Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1864-10-07
OFFICIAL REPORTS.

From a New York Herald" Of u lite date,
it arpears that some Ole liz that establishment
has received letter requesting him ITO en-
gage three reporters. possessed ot the requ'-
sito Qualifications, to proceed to the rebel CAP
;tal in tho course Of the Fall, 10 be engaged III
tho official reporting Of the rebel Senate"
This notice requires II word Of explanation
since it will lead to the superstition that there
are no reporters possessed of the requisite
qualifications" to he found in the broad South,
when the contrary is the fsct.
During the last session Of CoDgta5s the
Confederate Senate passed resolution, autho
sizing the appointment. hy tie President d
the Sena,e, Of IL committee Of ihTco Senators
ghJ should contract With EoIns one to inrnioh
u;,batim reports IT the proceedings Ut that
body at It, rext session. OF this Committed
Mr.. Or, Of South Carolina, is chairman.
The House Of Representatives,, at its last
session, also passed the following resolution
"Resolred, That 4 committee of threo be
sppUi1ted to enter Into contracts similar tu
Ii oss authorized by tie Senate, for reporting
the debates Of the House at ita next session"
Massrs. Pugb, Of Alabama, Psrkina, Of
louisiana, and Gho,soE of Virginia, wcrs lp'
pointed rs this committee.
Tie highest price tffared BY Nj; Perkins,
he sctirg member 6f the c0mm t'ae for tho
HUE, lie recently dollars PER day during cccA
session IF Congress. This, during the last
sessi III, would have amounted to the pitilul
sum Ct eight hundred and forty dollars.
We leave il to any sensible man to judge
what support this would aford even to IN I'M
married man DUNG the interim from June
18th to November It'll, the day Of assembling
of the next Congress-. The psy Of official re-
porters VI the Old Congress was $3.50 col
umu and an. appropriation Of $500 additions
compensation at tie end CT each session. TLii
was paid in gold.
1t is an sbsurdi'y to lo?d out to men the
inducement they will be made officers of
Congress and e1empte from military day.
Nearly every short hnrd reporter in the
South either has been or is nuw in The army,
serving in tic capacity If private OR tt6cer.
Some of item have teen WOUNDED snd los,
limbs, others have teen killed. They arc
necessarily men Of fre education. They have
toilsd iEceseantly TO fit themselves fer theiI
profession, and no emo but short hand re-
porter knows the amount Of labor required,
both to acquire the art itself es we'll as to re-
tain tho necessary fGcilit5, which Gun only be
done by constant practice.) apart from the
time and expense Of thorough and classical
education.
The Senate committee il, it appears so,n1-
what more literal than list Of The nJuse; but
tho ctf=r Of four thousand Is Year,
though Let sufficient to keep scnl sid body
together, h:a, it would seeui, been given to
some contractor who, rather than employ
Southern reporters, Ct whom there is 60 lack,
sends to tho Moth for his assis:ants. Com
Iesca! Ia,ties have erdeavored in vain to
mako reasonable contracts for reporting the
proceedings ct ore or bo,h lIou scs Of Corr
rress; thus far they have utterly faiIled.-
Ode's were long SIC made to report the pro-
c-edirgs from tie beginning Of tho provision.
al and permanent Congress, Blu: they were
no; accepted.
This contractor WHO sends North for report.
ors may rest assured that Sou 'Lern reporters
will never submit 10 such ignominous treat
ment, ard that the records Of the Government
will rest 10 eternal oblivit rather thsn that
he or his equals shall be allowed t, porpetuate
than. RfPoRlyR.