, therefore, that we are not too